Tuesday 5th April 2011 13

‘Rawalpindi Express’ comes to a halt Pakistan’s fiery pace endeared him to the fairer sex. bowler Shoaib Akhtar’s dramat- His illustrious career was not a ic announcement that he will bed of roses; he was plagued retire from international cricket with injuries. He was axed from BY DOUG FERGUSON end. at the end of the 2011 World the Pakistan squad for the Woods was not expected to be back on the Cup in the subcontinent, came Champion’s Trophy by the as rude shock to all lovers of PCB. course until Tuesday morning. AUGUSTA, Georgia (AP) - Tiger Woods the game. When he was tested posi- made a quiet return to Augusta National on It’s a different routine for the four-time It was a touching scene in tive for the banned substance Sunday to complete a weekend of practice rounds Masters champion, although so much in his life the dressing room. His team Nandrolone, for which he was for the Masters, minus the media crush trying to has changed. His divorce was finalized last mates hugged him, with skip- banned from the game for two document his every move. August, a week after the final major of the year. per Shahid Afridi throwing his years. But that ban was over- It was far different from last year. Woods and his ex-wife, Elin, share parenting of arms around him, which gave turned. He was also fined Rs. their two children. an insight into Shoaib’s friendly Seven million in 2008, for hav- Woods had been away from golf for nearly five ing criticised the board’s policy. months while coping with the crisis in his per- Then again, the weekend practice is becoming disposition to his team mates. The curtain will For the just concluded 2011 more common. sonal life. His arrival at Augusta on the Sunday come down, on World Cup he was before tournament week was the first time the Practice rounds for the majors can take so one of the most Letter recalled to the media had seen him on the golf course since long during tournament week that more players colourful and con- Pakistan squad, due Australia the previous November. are preparing on the weekend, when there are Tiger Woods troversial crick- to the five year bans fewer players on the course. Houston Open. eters. He strode the cricketing imposed on three Pakistan This time, he was one of several players soak- players, Salman Butt, That was sure to make him the top arena like a colossus, in a ing up a warm, peaceful afternoon with no fans Former U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy of Mohammad Asif and favorite at a Masters that had been lacking one. career which spanned 14 on the property and no media allowed on the golf Australia arrived Friday night and had two days Mohammad Amir. He was course except in the area near the first and 10th of practice. South Korea’s K.J. Choi, who missed Mickelson moves to No. 3 in the world with years. His phenomenal feat picked for the ODIs against the cut in Houston, played with countryman Lion his win, which ended hopes of Europe having the with the cherry was remark- Kenya where he went wicket- tees, and ninth and 18th greens. able. He was called the He played with Masters rookie Jeff Overton Kim, the U.S. Amateur Public Links champion. top five players in the world ranking when the less. Against Sri Lanka, he Masters begins. Martin Kaymer of Germany and ‘Rawalpindi Express’, due to showed shades of brilliance and South African Rory Sabbatini. Tom Watson and Ben Crenshaw took advantage the blistering speed with which Lee Westwood of England remain at Nos. 1 and 2, with the cherry, when he rattled Missing from the group was caddie Steve of privileges afforded only Masters champions - he delivered the ball. He mes- with Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland and the stumps of Sri Lanka’s star Williams, who was home in New Zealand. they each played with a guest. merised the best of world bats- batsman, Mahela for two runs, Paul Casey of England at Nos. 4 and 5. Williams was not due to arrive until Monday Most of the players were gone by late after- men. The tearaway speedster with a peach of a ball. Against evening, so his boss used an Augusta National noon, with no one in the clubhouse to watch Woods will fall to No. 7, the lowest his ranking was regarded as one of the New Zealand, his performance caddie for his two practice rounds on the week- defending champion Phil Mickelson win the has been since he was No. 13 going into the 1997 fastest and most feared was disastrous. In his last over Masters, which he won by 12 shots. bowlers in the history of the in the 100 defeat to the Kiwis, game. At his fastest, he he was belted for three sixes clocked 100 mph (161.6 kph). and two fours, by Ross Taylor. Akhtar played in 46 Test He was dropped for the next SAN ANTONIO (AP) - scored 29 game back after missing 27 with a sore right leg. in the Eastern Conference. Kings 106, Jazz 97 matches and took 178 wkts two matches. points as the NBA-leading San Antonio Spurs He left the game at the beginning of the second In Sacramento, California, Tyreke Evans had and he had 163 ODI wkts beat the Phoenix Suns 114-97 on Sunday to stop a quarter with a new injury - a strained right calf 24 points and 10 assists to help Sacramento end a under his belt. He was a strik- Rex Wijewardene, six-game losing streak - the longest of Tim muscle. two-game losing streak. ing personality, which Dehiwela. Duncan’s 14-year career with the team. Will Bynum scored 20 points, Tayshaun Rookie DeMarcus Cousins added 17 points, San Antonio went winless for two weeks and Prince had 16 and Charlie Villanueva 15 for nine rebounds, six assists and five steals for the squandered a once-comfortable lead for the top Detroit. Kings. Francisco Garcia had 17 points and seed in the Western Conference. The win moves Heat 108, Nets 94 Marcus Thornton scored 15. the Spurs 2 1/2 games ahead of the Los Angeles In Newark, New Jersey, LeBron James had 31 Paul Millsap scored 21 points for the Jazz, Lakers. points and 11 rebounds as Miami won its third who dropped their sixth straight game - Utah’s Aaron Brooks and Channing Frye had 14 straight and eighth in nine games. longest slide since a nine-game losing streak in points apiece for the Suns. The loss guaranteed Dwyane Wade added 18 points despite a first- 2005. Kyle Weaver had a career-high 19 points, that Phoenix will miss the playoffs for the sec- quarter thigh injury and Chris Bosh had 16 for and rookie Gordon Hayward also scored 19. ond time in three seasons. the Heat. Rockets 114, Hawks 109 Matt Bonner added 16 points and 11 rebounds The win pulled Miami (54-23) within 2 1/2 In Houston, Kevin Martin scored 35 points for San Antonio. games of idle Chicago (56-20) in the race for the and Luis Scola added 12 of his 15 in the second Nuggets 95, Lakers 90 top spot in the Eastern Conference. The Heat half to lead Houston past Atlanta for its seventh In Los Angeles, Italy’s have five games left, one fewer than the Bulls. straight home win. scored 22 points and Kenyon Martin added 18 as Deron Williams had 18 points and 12 assists The Rockets stayed three games behind Denver hung on to defeat the Lakers for their to lead the Nets, who have lost six straight and Memphis and New Orleans in the race for the sixth straight win. 10 of 11. eighth and final Kobe Bryant playoff spot in scored 28 points for the Western the Lakers, whose Conference. nine-game winning Houston has won streak ended. Spurs end losing streak eight of its last The Lakers have 10, but has only six games left to try five games and overtake the remaining. Spurs and earn Joe Johnson home-court advan- by beating Suns 114-97 had 25 points to tage throughout lead the Hawks, the playoffs. They who had won also need five more wins to reach 60 for the 12th Raptors 102, Magic 98 four straight. Hornets 108, Pacers 96 time and third under coach Phil Jackson. At Toronto, DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points In New Orleans, Trevor Ariza scored 19 The Nuggets are 15-4 since sending leading and had 21 to help Toronto end a points and Chris Paul shook off a minor knee A Pakistani security official escorts Pakistani bowler Shoaib scorer Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups six-game losing streak. injury with 18 points and eight assists to lead Akhtar upon his arrival at Lahore airport in Pakistan on to the Knicks in a trade on Feb. 21. Knicks 123, Leandro Barbosa added 14 points for the New Orleans over Indiana. Friday, April 1, 2011. Pakistan were defeated by India in the Cavaliers 107 Raptors, James Johnson and each Emeka Okafor finished with 14 points and 17 semi-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup in the Indian city of In New York, Amare Stoudemire scored 28 had 11, and Reggie Evans finished with 17 rebounds and Carl Landry added 18 points for Mohali, and the team returned home to a hero’s welcome. points to lead New York to its first postseason rebounds. (AP Photo/K.M.Chaudary) berth since 2004. Dwight Howard had 31 points and nine the Hornets. Shortly after Charlotte’s home loss to rebounds and Jameer Nelson scored 21 points Paul hobbled off the court with a left knee Washington, the Knicks beat the Cavaliers to for the Magic, who have lost three of four. injury in the second quarter, but returned less secure their spot. They are seventh in the Brandon Bass and Jason Richardson each than three minutes later. Eastern Conference, but closed to within 1 1/2 scored 13 points and Hedo Turkoglu had 11. Danny Granger and Mike Dunleavy each games of the 76ers. Wizards 97, Bobcats 91 scored 15 points for Indiana, which had won Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points and In Charlotte, North Carolina, Andray Blatche three straight. Chauncey Billups added 23 for the Knicks, who had 25 points and 17 rebounds as Washington Trail Blazers 104, Mavericks 96 had lost 11 straight to the Cavaliers dating to won its second straight game on the road after a In Portland, Oregon, Gerald Wallace scored December 2007. dismal season. 19 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 18 to J.J. Hickson had 23 points and Baron Davis After a 1-35 start away from home that threat- help Portland win its eighth straight at home. added 22 for Cleveland. ened to match an NBA record for futility, the Portland has won seven of its last 10 as it Celtics 101, Pistons 90 Wizards followed a victory at Utah last week by jockeys for playoff position in the Western In Boston, Kevin Garnett scored 23 points beating Charlotte and putting a dent in the Conference. The Blazers sit in sixth place, a and Paul Pierce added 22 as Boston topped Bobcats’ postseason hopes. game in front of Memphis and New Orleans Detroit in Shaquille O’Neal’s brief return to the Matt Carroll scored 17 of his 26 points in the with five to go. Celtics lineup. fourth quarter for the Bobcats, who are now two Shawn Marion had 19 points for Dallas, O’Neal played only 5 1/2 minutes in his first games behind Indiana for the final playoff spot which has lost three straight.

The Annual Sports Meet of Little Flower Nursery School was held March 27 at the Sugathadasa Stadium, in Colombo.The chief guest was the former Deputy Mayor of Colombo , M. Azath Salley (third from right). The Principal, Mrs. Helen