Sports News – Newsletter for February 4, 2011

Carroll confident of living up to 35 million pound price tag at Liverpool

LONDON – New Liverpool striker Andy Carroll has said that he is confident of living up to his 35 million pound price tag.

Carroll has become the most expensive British player in Premier League history with his transfer from Newcastle United on deadline …. Read the original article  : here.

PCB to receive 400,000 dollars for each World Cup match moved from Pakistan

KARACHI – The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will be paid around 400,000 dollars for every match it was supposed to host in the World Cup 2010, despite not hosting them anymore due to security concerns in the country.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) had moved away Pakistan’s share of … Original source on Gaea Times at : PCB to receive 400,000 dollars for each World Cup match moved from Pakistan.

The team should take the pressure off Sachin: Dhoni

RANCHI – India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni Friday said the team should perform well to take the pressure off batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar in the

World Cup starting Feb 19.
Tendulkar,37, would be making his sixth appearance in a World Cup and the players have said they want to win the prized trophy for … Read more »»».

Sepak Takraw inspires lighter moments in Goa assembly

PANAJI – Sepak Takraw, an exciting sport of Malay origin that is an athletic mix between football and volleyball, inspired some hilarious moments in the Goa legislative assembly Friday.

Opposition and ruling benches together spilled into peals of laughter after the sports minister Manohar Azgaonkar during Question Hour, struggled pronouncing ‘S.E.P.A.K T.E.K.R.A.W’, a …. Source article  : Sepak Takraw inspires lighter moments in Goa assembly.

Shane Warne ‘narrowly misses confrontation with ex-wife’s beau’

MELBOURNE – Shane Warne has narrowly avoided running into the man who is dating his former wife Simone Callahan.

The spin king was playing in a charity tribute match at the Kangaroo Flat Sports Club, near Bendigo, on Thursday.

But only hours before Warne arrived, Callahan’s new beau Toby Roberts had been at the club where his …. Source  : Shane Warne ‘narrowly misses confrontation with ex-wife’s beau’.

Indian poultry tycoon Desai shows door to Blackburn chairman

LONDON – After sacking Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce a few weeks after poultry major Venky’s took control at Ewood Park, new Indian owner of the Premier League club Anuradha Desai has shown the door to long-serving chairman John Williams.

Williams became the latest victim as he agreed a severance package on Thursday during Indian poultry …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Chelsea planning summer clear out of its five big stars

LONDON – To balance the books after their record-breaking spending spree, Chelsea is planning a summer clear out of its five big stars.

Didier Drogba, Florent Malouda, John Obi Mikel, Jose Bosingwa and Yuri Zhirkov performance will be under severe review until the end of the season.

The club is planning a summer clearout to help pay …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Chelsea planning summer clear out of its five big stars.

Serb star says Man City must spend more to win UK Premier League

LONDON – Manchester City’s billionaire owners are being urged to spend big again if they want to win the Premier League title.

Though nearly 400-million-pounds has already been splashed out on players in 30 months, Serbian defender Aleksandar Kolarov says more has to be spent.

Kolarov said: “All clubs, especially in England, spend a lot of money … Read more >>>.

Tiger Woods’ ex-mistress offered $1m to work at brothel

WASHINGTON – Tiger Woods’ former mistress Rachel Uchitel has been offered 1 million dollars to work at the notorious Moonlite Bunny Ranch in Nevada.

Dennis Hof, the brothel’s owner, rang into the Mancow Experience, a Chicago based syndicated radio show that Uchitel is co-hosting, to make his generous offer and the ex-club hostess discussed her thoughts …. Source article  : Tiger Woods’ ex-mistress offered $1m to work at brothel.

Wenger says ‘under-fire’ Fabregas is a ‘witch-hunt’ victim

LONDON – Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes that captain Cesc Fabregas is the victim of a ‘witch-hunt’.

It comes after Everton manager David Moyes alleged that Fabregas made unrepeatable comments to match referee Lee Mason as the players went down the tunnel at half-time of their Premier League clash at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.

When asked if …. Source  : Wenger says ‘under-fire’ Fabregas is a ‘witch-hunt’ victim.

Rooney has banished his mental demons: Capello

LONDON – England football team coach Fabio Capello believes Wayne Rooney has banished his mental demons and is ready to rediscover his swagger with the national squad.

The Daily Express quoted Capello, as saying: “Rooney is a fantastic player. I have to speak with him, but the movement and passing is now good. And his head [..] Read the original article: here.

Heuvel returns to Pak to coach hockey team till 2012 Olympics after contract revision

LAHORE – Pakistan hockey coach Michel van den Heuvel has finally returned to the country to resume his duties, and also extended his commitment to the national team till the 2012 London Olympics, after his contract was revised.

The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) took a detailed review of Heuvel’s commitment to the squad, who returns as …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Wright is the man with a World Cup plan for the Black caps

HAMILTON – When New Zealand coach John Wright brings his country’s national cricket team to the Indian subcontinent for the World Cup later this month, he will have two things going for him – an intimate knowledge of Indian conditions and the fact that he was the coach of the 2003 Indian squad that reached [..] Read the original article: here.

CWG: Infostrada refutes allegations of non-performance

CHENNAI – Infostrada Sports, the Dutch company contracted by the Delhi Commonwealth Games Organising Committee to provide media services, has refuted allegations of “non-performance” while claiming that the organisers still owed the company $618,000.

In a statement, Infostrada Sports CEO Philip Hennemann said his company put in extra work to “rescue” the Organising Committee in …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : CWG: Infostrada refutes allegations of non-performance.

Kapil, Dravid, Ganguly among CEAT award winners as best World Cup cricketers

Mumbai, Feb 3(ANI-Business Wire India): Former Indian captains Kapil Dev, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly are among nine cricketers who have been honoured with the ‘CEAT Cricket Rating World Cup Awards 2011′ for standout performances in every World Cup from 1975 onwards.

In a ceremony held at Mumbai’s Hotel Taj Mahal Palace, Glenn Turner [..] Read the original article: here.

Afridi to captain at World Cup

KARACHI – Pakistan has decided to retain one-day captain Shahid Afridi to lead the team in the coming World Cup after seriously mulling the option of giving the job to Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq.

Intikhab Alam, Pakistan team manager, Friday confirmed that Afridi had been chosen as Pakistan’s World Cup captain. A formal announcement will be … Original source on Gaea Times at : Afridi to captain at World Cup.

Frustrated Kiwi fans term Black Caps Black Craps on Wikipedia

Hamilton 9New Zealand), – Frustrated with New Zealand’s latest cricket failure against Pakistan, local fans have used the encyclopedia website Wikipedia to call the Black Caps Black Craps.

The Black Caps’ 41-run loss to Pakistan in Hamilton last night was well summarised by an update to the Wikipedia website by a malicious editor who changed the … Original article on : Frustrated Kiwi fans term Black Caps Black Craps on Wikipedia.

Sachin to play two to four World Cups

RANCHI – Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said here Friday that Sachin Tendulkar can play two to four more cricket World Cups.

“There is a perception that this is Sachin’s last World Cup. We think he can play two to four more,” Dhoni told reporters.
Dhoni was here to inaugurate the T-20 Jharkhand Premier … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Sachin to play two to four World Cups.

Watson may be second man after Ponting to win back-to-back Allan Border Medals

SYDNEY – Australian all-rounder Shane Watson is poised to follow in the footsteps of Ricky Ponting and become just the second man to pick up the coveted Alan Border Medal two years running.

Watson, who won last year’s award when considered “a near certainty” by Fox Sports Stats, is likely to be challenged most strongly by … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Watson may be second man after Ponting to win back-to-back Allan Border Medals.

Zardari, Gilani felicitate Pak cricket team for series victory against New Zealand

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani have congratulated the national cricket team on winning the one-day series against New Zealand.

Zardari, who is also the chief patron of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), lauded the squad’s efforts and hard work that helped Pakistan clinch a series victory after …. Read the original article  : here.