The Island, Friday 9th June, 2006 Germany ready to party

by Mandeep Sanghera Italia 90. the media knives are being Football’s greatest show on The man known as Der sharpened ready to take the earth is ready to get under way Kaiser has been the president frustrations of failure out on as host nation Germany kick- of the organising committee in coach Jurgen Klinsmann. off the World Cup against Costa charge of masterminding There is little doubt the Rica in Munich. Germany 2006. home nation will be able to rely After 847 qualifying games Judging by his approach, it on a fervent support for the the 194 national teams who seems the foundations have opening game, but from there started out with dreams of been set for not only the biggest on it will depend on what they making it to the finals have World Cup but also the best. deliver on the pitch. been whittled down to 31 to join “As a former player and He was booed by his coun- Germany to battle it out for coach, and now in my role as try’s fans early in the tourna- football’s most coveted prize. OC president, experience has ment before turning the jeers to There are no second takes taught me the importance of cheers as he led the side to the and the competition will be good preparation,” he wrote in World Cup crown. under the microscope. his notes welcoming the vast The chances of another vic- Success for Germany is not But it could be key to achiev- bining first-class sport and a The brief is to deliver as an army of media to the tourna- tory and history repeating essential for a memorable ing Beckenbauer’s vision of a joyous coming together of expectant global audience ment. itself are slim. World Cup. “festival of world football com- nations.” anticipates a feast of football. The atmosphere in Munich But while Germany’s The last World Cup finals at present is one of muted chances have been played down, match played in Munich saw enthusiasm. an analysis of its weaknesses the old West Germany beat Although it appears ready to always comes with the footnote Strauss to in ODI series explode into a mass of eupho- that, because it is Germany, you Holland in 1974 to claim the sec- will take Flintoff was told to rest for at and Alex Loudon. A sixth, Alastair ria, it could hinge on how cannot write them off. ond of their three World Cup over from as least four weeks while he Cook, has yet to make his ODI debut. Germany fare in the opening At the 2002 World Cup they wins. England captain for the up- recovers from an ankle injury. Squad game against Costa Rica. unexpectedly reached the final Franz Beckenbauer cap- coming one-day matches Five players uncapped at Andrew Strauss (Middlesex), Ian The German public are excit- and even the hopes of a last tained that side and his coun- against Ireland and Sri Lanka international level have been Bell (Warwickshire), Tim Bresnan ed but not expectant about their eight or semi-final place this try’s third successful campaign it was announced Thursday. named in the squad including (Yorkshire), Glen Chapple team’s chances. time around could transform in the tournament came when England opener Strauss, Tim Bresnan, Glen Chapple, (Lancashire), There is already a sense that the nation and tournament. he managed them to victory at 29, will lead his country after James Dalrymple, Ed Joyce (Durham), Alastair Cook (Essex), James Dalrymple (Middlesex), Stephen Harmison (Durham), Geraint Jones (Kent), Ed Joyce (Middlesex), Alex Loudon (Warwickshire), (Lancashire), (Hampshire), (Durham), (Somerset). (AFP)

Kuznetsova reaches French Open final Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova produced a rousing comeback to reach the final of the French Open Thursday at the expense of teenager Nicole Vaidisova. The former US Open champion won 5-7, 7- 6 (7/5), 6-2 to set up a final against the winner of the all-Belgian semi-final between former world number ones Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin- Hardenne. (AFP) Injured Akhtar hopeful of early return Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar said Thursday he hoped to return to active cricket ear- lier than first feared and was keen to bowl on England's seam-friendly pitches. Akhtar, who was already mourning the death of a close friend, received more bad news on Wednesday when an MRI scan of his injured ankle showed a fracture sustained last year had not healed. He was advised not to bowl for four to six weeks, which means he will miss the best part of Pakistan's series against England which gets underway with the first Test at Lord's in London from July 13. "It's a bad week for me. First I lost a close friend and now got a bad news that my injury has not healed although I still feel no pain and can jog for hours," Akhtar told AFP in an interview. "But a bad news for me is a good news for the English batsmen. I will do my best to recover in time to at least play two Tests," said Akhtar, eye- ing the third Test in Leeds for his return. Pakistan will play four Tests, a match and five one-day internationals on their tour of England. 69

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