14 Wednesday 11th February, 2009 Yuvraj deserves a place Chelsea fires in Test team - Dhoni series during the recent 4-1 series win in Sri Lanka. But the left-hander has largely failed flourish in the Test arena and only recently earned a recall in the five-day format following Sourav Scolari as manager Ganguly’s retirement. “He deserves a place in the Test side,” said Dhoni. “The good thing with LONDON (AP) - Luiz client was ready to leave him is that if he settles in he puts in a Felipe Scolari’s fall from Russia. lot of pressure on the opposition. World Cup winner to “I think there is no “His bowling is a plus point and he is a brilliant fielder too.” Premier League flop chance of him going to ’s tour of New Zealand starts reached its lowest point Chelsea because he very at the end of February and includes on Monday when he was much enjoys what he’s two Twenty20 internationals, five one- fired by Chelsea. doing,” Cees van dayers and three Tests. Unable to find a solu- Newenhausen told BBC “’s retirement gives tion to Chelsea’s slide to Radio. “I think Roman him a good opportunity,” Dhoni added. fourth place and seven Abramovich would not “Hopefully, he can cash in on it. “A batsman like him who can come points behind Manchester make too many friends in in at number five or six and who can United in the title race, Russia if he were to steal support VVS Laxman will be a big the man who stood at the a goose away from the help.” peak of the game when he national team. I can hard- Yuvraj had proved susceptible to led to Brazil to its fifth ly imagine it.” spin in the past but believes he has now World Cup title in 2002 The pressure had M. S. Dhoni overcome that problem. was out of a job only been mounting on Scolari “I spent a lot of time in the nets fig- uring out how to tackle the spinners,” seven months after he before the Blues were held India captain Mahendra Singh Yuvraj said. took over at Stamford at home by Hull on Dhoni is hopeful will “I haven’t changed too many things Bridge. Saturday. During that take his limited-overs form into the in my game. “I am thankful for the game, some fans chanted Test arena during the tour of New “The more you play, the more you opportunity to have “You don’t know what Zealand. learn, so I just backed myself and worked for Chelsea and in you’re doing” when Yuvraj, 27, is a regular in India’s played to my strength. English football. It was a Scolari made substitu- one-day team and won the man-of-the- (Cricket365.com) very valuable experience,” tions, and the team was he said. “I am sorry that booed off the field at the my time with everyone end. could not last longer. I A banner in the crowd wish Chelsea luck in the called for Zola and former PCB officials to attend three competitions it is player Roberto Di Matteo, participating. I want to Luiz Felipe Scolari now manager of Milton take the opportunity to Keynes Dons, to replace inform that I will keep liv- bought the club in 2003 Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Scolari. WC meet in Delhi ing in London.” backed former manager Hull, the Blues have Former Chelsea mid- KARACHI: A high-powered four- However, the fate of the quadrennial While that may sug- Jose Mourinho with his dropped 16 points at home fielder and manager John member delegation of the Pakistan spectacle is in jeopardy because of the gest Scolari is looking for millions and was reward- this season. Hollins said Scolari, Board (PCB) will attend an prevailing tensions between Pakistan another job in English ed with back-to-back Although Scolari’s despite his success on the emergency meeting of the 2011 World and India over last November’s terror football, his time at league titles and three players had an amazing international stage, failed Cup Central Organising Committee in attacks in and also because of Chelsea has come to an domestic cups. streak of 11 away league to master club football Delhi February 19. security apprehensions among several end. But Abramovich saw wins, they lost 3-0 at management in England. According to a PCB official, Board leading cricketing nations about travel- chairman Ijaz Butt will head the delega- ling to this region. “Unfortunately, the Alex Ferguson’s team win Manchester United and 2- “You can’t knock him tion that will also include PCB’s chief According to the official, representa- results and performances back the league title two 0 at Liverpool which for what he’s done inter- operating officer Saleem Altaf and tives of the four boards are expected to of the team appeared to be seasons in a row and then meant no points from nationally but club foot- Salman Butt, the new Managing devise a plan that would ensure that the deteriorating at a key beat his team in a penalty those four games against ball is a different ball Director of the World Cup secretariat in 2011 World Cup stays in South Asia. time in the season,” shootout in last season’s their biggest rivals in the game,” said Hollins, who Lahore. The ICC has kept Australia and New Chelsea, owned by Champions League final. title race. managed the club from The PCB officials will be going to Zealand as standby venues for the 2011 Russian billionaire The fact that the game Chelsea said it has 1985-88. “I feel he couldn’t Delhi on an invitation sent by World Cup. Roman Abramovich, said was in Moscow made it already started a search adapt to the every day International Cricket Council (ICC) vice So far, the South Asian hosts of the in a statement on its Web even more painful. for a new manager and thing (of club manage- president Sharad Pawar, who also heads World Cup are yet to begin preparations site. With Mourinho and hopes to announce a per- ment). Internationally the World Cup organising committee. for the successful hosting of the tourna- “In order to maintain Avram Grant gone, manent appointment “as he’s had time to look at a Top officials of the Board of Control ment. However, it is expected that a challenge for the tro- Scolari was the man with soon as possible.” game and pick a team but for Cricket in India (BCCI), Sri Lanka preparations will begin at full throttle phies we are still compet- the track record to turn There were reports (Chelsea) is instant.” Cricket (SLC) and Bangladesh Cricket following the Feb 19 meeting in the ing for we felt the only that slide around. After an Monday that Russia coach Hollins said the team Board (BCB) will attend the meeting. Indian capital. option was to make the impressive 10 victories in Guus Hiddink might move lost its way under Scolari The four South Asian neighbours are (The News) scheduled to host the 2011 World Cup. change now.” the first 13 league games, to Stamford Bridge as after the promising start. Only 13 games are left however, the team went director of football, with “I’ve seen five games to make up the deficit and into an alarming slump, Grant returning as coach. where things didn’t United also holds a game especially in front of its Former Chelsea star change a great deal, and Ambrose living the dream with in hand. That is another fans at Stamford Bridge. Gianfranco Zola, now they couldn’t beat the less- grim statistic for Chelsea lost its proud manager of West Ham, er sides,” he said. “They start in Daytona 500 Abramovich and streak of 86 league games was also considered a were winning home Chelsea’s chances of win- unbeaten at home when it potential candidate. games and had that fabu- Just a fortnight after Ben Graham’s ning the title back from lost 1-0 to Liverpool and Hiddink’s agent dis- lous unbeaten home Super Bowl appearance, Marcos Ambrose is set to become the latest the Red Devils look slim. soon afterwards also tum- missed the speculation, record but suddenly they Australian to make history in an The Russian who bled 2-1 to Arsenal. After saying he didn’t think his looked an ordinary team.” American sporting showpiece. The former V8 Supercars champion will become the first Australian to line up in the iconic Daytona 500 when he begins his first full season in NASCAR Butt accuses Miandad of racing’s top-tier Sprint Cup series this Sehwag to get Polly weekend. demanding huge salary Ambrose and his new team JTG KARACHI: Pakistan He claimed that the for- Daugherty Racing learned at the week- Umrigar Trophy Cricket Board chairman Ijaz mer Pakistan captain was end they were guaranteed one of 35 Butt has accused Javed interfering in selecting the starting spots for Sunday’s 200-lap race Miandad of demanding a national team and had also at Daytona Beach, Florida. “I have to pinch myself every day huge salary and trying to asked for a salary of Rs 1.6 because it is the biggest race there is,” interfere in the national million as opposed to the Rs said Ambrose, who qualified 30th-fastest team selection. 500,000 offered by the Board. on Sunday ahead of two heat races later But he admitted that “Miandad asked for a salary this week. “For years, I have read about Marcos Ambrose there were procedural flaws which we could not give the race in magazines while living in announced changes to the point-scoring in Miandad’s appointment him,” he said. “I regard Australia and it intrigued me.” structure, race rules and introduced an as PCB’s Director General. Miandad highly as a great Meanwhile, reigning champion 85 per cent ethanol-blended fuel and “I admit it was our mis- cricketer but we can’t pay Jamie Whincup says the biggest over- dual compound tyre. take as we didn’t sign a con- him more than what we had haul of motor racing rules in the 12- Whincup said the changes would tract with Miandad when he offered him.” year history of V8 Supercars will create shake up the series but warned they was appointed as DG in Butt said Miandad want- massive changes in race strategy this could lead to unfair results. “It’s a big December,” the PCB chief ed more say in the adminis- season. deal for our sport without doubt,” he told Senate’s sports commit- trative and financial matters In a dramatic move to increase the said. tee in Islamabad on Monday. of the board. excitement of the sport the V8s (SMH) Andy Murray attacks ATP drug-testing system by Astrid Andersson have to do this whereabouts thing? are desperate to go to the toilet. What about No 51? If this is going to “But I had to wait, you can’t go Mumbai: The Board of outstanding performance Andy Murray has criticised ATP be done it should be done from the before the test. We have ten and a Futures level right through to the half months of tennis and we’re get- Control for Cricket in India in international cricket. drug-testing system after undergo- top.” ting tested at least 25 times.” (BCCI) will disburse Rs. 25 The BCCI will present ing his third test in just over two weeks. On the opening day at the indoor Murray also said that he kept a lakh at its 2007-08 awards special awards to India cap- The Scot - who had to wait for 90 event, Murray was corralled along light practise schedule last week in function to be held in tain Mahendra Singh minutes to produce the specimen - with fellow doubles loser and new snowy London after picking up the Mumbai on February 18 Dhoni (Rajiv Gandhi Khel claimed there was one system for Australian Open champion Rafael light symptoms of a virus. before the Indian team’s Ratna award and Padma the top players and another for the Nadal for testing along with at least “I didn’t want to let it linger on, if departure for New Zealand. Shri), journeymen and said that had to three others. it’s not taken care of properly it can But despite eight testers on site at get worse. I wanted to be sure I was G.R. Viswanath will (300 Test wickets and change. the Ahoy arena, only the one avail- in shape to play here,” he said of the receive Rs. 15 lakh for the Padma Shri) and “This is the third time I have been Andy Murray tested over the past 16 or 17 days. able doctor could do the actual test. event where he lost in the first round Col. C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Cricket And we still have to do that [declare hour per day. That meant waiting one’s turn in 2008. Achievement Award. Association (best overall our whereabouts],” he said, continu- “I don’t understand why we have under trying conditions. “I didn’t have much time off after Virender Sehwag will performance in the 2007-08 ing his criticism of a new ruling to do it during tournament weeks “I feel quite strongly that there Melbourne, but I didn’t lose much receive the Polly Umrigar season). which has irritated the top 50 play- when we’re being tested anyway. So are a lot of flaws in the system, it can rhythm I’m hitting the ball well.” many things could be done better. Trophy and Rs. 5 lakh for (The Hindu) ers who are now required to report get much much better,” said Murray. © The Telegraph Group, their whereabouts for at least one “Why is is that only the top 50 “You’ve just finished a match and London, 2009