Sports News – Newsletter for December 8, 2010

Ashes debacle: Hilditch and Co need face hard truth and come up with answers: SMH

SYDNEY – Australia’s selectors must draw a line in the sand and overhaul their plans and the players chosen to deliver for them in the ongoing Ashes series.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the Ashes are all but gone, and there is no evidence …. Read the original article  : here.

PCB should have stood by tainted trio until they were proven guilty: Mani

ISLAMABAD – Former International Cricket Council (ICC) President Ehsan Mani has hit out at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for giving a cold shoulder to the cricketers suspended over the ’spot-fixing’ scandal.

“I would think the PCB should [..] Read the original article: here.

Jimmy V Classic Updates

NEW YORK CITY (GaeaTimes.com)- It was celebration time for all those Syracuse Orange fans present at the Madison Square Garden at New York City on Tuesday night as the Orange men defeated the Michigan State Spartans. The No. 8 Syracuse Orange ousted the No.7 Michigan State Spartans by a score of 72-58 in the … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Jimmy V Classic Updates.

On current form, Aussies would be lucky to beat even Bangladesh: SMH

SYDNEY – The clouds of despair have engulfed Australian cricket in the wake of defeat in the Adelaide Test, so much so, that cricket pundits are of the view that on evidence of performance currently shown, Ricky Ponting’s side would even find it hard to beat Bangladesh.

A Sydney Morning Herald report has said that while …. Read the original article  : here.

‘I’m flattered people want me to play in Ashes,’ says Warne

MELBOURNE – Bowling legend Shane Warne has thanked his supporters who have urged him to come out of retirement after Australia’s Ashes campaign suffered a crushing blow in the Adelaide Test.

Australian people and sports writers have tried to cajole Warne out of retirement to save the cricket team in its hour of need.

England secured victory … Read more »»».

Ponting slips to 25th place in ICC rankings

MELBOURNE – Ricky Ponting has dropped out of the top 20 in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test batting rankings for the first time since 2001 after Australia’s crushing defeat by England in Adelaide.

Ashes holders England won the second Test at the Adelaide Oval by the huge margin of an innings and 71 runs to …. Read the original article  : Ponting slips to 25th place in ICC rankings.

Ancelotti refuses to rest Chelsea players

LONDON – Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has refused to rest his players and wants his strongest team to play Marseille tonight.

With qualification for the next round of the Champions League already assured, senior stars including John Terry, Michael Essien, Petr Cech and Florent Malouda were all expecting to give the Marseille tie a miss …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Nasri is the new Thierry Henry: Wenger

LONDON – Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has hailed his striker Samir Nasri as the new Thierry Henry, and claimed he has the talent to follow the Arsenal legend as Footballer of the Year.

Nasri took his season’s goal scoring tally into double figures with during Saturday’s 2-1 win over Fulham, which lifted the Gunners to … Read more >>>.

Warne asks Oz selectors to consider Beer for Perth Test

SYDNEY – Australian cricket legend Shane Warne has asked the selectors to consider the local knowledge of West Australian left-arm spinner Michael Beer for the critical third Ashes Test in Perth.

Beer (26) has bowled decently in his five first-class matches for the Warriors, taking 16 wickets at an average of 39.93.

Describing the unfortunate Xavier Doherty …. Read the original article  : Warne asks Oz selectors to consider Beer for Perth Test.

Lesser England lights being put through their paces in hope of replacing hurt Broad

ADELAIDE – England fast bowling coach David Saker has taken captain Andrew Strauss’s missive of putting the foot on the pedal and not letting the Australians in to heart, as he is now preparing the second stringers in the squad for possible inclusion in the Perth …. Read the original article  : Lesser England lights being put through their paces in hope of replacing hurt Broad.

Hameed to lodge complaint against NOTW for implicating him in ’spot-fixing’ scandal

KARACHI – Discarded Pakistan batsman Yasir Hameed will soon lodge a complaint with the Press Complaints Commission of England against British tabloid News of the World (NOTW) for implicating him in a ’spot-fixing’ scandal.

“I have advised him to first submit a complaint with the Press Complaints …. Original article  : Hameed to lodge complaint against NOTW for implicating him in ’spot-fixing’ scandal.

Mani says ICC Chief Executive’s Pak ’spot-fixing’ remarks uncalled for

ISLAMABAD – Former International Cricket Council (ICC) President Ehsan Mani has lashed out at ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat for saying that he would be “disappointed” if the Pakistani players implicated in the ’spot-fixing’ case were acquitted.

Mani said that the case was … Read : Mani says ICC Chief Executive’s Pak ’spot-fixing’ remarks uncalled for.

Kaymer, McDowell make golfing history

BERLIN – Martin Kaymer and Graeme McDowell have made golfing history by becoming the first joint winners of the Race to Dubai European Tour Golfer of the Year award, the organisers said.

The panel of judges – comprising members of the golf media – could not separate the two golfers and for the first time …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Sampras shocked by trophy theft from locked storage units

LOS ANGELES – Tennis legend Pete Sampras has revealed that a lifetime of trophies have been stolen from two locked and secured storage units, where they were being stored during a change of home.

The 39-year-old told the Los Angeles Times the unexplained theft occurred last month in west Los Angeles.
“Losing this stuff is …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Sampras shocked by trophy theft from locked storage units.

Untraceable Haider’s legal team withdraws from UK asylum case

LONDON – Runaway former Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider’s problems have deepened after his legal team in London decided that they would no longer be representing him in his UK asylum case.

“The reason is simple. We have tried unsuccessfully to get in touch with him for the past few days, left him messages and so …. Original article  : Untraceable Haider’s legal team withdraws from UK asylum case.

Derrell Johnson-Koulianos Suspended After Arrest

IOWA (GaeaTimes.com)- Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, the wide receiver of Iowa Hawkeyes college football team was arrested on Tuesday on multiple counts of possessing controlled substance, two counts of illegitimate possession of prescription drugs and also for keeping a drug house. Following his arrest, the coach of his team Kirk Ferentz has announced that the [..] Read the original article: here.

Australian cricket, a product of rampant self-indulgence: Roebuck

SYDNEY – As Australia limps off to lick its wounds after its innings and 71 run defeat to England in the second Ashes Test in Adelaide, noted cricket columnist Peter Roebuck says the selectors will be busy sharpening their knives to prevent their own heads from being put on the block.

In his syndicated column for … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Australian cricket, a product of rampant self-indulgence: Roebuck.

Australia defeated in Ashes Test, but rise to fourth in ICC Test rankings

ADELAIDE – Amid the doom and gloom of the humiliating second Test defeat to England in Adelaide yesterday, a strange light is shining on Australia – they have risen to fourth in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test rankings.

The jump came after Sri Lanka drew a three-Test series at home to the lowly West Indies, … Read more »».

Yusuf Pathan Dashes New Zealand Hopes

BANGALORE, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- India denied New Zealand their best chance of victory in the fourth ODI Bangalore thanks to a trailblazing century from Yusuf Pathan. The hard hitter scored 123* in just 96 balls and the knock included 7 fours and 7 sixes. Coming down to bat quite early on (20th over) Yusuf … Read : Yusuf Pathan Dashes New Zealand Hopes.

Afridi backs Akram’s call for early announcement of 2011 Pak World Cup squad

LAHORE – Pakistan’s ODI captain Shahid Afridi has backed Wasim Akram’s views that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) must announce the 2011 World Cup squad as soon as possible.

“We need to start working soon with the bunch of players who make the World Cup, as it is a very important tournament and I don’t want … Original source on Gaea Times at : Afridi backs Akram’s call for early announcement of 2011 Pak World Cup squad.