14 Friday 9th April, 2010 Pakistan never Navratilova faces respected their cricket stars greatest battle akistan crick- et continues after breast cancer diagnosis Pto intrigue me. Quite a few BY MARK HODGKINSON what they mean, but only if you’re things are making o one sees the c-word coming. If around to enjoy them. Something like headlines and you can ignore the short period this, it opens your eyes to what is impor- unfortunately, Njust after a teenaged Martina tant, to what you want to be doing in almost all for the Navratilova had defected from your life. It was like a 9/11 for me. I had wrong reasons! Czechoslovakia, when she “Big Mac’d been feeling good. The First up, many con- across America”, she emotional trauma was huge, and I don’t gratulations to BY WASIM AKRAM has always been known Shoaib Malik, for her good health. “The biggest think you appreciate that until you go although the juicy news about his Pre-Martina, women’s tennis had never seen through something previous relationship will do him no shock was the loss muscle like it. like this. The trauma good. Whatever the facts are, I will For the first time, of control. I’m an of it left me exhaust- like to wish Sania Mirza and Shoaib a here was a female ten- athlete, and I’ve ed, it drained me of good life together. Marriage is sacred. nis player whose body energy. I didn’t die, I can imagine the dilemma two for- was honed and hardened taken great care of but it has changed mer Pakistan captains are going by the weights room and the way I live my through at this moment. While the running track. Just a my body over the life. I’m always Mohammad Yousuf has announced month short of her 50th years, I’ve kept going to have my his retirement from international birthday, Navratilova eyeballs on this.” As she caught it cricket, Younus Khan is planning to won her last grand slam myself in good title, the mixed doubles at early, the prognosis challenge his suspension. the 2006 US Open, and in shape, but this is good. She had a I have said in my previous column retirement she wrote a made me realise lumpectomy last that the PCB had no business to slap ‘how-to’ book about smart, month, and next indefinite bans on cricketers. Hence clean living. that you don’t have month will start a Younus will have a very strong case For Navratilova, a win- six-week course of whenever he seeks legal help. It will ner of a record nine control over your radiation therapy. This March 11, 2008, file photo shows tennis great Martina Navratilova speaking at be interesting to see how the PCB Wimbledon singles titles body and your life. At first, a news conference in Tokyo. A report says tennis great Martina Navratilova has reacts then. Governance has never and the greatest female ath- Navratilova been diagnosed with breast cancer and that her prognosis is said to be excellent. been PCB’s strong point for various lete of all time, this is her Some things are wanted to keep People magazine’s Web site posted a story Wednesday, April 7, 2010, quoting things quiet, but reasons. More than Younus, the deci- “personal 9/11”. She has Navratilova saying “I cried” after being informed of the diagnosis following a rou- disclosed that she has been uncontrollable, and then she realised sion made by Yousuf has saddened tine mammogram. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) diagnosed with breast can- that by talking me. His retirement will definitely that’s shocking,” cer. publicly about not stopped beeping and buzzing with almost straight away I wanted to know hurt Pakistan in Test cricket. You “The biggest shock was Navratilova, 53, said her diagnosis, text messages and calls, from people what I could be doing about it,” can’t replace a man with 24 Test cen- the loss of control. I’m an she could urge inside and outside tennis. “I’ve had so Navratilova said. She has remained turies and 7000 plus runs. It’s a pity athlete, and I’ve taken great in an interview with women to have many messages of support,” she said. active, continuing to hit tennis balls, the way Pakistan have treated their care of my body over the The Daily regular breast Until Navratilova came along, biceps play hockey and compete in triathlons. best players. Just like Yousuf, years, I’ve kept myself in screening had been a rarity in the women’s game. Even now, she does not want the can- Pakistan have not respected many good shape, but this made me Telegraph. check-ups. It was Navratilova who introduced cer to get in the way of her tennis. The former stars. Whether it was me, realise that you don’t have Navratilova was power into women’s tennis. Before plan is that she will start her radiation especially fortunate, as it was Javedbhai (Miandad) or Waqar control over your body and your Serena and Venus Williams, there was treatment in Paris, which means that life. Some things are uncontrollable, and her first mammogram for four years. Martina. With the might of her racket she will be able to do some television Younus, one fine day we were made to “I’m lucky that I caught it when I did, as that’s shocking,” Navratilova, 53, said in arm, Navratilova dominated commentary on the French Open in the vanish from the face of the earth! I had let it slide with the check-ups. an interview with The Daily Telegraph. Wimbledon’s Centre Court, winning the city. “I still want to do my work,” There are numerous other instances When I first heard, I wanted to keep it A mammogram revealed that she had Venus Rosewater Dish nine times. She Navratilova said. After Paris, she will too. cancerous cells in her left breast. When private as it’s such a private thing, but also has seven women’s doubles trophies cross the Channel for the Wimbledon I am not sure if this is the way to the doctor told her in February she then I thought that I had a responsibility from the All England Club, plus four Championships. “I’m not the sort of per- treat players who have served you could not think or move, she could only to talk about it, to encourage women to mixed titles. son who wants to sit around feeling with excellence for over two decades. cry and all those victories on have their yearly check-ups,” she said. In all, she has a portfolio of 59 grand sorry for myself,” she said. At least, they deserve a testimonial Wimbledon’s Centre Court faded into the “I’ve got a platform and I should be slam titles, including 18 singles trophies. game, a warm send-off and a moment background. She was knocked on her using it. I’m never going to go four years And she is taking a typically gutsy atti- without a check-up again.” that will stay forever in their hearts. I “ass.” tude to her cancer treatment. “I’m not (C) The Telegraph Group, “Those Wimbledon titles still mean Navratilova’s mobile telephone has am sure Pakistan’s cricket fans will one to stay in the problem for long, and London, 2010 love to give their heroes one final standing ovation. Yousuf deserved one. Even if I am busy with my Indian Premier League (IPL) commit- Australian McDermott offered job as England bowling coach ments for Kolkata Knight Riders, I BY NICK HOULT Dougie Brown, the er’s knowledge of the Australian though will be a blow to coaches have been reading with interest about AND PAUL BOLTON Warwickshire assistant coach, bowling attack that England will working in the county game or at Shahid Afridi getting ready for the Craig McDermott is under- and Stuart Barnes, a bowling face this winter. the ECB academy in ICC T20 World Cup. It is important for stood to have been offered the job coach at Gloucestershire and the The fact Brown is not bowling Loughborough. Flower is ECB academy,were the only Afridi and Waqar to strike a chord in as the next England bowling coach at Warwickshire may have Zimbabwean, as is fielding coach coach. home-grown candidates on worked against him while Barnes the West Indies. Afridi must learn Richard Halsall, while Mushtaq The England and Wales Flower’s shortlist. and Saker lacked the experience Ahmed, the former Pakistani from his mistakes and lead with Cricket Board has again decided McDermott is believed to be of playing at the highest level. Test player, is spin bowling coach. sense and responsibility. Having been in the process of agreeing terms to turn to an overseas candidate McDermott, with 71 Tests for The ECB’s batting coach is to fill a senior role within the with the ECB, the salary is part of IPL, I now realise the margin Craig Mc Dermott during his Australia, never reached the Australian Dene Hills, although national team’s backroom staff. believed to be lower than six fig- for error in T20 cricket is very little. Test-playing days with Australia. heights scaled by Donald, the Graham Gooch worked with the Coach Andy Flower’s staff is now ures. It remains to be seen if his Afridi has to choose his best combina- the past year working at Cricket early front-runner for the job who almost entirely populated by for- appointment will be on a full-time senior side this winter, while tion every time he goes out in the Australia’s centre of excellence, took 330 Test wickets, but his eign coaches.