Dzeko scores Manchester City's 100th goal of season
Posted:
Saturday, January 25, 2014 –
12:54 AM
Edin Dzeko scored Manchester City's 100th goal of the season
in the 14th minute of their Premier League match against Cardiff City at the
Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
The Bosnia international striker's shot bobbled over the
line and although Cardiff claimed it was no goal, referee Neil Swarbrick
awarded it after consulting his goalline technology wrist device.
City have taken only 34 matches to reach the milestone
across the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and Capital One (League) Cup.
Top badminton player Lee Chong Wei mulls retirement
Posted:
–
12:41 AM
Badminton World No 1 Lee Chong Wei hinted that retirement
was on the horizon after the emotional Malaysian sealed his 10th national
championship in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.
Lee, 31, was in tears after his 21-19, 21-9 victory over
Indonesian Tommy Sugiarto, saying this would be his last Malaysian Open.
"I have never experienced
this kind of pressure before. The first game was tough and Tommy really pushed
me hard," Lee told reporters in Malaysia.
"The pressure started to
build up from the start of this week. I was tense because I wanted to win my
10th and last Malaysian Open badly.
"After the win, I could not
help but feel emotional. All the burden is off my shoulders now... I feel
lighter."
Lee won his second Olympic silver
medal at the London Games in 2012 after another titanic battle with old
advisory Lin Dan of China but said he was unsure about competing again at the
grandest stage.
The Penang-born Lee said he would
attempt to win a third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal in Glasgow in
July and a first world championship in August before deciding on his future
after the Asian Games in South Korea in September.
"I don't know whether I can
last until the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. I just cannot imagine how I would
fare in three years' time," the right-hander said.
"For now, I just don't know
whether I can go on after the Asian Games. There is also personal problems and
pressure.
"I have been playing for
many years and I feel the need to spend more time with my family. This whole
week my wife and mother were asking why I was so tensed up.
"I want to spend more time
with my baby boy."
Shane Warne to work as spin consultant for Oz squad in lead-up to World T20
Posted:
–
12:27 AM
Australian spin legend Shane Warne will reportedly work
with the national team as a mentor for the side`s spinners in the lead-up to
the World Twenty20 tournament in March, to be held in Bangladesh.
The former leg-spinner will join the Australian staff in
a consultancy role when the T20 squad assembles in South Africa after the
upcoming Test series for three T20 internationals against the top Test team in
the world.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Warne said that
he is excited to be working with Australia`s spinners in South Africa and is
looking forward to helping them with some intense bowling preparation ahead of
the World Twenty 20, where they would specifically work on tactics and mindset.
Hailing Warne, national head coach Darren Lehmann said
that they are thrilled to have the spin great on board as he was a gifted
cricketer and remains passionate about spin bowling, adding that as spin
bowling will be critical to success during the World T20, so there is no better
person than Warne to help guide the spinners that are selected in the squad.
Lehmann also said that they believe the team can benefit
from more specific skill-based coaching as and when it is needed, adding that
from time to time they will enlist the support of experts in their craft to
work with the players and share their experiences.
Australia`s T20 team, captained by George Bailey, is ranked
a lowly eighth in the ICC rankings, the report added.
Cheers! Drink sorrows away, Shane Warne tells struggling Aussies
Posted:
Friday, March 15, 2013 –
5:27 AM
Former cricketer Shane Warne has a tipsy solution - quite literally - to the current problems plaguing the Australian national team: shut the doors and bring on the booze!
Warne, writing in UK's Daily Telegraph, says the fragile and fragmented team chemistry in the current Australian team can be repaired with music and alcohol rather than through stricter means.
"As a leader I always thought if the boys weren't getting along or we weren't performing then the best thing to do was to lock everyone into a room with some music (and) alcohol. (Then) everyone have their say to each other . . ."
Currently 2-0 down against India in the sub-continent, the Australian team's problems have not been restricted to on-field agonies alone. Coach Mickey Arthur has said that there is 'back-talk' and an attitude problem within the side. This after four players including vice-captain Shane Watson were axed because they failed to submit an assessment report to Arthur.
Warne though has not been enthusiastic about the nature of punishment meted out and says that 'old school ways can still work well.'
Australia need to salvage some pride - with or without the services of the axed players - and get the momentum back ahead of the Ashes series against England. Warne has a rather idealistically optimistic approach to the much-awaited series.
"If they (Australia) get their selection right, get the players on the field and stay injury-free and they (England) lose a couple of their strike players suddenly it gets a little bit interesting," wrote Warne
Warne has proposed his squad that he feels can help Australia reclaim the Ashes. The spin king had named a Test squad of 18 in February in his four-part manifesto on Australian cricket. But now he's axed Phil Hughes, Usman Khawaja and Ryan Harris to suggest a 15-man short-list.
Warne has made five or six changes to the squad that is currently in India. Shane Watson, suspended this week for disobeying team orders, would be "mature enough to return to the fold", wrote Warne.
In Warne's scheme of things, Watson would open alongside David Warner with Shaun Marsh at number three for the first Ashes Test in July. In-form quick James Pattinson, also suspended, retains a place in Warne's squad.
Warne, writing in UK's Daily Telegraph, says the fragile and fragmented team chemistry in the current Australian team can be repaired with music and alcohol rather than through stricter means.
"As a leader I always thought if the boys weren't getting along or we weren't performing then the best thing to do was to lock everyone into a room with some music (and) alcohol. (Then) everyone have their say to each other . . ."
Currently 2-0 down against India in the sub-continent, the Australian team's problems have not been restricted to on-field agonies alone. Coach Mickey Arthur has said that there is 'back-talk' and an attitude problem within the side. This after four players including vice-captain Shane Watson were axed because they failed to submit an assessment report to Arthur.
Warne though has not been enthusiastic about the nature of punishment meted out and says that 'old school ways can still work well.'
Australia need to salvage some pride - with or without the services of the axed players - and get the momentum back ahead of the Ashes series against England. Warne has a rather idealistically optimistic approach to the much-awaited series.
"If they (Australia) get their selection right, get the players on the field and stay injury-free and they (England) lose a couple of their strike players suddenly it gets a little bit interesting," wrote Warne
Warne has proposed his squad that he feels can help Australia reclaim the Ashes. The spin king had named a Test squad of 18 in February in his four-part manifesto on Australian cricket. But now he's axed Phil Hughes, Usman Khawaja and Ryan Harris to suggest a 15-man short-list.
Warne has made five or six changes to the squad that is currently in India. Shane Watson, suspended this week for disobeying team orders, would be "mature enough to return to the fold", wrote Warne.
In Warne's scheme of things, Watson would open alongside David Warner with Shaun Marsh at number three for the first Ashes Test in July. In-form quick James Pattinson, also suspended, retains a place in Warne's squad.
Cheteshwar Pujara ties the wedding knot in a private function
Posted:
Thursday, February 21, 2013 –
2:19 AM
Indian middle-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara on Wednesday tied the nuptial knot with fiancee Puja Pabari, at a family function.
The three-day wedding functions started last night with the 'Sangeet Sandhya'. The marriage rituals would take place this evening followed by a reception on Thursday.
Puja belongs to Gujarat's Jamnagar district and is a management graduate.
"Entire Indian team and the BCCI officials are invited," said Arvind Pujara, Cheteshwar's father.
However, his teammates are not likely to attend, as they would be busy preparing for the series against Australia.
Pujara did not play in the Irani Trophy match against Mumbai and also missed the Board President XI tie against Australia on account of his marriage.
He won't have much time to spend with the wife as he would be joining the Indian team by February 15.
Pujara has played nine Tests for India so far, scoring 761 runs with three hundreds at a healthy average of over 58.
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