SPORTS CHINA DAILY WEDNESDAY MARCH 21, 2007 23

TOPSHOT Foreign legion helps new order emerge NFL Giants keep Manning through 2009 EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey: Eli Manning is set to throw ‘Imported players’ passes for the New York Giants for another three seasons after the have been key to National Football League squad exercised a contract option on him series of shocks at on Monday. The Giants spent a reported $5 mil- World Cup lion on a buy-back option to the quar- terback’s contract to deny Manning a KINGSTON, Jamaica: A West Indian chance to void the fi nal two years of a opens the for a Canada side six-year deal worth up to $54 million, captained by an Australian, three locking him in through 2009. Australians and a South African have That contract included an American enjoyed success with Ireland and the football rookie-record signing bonus best Dutch player comes from South of $20 million. Africa. Manning, 26, could have become The improvement of the non- a free agent after the 2007 season traditional cricket nations at this but the Giants decided to keep World Cup, owes much to the input him despite struggles in the 2006 of imported players who qualify to season. represent their adopted countries. The Giants went 8-8 and made the Much like the colonial Englishmen playoff for the second year in a row who spread the game around the old while Manning threw for 3,244 British Empire, they bring expertise yards and 24 touchdowns with 18 and experience to teams who are interceptions. looking to break out of the barely noticed world of ‘associate cricket’ Clijsters set to miss US Open into the big time. BRUSSELS: World No 5 Kim , the Ireland , Clijsters is set to skip the US Open who has lived there for 12 years, has Ireland’s captain Trent Johnston celebrates with team mate Andrew White following their win over Pakistan in their World Cup cricket match in Kingston in August so she can go on honey- been the most successful of the for- March 17, 2007. Reuters moon. eign legion so far. “It is diffi cult to know whether I His decisive captaincy has led his petitions where developing cricket – they give each other a boost. also offer a second chance. Scotland’s portunities there with Ireland that will be able to make it to the US side to a thrilling tie against Zimba- countries play in front of tiny crowds “For cricket to develop in these Dougie Brown and Gavin Hamilton he can get with England. What we Open,” Belgian Clijsters said on her bwe, in which compatriot with little or no media coverage, there countries they need to have some are at the World Cup despite having are working for is to create a situa- website(www.kimclijsters.be) . scored an unbeaten century, and then are plenty of others like him. quality in there for the others to previously represented England. tion where in the future players see “I am sure about Luxembourg Johnston himself hit the winning six Italy’s national cricket team failed aspire towards,” he said. Canada opening bowler Anderson those opportunities with Ireland,” (in September) and Stuttgart (in in the memorable victory on Saturday to make it to the World Cup but their There are a number of criteria which Cummins, played for his native West said Ireland’s South African coach October)...these tournaments will against Pakistan. captain is Joe Scuderi, a former all- allow players to switch country. A pass- Indies at the World Cup 15 years ago Adrian Birrell. be the last chance to see me play The 32-year-old Johnston, who be- rounder from South Australia who port can be gained through parentage and is back on the top stage at the Italy’s Scuderi believes the contri- one more time and then tennis will gan his career at qualifi ed for the European side due or marriage while other players can age of 40. bution of his fellow-Australians John- be over and I’ll fi nally be starting with players such as Michael Slater to his Italian parents. qualify through residency. Nor is it only the emerging nations ston, Bray and David Langford-Smith the new part of my life I have been and , has frequently remind- Scuderi has little time for those who who take advantage of qualifi cation at this World Cup could go a long way longing for.” ed people that he and the team are out mock the presence of non-native play- Second chance rules to strengthen their squads. After to achieving just that. Clijsters plans to retire this year in the Caribbean to help popularise ers in emerging sides and believes But it is not entirely a philanthropic all, England feature South African Kev- “The fact that Ireland are doing and should the 2005 US Open the game back home. they are playing a vital role. venture for players such as Johnston in Pietersen and Irishman . well means the interest level will champion miss Flushing Meadows, “We’ve come here to promote cricket “Those who snigger only care about and Canada captain John Davison. Dublin-born Joyce developed as be much, much higher than it was Wimbledon will be her only remain- in Ireland and we have shown there cricket in the major countries but it is After all, the developing nations a player in Ireland’s colours before 12 months ago and that will have a ing Grand Slam event following her is good cricket in Ireland and given about developing the game globally,” also offer those players a chance to switching to England but if the huge affect on the kids starting out decision not to play at the French people an entertaining game to watch,” he said_. play at a level they probably would progress of Irish cricket continues in the game or thinking about get- Open. he said after the Zimbabwe tie. “These countries have searched not have reached with their countries such moves might be less likely in ting involved.” The 23-year old, will marry US While Johnston has become the around for players who may be eli- of birth. the future. basketball player Brian Lynch in Bel- highest profi le case, in the ICC com- gible and it works well for both parties Sometimes the minor countries can “Ed obviously didn’t see the op- Agencies gium on July 14. The US Open runs from August 27 to September 9.

Singh up to seventh in world rankings LONDON: Vijay Singh moved up two Nadal ready to step up Federer challenge in Miami positions to seventh in the world rankings issued on Monday after TENNIS pion claimed his fi rst trophy since last Jan Hernych, the No 72 who defeated the Swiss in a dramatic fi ve-set fi nal twice semifi nalist Amelie Mauresmo, his victory in the Arnold Palmer year at Roland Garros with a 6-2, 7-5 Briton Tim Henman Indian Wells, or the following year. who underwent emergency appendix Invitational. MIAMI: Roger Federer will face a victory over Serb Novak Djokovic in a qualifi er. Briton Andy Murray is seeded 12th surgery over the weekend in France The 44-year-old Fijian claimed the revived challenge from Rafael Nadal the Indian Wells fi nal on Sunday. Nadal is bursting with confi dence, after losing to Djokovic in the Indian and is expected to be out of action for 31st PGA Tour title of his career and when the Swiss world No 1 defends Federer, Nadal and the other seeds though he still lags way behind Fe- Wells semifi nals to continue his fi ne a month. his second win of the season when his title at the Sony Ericsson Open received byes into the Miami second derer, winner of a dozen titles last start to the season. Newly crowned world No 1 Justine he fi nished two strokes clear of which starts today. round. Federer, whose 41-match season and the Australian Open and Australian Lleyton Hewitt, who Henin returns to action after winning American Rocco Mediate in Florida While Federer was practising in winning streak was ended by Canas, Dubai in 2007, in the rankings. suffered a hamstring injury at the tournament in Doha last month. on Sunday. Miami after losing in the second begins his campaign on Saturday “Roger is the best in history. For the Pacifi c Life Open, faces a fi rst- Top seed Maria Sharapova faces Chapchai Nirat rose 131 positions to round of last week’s Pacific Life against the winner of the clash sure, my goal is to continue winning round clash with three-times French Yung-Jan Chan of Taipei and Spain’s 179th after lifting the TCL Classic Open to Argentine Guillermo Canas, between Russian Igor Andreev and tournaments. If I play like this, I can Open winner Gustavo Kuerten, who Nuria Llagostera Vives in the second title in China. Nadal was breaking a nine-month American teenager Sam Querrey. win another major,” Nadal said. continues his comeback from a hip round. The 23-year-old became the third title drought. Nadal’s fi rst opponent in the Mas- Nadal beat Federer in the 2004 surgery. Thai to triumph on the European Spain’s twice French Open cham- ters Series event will be either Czech Miami third round before losing to The women’s event will be missing Agencies Tour after carding a closing 71 at Yalong Bay Golf Club. ONTV Brazilian dribblers complain their art is a sin STAR SPORTS ASIA DPRK side 10:00 English Premier League: SOCCER Reading Vs Portsmouth 12:00 Auto Racing Max Power in ROK for RIO DE JANEIRO: One of the most 2007 abiding moments of the 2002 World 13:00 CBA Basketball Highlights Cup was Brazilian winger Denilson 13:30 Magazine Engine Block training taking the ball into the corner and 14:00 Motor Cycle Racing: World dribbling around in a circle chased Championship 2007 Qatar SOCCER by half the Turkey team. 15:30 CBA Basketball 2006/07 Brazil were leading 1-0 in the semi- Guangdong Vs Bayi Final #2 ROME: The Democratic People’s fi nal with seconds left and commenta- 17:30 The Football Quiz Carlsberg Republic of Korea (DPRK) under-17 tors and fans went wild with delight, Kickoff 1st Round soccer squad arrived Republic of Ko- hailing Denilson’s irreverence and 18:00 Wrestling rea (ROK) for a month-long training cheeky skills as a classic piece of 19:30 Soccer:The Top Corner session funded by Seoul yesterday. Brazilian play. 20:00 English Premier League: Pro-unifi cation activists waved a Yet when Brazilian players are on Blackburn Rovers Vs West Ham “One Korea” fl ag and shouted “Glad the wrong end of similar trickery, 22:00 Golf Focus to meet you!” as the 23 players and they fail to see the funny side. 22:30 The Golf Club nine coaches left the airport in the Had Denilson tried a similar trick 23:00 Golf: The Masters Offi cial southern resort island of Jeju under in his homeland, there is a good Films 2004 tight police guard, Yonhap news chance his antics would have pro- agency reported. voked a brawl and it is even possible ESPN China It was the fi rst visit by a DPRK the game would not have fi nished. 10:00 Rugby: Six Nations 2007 sports team to the South since a squad Incredibly, for a country that pro- 11:59 Sport News took part in an East Asian regional duced players such as Garrincha and 12:00 Football Focus With John soccer competition in August 2005. Pele, dribbling is often considered a Dykes The training stint is ahead of the, provocative humiliation of an oppo- 13:00 English Premier League: ahead of the FIFA U-17 World Cup nent, a breach of fair play and even an Everton Vs Arsenal hosted by ROK this summer. Eight insult to the victim’s manhood. Brazil and Barcelona ace Ronaldinho shows off his dribbling skills. 15:01 Rugby: Six Nations 2007 cities will host 23 teams from August Ten days ago, Corinthians players 17:01 Extreme Sports: Winter 18 to September 9 bitterly criticised Palmeiras mid- goal aggregate lead and only a few not endanger an opponent or himself,” he played for Santos in the 1970s, is X-games The DPRK team, who arrived from fi elder Jorge Valdivia for dribbling too minutes to play, forward Edilson de- said referee Leonardo Gaciba. baffl ed by current attitudes. 18:30 Football Focus With John a training session in the Chinese much during a derby against them. cided it was time for some famed Bra- “He wasn’t being objective so I awarded “The dribble is a tool which makes Dykes city of Kunming, will play friendly Valdivia, a Chilean international, zilian trickery and nonchalantly began a free kick to protect him. If somebody had the team more offensive,” he told said. 19:30 Sport News matches against university and high inspired Palmeiras to a 3-0 win and playing keepy-uppy in midfi eld. broken his leg, they will say that I was not “The intelligent dribble...is the es- 20:00 Tiger FC Locker Room school teams from March 24 to 27 afterwards received a thinly-veiled The gesture incensed the Palmeiras clamping down on violence.” sence of football. And now, even this 20:30 Goals! before meeting the South Korean warning from Corinthians coach players, who chased him off the fi eld. The same year, the second division they want to take away,” he said. 21:00 Football Focus With John under-17 team on March 30. Emerson Leao. A vicious brawl ensued, with players match between Sport Recife and Bota- “The problem is that in modern Dykes They then move to the town of “I’m worried about what might exchanging punches and karate kicks, fogo-Ribeirao Preto was abandoned in football, there are few players who 22:00 Sport News Gwangyang in the south of the happen to him in the future because and the referee abandoned the match. the last minute when a Sport player can do it. When one appears, every- 22:30 English Premier League: peninsula and to Suwon just south he has technique but he exaggerates,” Edilson did nothing outside the was chased off the pitch by opponents body jumps on top of him. During Aston Villa Vs Liverpool of Seoul before wrapping up their said Leao after his team had taken it laws of the game, yet he was punished for more ball-juggling. my career, I never heard anyone training in the capital. in turns to kick the Chilean. “I wor- rather than the brawlers. complaining about my dribbling.” CCTV 5 The two sides have made joint ried that something more serious The following day, Vanderlei Luxem- Robinho bullied Sao Paulo were the latest victims of 09:30 NBA Pacers Vs Rockets sports appearances despite frosty might happen to him in the future.” burgo, then Brazil coach, dropped him That was the year in which Rob- the war on dribbling when striker Le- 13:00 2nd round of Table Tennis political ties, marching together from the squad for the Copa America. inho, now with Real Madrid, burst andro was criticised by rivals Santos World Championships Qualifying under the “One Korea” fl ag – show- Keepy-uppy provocation Since then, the dividing line be- on to the scene and he also had to following Sunday’s 1-1 draw. 14:30 World Swimming Champi- ing the peninsula in blue on a white Corinthians and Palmeiras share a tween what is considered a legitimate cope with threats and bullying. “That’s his way of playing,” said onships background – at the Asian Games bitter rivalry – it can only take a few dribble and an attempt to belittle the “Players get angry when they get coach Muricy Ramalho. “He likes to 15:30 2nd round of Table Tennis opening ceremony in December. “Oles” from the crowd to spark trouble opposition has become ever thinner. dribbled all the time,” said Gremio attack and in today’s football, with so World Championships Qualifying DPRK are favorites for the under-17 – and have already provided an extreme Another startling incident hap- goalkeeper Danrlei after his side little space, the dribble is a way of tak- 18:00 Sports News World Cup after capturing the Asian example of what can happen. pened in 2002 when Coritiba striker lost 3-0 to a Robinho-inspired per- ing someone out of the game.” 19:30 World Swimming Champi- youth title with a 5-3 penalty shootout Back in 1999, the sides met to de- Jaba performed a couple of cheeky formance. “He could end up having “But it seems that today, you can’t onships win over Japan last year. cide the Paulista championship in a stepovers against Santos – and in his leg broken.” do a nice dribble any more.” 22:00 Sports World two-leg fi nal. doing so gave away a free kick. Former winger Edu, who could 22:36 My Olympics AFP With Corinthians enjoying a three- “The rule says that a player can- send the crowd into raptures when Agencies 22:45 Auto Times