Armstrong Has Cycling World in Limbo
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14 Monday 23rd May, 2011 BY VINAY NAYUDU thrill. the IPL, on Friday night. He He also wished for the ICC to MUMBAI: Charisma and attitude No brooding, no tears, just the thanked all and added, “I hope keep international calendar free for is what sets stars aside. Shane usual friendly banter. After having you’ve enjoyed me play.” IPL. “I look through the IPL with Armstrong Warne is one such personality who mesmerized batsmen and audiences Daringly different, Warne, fondness and wish and hope that even while walking away from the alike for more than 20 years, the 41- despite all the controversies that the ICC would look at it and say no spotlight continues to provide the year-old showman doffed his hat to surrounded him, seemed at ease international cricket for six weeks, and delighted with himself. every player is available to play and has cycling Summing up his stay at the IPL, that’ll help break barriers. There’ll Warne just didn’t seem to stop. “I be no sledging and everyone will be don’t think I’ve ever been happier in friends.” my entire life. My last game was on Warne was proud of the way he world in limbo... my son’s birthday, who turned bowled in the tournament, but twelve tonight, and it’s quite ironic. added that it was time to move on. My kids are 14, 12 and 10 and I’m happier than I’ve ever been before. (Times of India) Business wise I’ve got three, four companies that are doing great. I’ve got two or three more business offers on the table. I’m in the middle ... thank you of setting up a free cricket academy where any young spinner can come - maybe in Dubai, India - and learn and good knight for free. “My charity, my foundation of LONDON - Australian leg-spinner which I am the chairman has raised Shane Warne prepared to retire $5 million for underprivileged chil- from professional cricket on Friday dren and I’ll continue to do that. I with a delivery aimed straight at will spend some time with my chil- Buckingham Palace as he fished for one last accolade to add to his SIDE-BY-SIDE: George Hincapie (left) and Lance dren, some with Elizabeth (Hurley) - resume — a knighthood. Armstrong rode together in each of Armstrong’s victo- which should be pretty cool.” The flamboyant 41-year-old rious Tours de France between 1999 and 2005. Indeed, the Indian domestic T20 brings down the curtain on his league gave Warne what he may career in his Rajasthan Royals’ BY BRENDAN GALLAGHER have missed otherwise. Recalling final match of the Indian Premier his best, he termed the first season The cycling world is attorney. “I can confirm League (IPL) season against in 2008 as the most memorable. awaiting, with growing to you that I never spoke Mumbai Indians after tormenting “No one then knew what to impatience, for confirma- with 60 Minutes,” he said. batsmen all over the world for two expect at the IPL. Auctions, fran- tion of whether George “I have no idea where decades. chises, massive money for players In a column for British newspa- Hincapie – Lance they got their informa- for six weeks’ work... what’s going per The Daily Telegraph, Warne Armstrong’s comrade-in- tion. on? And that was what lured me out wrote about his cherished memo- arms in seven victorious “As I’ve said in the of time, but it’s been pretty cool. We ries before pondering what might Tours and close personal past, I continue to be dis- (Royals) played phenomenal cricket lie ahead for him. friend – has testified to a appointed that people are through that season and it was all “I’m not quite sure what the grand jury in California talking about the past in new and fresh, you didn’t exactly future holds,” he wrote. “But I do that he saw Armstrong cycling instead of the know what to do, you wanted to be a note that the other four men who taking performance- future. As for the sub- step ahead of your opposition. We were chosen in Wisden’s Five enhancing drugs. stance of anything in the were the first to open bowling with Cricketers of the Century are all A trailer for the 60 60 Minutes story, I cannot spin, some copied it and we felt it Sirs. Perhaps my knighthood has Minutes documentary, comment on anything was a nice back-handed compli- been lost in the post. which was to be screened relating to the ongoing ment,” he said. “Sir Shane Warne — it has quite nationwide yesterday, by investigation.” Having soaked in the T20 a ring to it, don’t you think?” the American channel A testimony from razzmatazz, Warne also didn’t rule The spin great, who took 708 CBS, claims Hincapie Hincapie would be key to out his return but in a new avatar. Test wickets, retired from Test said that he and the case. To date there “I surely won’t be here a 100% as a cricket after Australia whitewashed Armstrong used EPO in have been a number of full-time coach, there’s no point England 5-0 in the Ashes in early training to prepare for angry accusations against being there as a coach for seven 2007 but continued to play in the big races such as the Tour Armstrong – the most weeks, I might as well play.But I cash-rich IPL. de France and also dis- notable from Floyd can see myself in a consultancy role He was named in 2000 as one cussed the possible use of Landis and Hamilton, but maybe for just a few days. That of the most prominent players of testosterone. neither is the most credi- might be with the Royals... they’re the 20th century alongside Donald The documentary will ble witness. my first priority, if not then I may Bradman, Garfield Sobers, Jack also carry Tyler Landis, who ‘won’ the work an agreement with someone Hobbs and Viv Richards who were Hamilton’s confession 2006 Tour de France else,” quipped the Victorian. all knighted. that he used performance- before a positive test for Shane Warne enhancing drugs through- testosterone, spent more out his time with than $1 million of his Armstrong at US Postal, supporters’ donations and indeed for most of insisting he was innocent Preity Zinta has a Paul Valthaty unsuccessfully bat after her his career, and that he before doing a sharp U- attempts to hold a catch. team’s final league saw Armstrong take turn this time last year, match, IPL 2011, drugs. when he confessed all and Dharamsala, May Hincapie has denied accused Armstrong. 21, 2011. talking, at any time, to Hamilton, until his CBS about the drugs issue recent appearance in but has yet to deny that front of the grand jury, he has given evidence to had never owned up to the grand jury. Nor has he doping, despite two sepa- contradicted the CBS ver- rate bans for testing posi- sion of what he told the tive and a third positive jury. test at the 2004 Olympics, Hincapie appears to be when he won the road choosing his words very time-trial. That test was carefully. Armstrong has overturned on a techni- never failed a test and cality. always denied doping. Now retired, he was “It’s just unfortunate nonetheless banned for that that’s all people want eight years in 2009. to talk about now,” said Hamilton has admitted Hincapie when asked recently to suffering from about the 60 Minute depression and returned claims at the Tour of his Olympic gold medal California. “I’m not going on Friday. However, to partake in any cycling- Hincapie, 37, is an entire- bashing. I have done ly different proposition. everything to be the best I A widely admired can be. I want the focus rider within the sport, he on the future of the sport, appears to be a reliable what it’s done to clean and grounded individal itself up. I believe in who Armstrong once departed for a cycling and want to sup- described as “being like a well played 51, port it.” brother.” hammering a full Hincapie also released (C) The Telegraph delivery from Daniel a statement through his Group, London, 2011 Christian straight to Cameron White at extra with wickets tumbling with great Shikhar Dhawan gets innovative during his unbeaten cover the game seemed all regularity. 95. (AP Photo) but over. Karthik’s dis- Credit must go to the Chargers missal two balls later who fielded well and bowled with confirmed the result. great discipline. Amit Mishra (four The Kings XI’s valiant late Valthaty. With the run rate for nine) was particularly impres- Hiroshima won’t bid charge for a play-off spot came to The early set- rapidly careering sive, and the spinner was rewarded an end on Saturday when they suf- backs meant that out of control, the for his efforts with a hat-trick. First fered a 82-run defeat at the hands of any victory charge incoming bats- Ryan McLaren was well caught in for 2020 Olympics the Deccan Chargers, cricket365.com would require a men were the deep by Christian, then reported on its website, Saturday. monumental effort forced to Mandeep Singh was stumped as he TOKYO (AP) — Nagasaki — the two The Punjab team needed to win from Gilchrist and seek max- darted out of his crease. The deed Hiroshima has scrapped Japanese cities hit by all of their last five matches to have for a time it imums was sealed when Ryan Harris cut plans to bid for the 2020 atomic bombs in World a chance of making the play-offs, appeared that the from straight to second slip.