Few things in Hackney reach speeds of up to 125mph legitimately. That changed yesterday when Olympic chiefs successfully orchestrated the first trial of a super-express train service linking St Pancras and the Olympic Park in East London.
The target was to reach Stratford International, 5.6 miles (9km) along a purpose-built high-speed track, in less than seven minutes — three years before the opening ceremony on July 27, 2012.
The fear of failure was palpable around the Champagne Bar as athletes including Tom Daley, the newly crowned world champion diver, joined dignitaries and the media for the most high-profile test to date of London’s £9.3 billion Olympic project.
As 2012 officials laughed nervously at the ominous departure point on Platform 13, sceptical reporters boarded the Javelin ready to gloat when the train broke down in time-honoured British fashion.
Reassuringly, the train was built by Hitachi and based on Japan’s shinkansen “bullet trains”, which on average arrive within six seconds of their scheduled time and were a product of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
Perhaps less comforting, for those who thought his area of expertise lay in running shoes and not running trains, was the voice of Lord Coe over the public address system. “This train will depart promptly at 09.42,” the double Olympic 1,500 metres champion predicted.
And so it did. Without incident and with no time for a trip to the buffet car, the Javelin scorched through Hackney and came out of a tunnel the other side in Stratford only 6 minutes and 45 seconds later. Tessa Jowell, the Olympics Minister, was triumphant. “We can run trains ahead of schedule,” she said.
“This is going to bring a large number of people to the park and London will be the beneficiary of investment in its transport infrastructure, which is being accelerated by the Olympics.”
During the Games, the Javelin will carry up to 25,000 people an hour to and from the Olympic Park. Spectators will get free use of public transport with their tickets to Olympic events but a separate Javelin pass may be issued to manage crowds. The cost of running 12 shuttles an hour for 17 days of Olympic competition and 11 days of the Paralympics will be taken from the Olympic Delivery Authority’s £900 million transport budget.
Boris Johnson said he that he had clocked the Javelin’s maiden journey at 6 minutes and 10 seconds but anyone who has waited for the Mayor to arrive at an official engagement knows he has a loose concept of time.
Mr Johnson didn’t miss the opportunity to rub salt in French wounds: “I’ve a great deal of sympathy for the French who must be consumed with envy at the rapidity with which we’re bringing this project to birth,” he said.
“The key thing is we’re getting our legacy in advance of the Games. People have yet to get into their heads quite how much is going to be ready before 2012.”
Regular rail passengers are already travelling at speeds of up to 140mph along the £5 billion track built for the Eurostar. Under a pilot service operated by Southeastern Trains, the journey from St Pancras to Ashford takes 37 minutes compared with 1 hour 20 minutes on the main line and it is only 17 minutes to Ebbsfleet.
From December, the first high-speed domestic train service will be fully operational, stopping at Stratford 19 times during peak hours and four times an hour, off peak.
Source:The times
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Women's golf looks to Michelle Wie for boost
Women's golf is desperately in need of a boost. Perhaps it will receive it in the next few days when the Ricoh Women's British Open, the fourth and last major championship of the year, is played at Royal Lytham & St Annes. If this event has a conclusion that is half as good as was the men's Open at Turnberry two weeks ago, then it will be all right.
What with the Ladies Professional Golf Association tour in the US losing seven events since 2007 and its commissioner being sacked two weeks ago, as well as Annika Sorenstam, the greatest female player for a generation, retiring last year, the women's game is in turmoil - and this with the Solheim Cup, the biennial match between the women professionals of Europe and the US, coming up in three weeks.
Step forward Michelle Wie, 19, who is playing her last major championship as a teenager. Wie has for some time been the gifted but trouble child of the LPGA tour and has not yet qualified for the US team. She is currently 16th. A win here would get her into the team as an automatic selection; anything less and she will have to rely on being picked by Beth Daniel, the US captain.
Wie spoke tongue in cheek yesterday about death threats and how the last time she was at this venue, when she was handled by the William Morris Agency, she was given ten bodyguards and now, having moved to the International Management Group, she appears to have none.
"There have been no death threats to my face" Wie said. "But I am sure there have been. You always have to sign these forms in tournaments like if you receive a death threat, do you want to be informed or not and I'm like no, I don't want to know. I'm still alive, I'm still breathing and it's all good."
Wie competed in this event at this venue in 2006 and finished tied 26th having been tied 3rd the previous year at Royal Birkdale. She says she has recovered from the injury to her left wrist that seemed to bedevil her for so long and now, as a full member of the LPGA tour while on holiday from school, she has had one third place finish and two runners-up finishes this year.
What would the powers that be give for Wie to win on Sunday?
Source:The times
What with the Ladies Professional Golf Association tour in the US losing seven events since 2007 and its commissioner being sacked two weeks ago, as well as Annika Sorenstam, the greatest female player for a generation, retiring last year, the women's game is in turmoil - and this with the Solheim Cup, the biennial match between the women professionals of Europe and the US, coming up in three weeks.
Step forward Michelle Wie, 19, who is playing her last major championship as a teenager. Wie has for some time been the gifted but trouble child of the LPGA tour and has not yet qualified for the US team. She is currently 16th. A win here would get her into the team as an automatic selection; anything less and she will have to rely on being picked by Beth Daniel, the US captain.
Wie spoke tongue in cheek yesterday about death threats and how the last time she was at this venue, when she was handled by the William Morris Agency, she was given ten bodyguards and now, having moved to the International Management Group, she appears to have none.
"There have been no death threats to my face" Wie said. "But I am sure there have been. You always have to sign these forms in tournaments like if you receive a death threat, do you want to be informed or not and I'm like no, I don't want to know. I'm still alive, I'm still breathing and it's all good."
Wie competed in this event at this venue in 2006 and finished tied 26th having been tied 3rd the previous year at Royal Birkdale. She says she has recovered from the injury to her left wrist that seemed to bedevil her for so long and now, as a full member of the LPGA tour while on holiday from school, she has had one third place finish and two runners-up finishes this year.
What would the powers that be give for Wie to win on Sunday?
Source:The times
Sir Alex Ferguson warns of problems with Real Madrid building a star-studded cast
It is a peculiar summer when four of the world’s most illustrious clubs, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Boca Juniors and Manchester United, can contest a pre-season tournament and the sponsor, Audi, can be accused of failing to attract the kind of glamour that supposedly only Real Madrid can bring.
This may be the same Real Madrid who have consistently bombed in the Champions League over the past five seasons, but their activity in the transfer market this summer has been extraordinary.
They broke the world transfer record first by signing Kaká from Milan for £59 million, then Cristiano Ronaldo from United for £80 million, followed by deals to take Raúl Albiol from Valencia, Karim Benzema from Lyons and, they firmly expect, Xabi Alonso and Álvaro Arbeloa from Liverpool. By the time the transfer window closes on August 31, their spending will have gone far beyond £200 million.
Sir Alex Ferguson has frequently aimed barbs at Real in recent years, famously remarking that he “wouldn’t sell a virus to that mob”. However, having given Ronaldo’s transfer his blessing, the United manager seemed to be offering constructive advice to the Spanish club over a transfer policy that has appeared to carry all the hallmarks of Florentino Pérez’s previous galácticos regime, which was characterised by style and attacking flair but, ultimately, a distinct lack of substance.
Asked whether Real’s spending makes them favourites to win the Champions League, Ferguson said: “There’s a very good example of a team in the 1950s, Sunderland, who spent so much money it was known as the Bank of England club. They didn’t win anything and in the end they got themselves relegated.
“I’m not saying Real Madrid will get relegated, but it’s difficult and they will have plenty of problems with balance. I wouldn’t want to be Manuel Pellegrini [the coach] picking his first team with all those individuals. I told Ronaldo he will end up playing centre half because they don’t have one.”
Real conceded 52 goals in La Liga last season — only five fewer than Recreativo Huelva, who finished bottom of the table — but they have at least added Albiol, the Spain centre half, to their defensive options and are close to completing a deal to sign Arbeloa for £3.5 million.
Luring Alonso would give them some much-needed poise in front of the defence, but Leonardo and Louis van Gaal share Ferguson’s doubts about the way Pérez has gone about trying to build another team of galácticos.
Van Gaal, the new Bayern coach, said: “My philosophy is that you have to make a team. You cannot just go out and buy one. I hope the trainer of Real Madrid can make a team out of so many individuals, but I don’t know if he can. Sometimes you can, but it is very, very hard.”
Leonardo, who has replaced Carlo Ancelotti at Milan, said: “It won’t be easy for Madrid and they have not succeeded in the past. They had their experiment with the galácticos and in the end they didn’t win anything.”
“You can buy good talent and create possibilities for yourself, but it is not easy to construct a squad and manage players like Kaká, Ronaldo and Benzema. You need more than just money to build a team. You need spirit and we will have to see if Madrid have [it].”
As for Ferguson’s team, Luis Antonio Valencia, the Ecuador winger, will have his first run-out in a United shirt against Boca tonight, having missed the four-match tour to Asia because of complications with his visa.
Ferguson has high hopes for Valencia, a £16 million acquisition from Wigan Athletic, but Owen Hargreaves remains months away from a return to fitness, having stayed in Canada to continue his rehabilitation from knee surgery rather than join up with his team-mates in Munich, where he spent several years playing for Bayern.
Source:The times
This may be the same Real Madrid who have consistently bombed in the Champions League over the past five seasons, but their activity in the transfer market this summer has been extraordinary.
They broke the world transfer record first by signing Kaká from Milan for £59 million, then Cristiano Ronaldo from United for £80 million, followed by deals to take Raúl Albiol from Valencia, Karim Benzema from Lyons and, they firmly expect, Xabi Alonso and Álvaro Arbeloa from Liverpool. By the time the transfer window closes on August 31, their spending will have gone far beyond £200 million.
Sir Alex Ferguson has frequently aimed barbs at Real in recent years, famously remarking that he “wouldn’t sell a virus to that mob”. However, having given Ronaldo’s transfer his blessing, the United manager seemed to be offering constructive advice to the Spanish club over a transfer policy that has appeared to carry all the hallmarks of Florentino Pérez’s previous galácticos regime, which was characterised by style and attacking flair but, ultimately, a distinct lack of substance.
Asked whether Real’s spending makes them favourites to win the Champions League, Ferguson said: “There’s a very good example of a team in the 1950s, Sunderland, who spent so much money it was known as the Bank of England club. They didn’t win anything and in the end they got themselves relegated.
“I’m not saying Real Madrid will get relegated, but it’s difficult and they will have plenty of problems with balance. I wouldn’t want to be Manuel Pellegrini [the coach] picking his first team with all those individuals. I told Ronaldo he will end up playing centre half because they don’t have one.”
Real conceded 52 goals in La Liga last season — only five fewer than Recreativo Huelva, who finished bottom of the table — but they have at least added Albiol, the Spain centre half, to their defensive options and are close to completing a deal to sign Arbeloa for £3.5 million.
Luring Alonso would give them some much-needed poise in front of the defence, but Leonardo and Louis van Gaal share Ferguson’s doubts about the way Pérez has gone about trying to build another team of galácticos.
Van Gaal, the new Bayern coach, said: “My philosophy is that you have to make a team. You cannot just go out and buy one. I hope the trainer of Real Madrid can make a team out of so many individuals, but I don’t know if he can. Sometimes you can, but it is very, very hard.”
Leonardo, who has replaced Carlo Ancelotti at Milan, said: “It won’t be easy for Madrid and they have not succeeded in the past. They had their experiment with the galácticos and in the end they didn’t win anything.”
“You can buy good talent and create possibilities for yourself, but it is not easy to construct a squad and manage players like Kaká, Ronaldo and Benzema. You need more than just money to build a team. You need spirit and we will have to see if Madrid have [it].”
As for Ferguson’s team, Luis Antonio Valencia, the Ecuador winger, will have his first run-out in a United shirt against Boca tonight, having missed the four-match tour to Asia because of complications with his visa.
Ferguson has high hopes for Valencia, a £16 million acquisition from Wigan Athletic, but Owen Hargreaves remains months away from a return to fitness, having stayed in Canada to continue his rehabilitation from knee surgery rather than join up with his team-mates in Munich, where he spent several years playing for Bayern.
Source:The times
Australia have lost their aura, says England captain Andrew Strauss
Andrew Strauss says England have nothing to fear from the current Australian side, which he believes has lost its aura of invincibility.
The England captain, speaking before tomorrow's third Ashes Test at Edgbaston, says the fear factor associated with great Australian sides of the past has gone and the current team was no different to any other Test team.
“I don’t think this Australian side has an aura about it,” Strauss said. “We didn’t think so even before the series started.
“Not to be disrespectful, they still have some great players. The aura came from players like [Glenn] McGrath, [Shane] Warne, [Matthew] Hayden and [Adam] Gilchrist. A lot of the guys in this team are at the start of their Test careers and don’t necessarily have an aura yet.
"An aura is built up over time. We've got some reasonably fresh faces around our group finding their feet at international level. An aura comes from results as well, and if we come out on top in this test I'm sure they will be thinking slightly differently."
Strauss went on to speak about the importance of the third Test, which he believes could be pivotal to the outcome of the series. He also expects Andrew Flintoff to play.
"Freddie [Flintoff] seems fine. He has come through all the workouts okay. Barring any dramatic stuff overnight, we are confident he will be fit," he said.
"We are very happy with the way things have gone for the last two days and we take a lot of confidence from Lord's [the second Test, which England won]. I believe this Test will be the hardest of all, a huge Test, and whoever does well will take the momentum into the second half of the series.
"If we can go 2-0 up, we will be in a great position but we've got to raise the level of our performance from Lord's. We expect the Australians to come back strong and motivated. We need to raise things to another level and, if we do that, we will put them under pressure again."
Strauss also revealed that England have released spinner Monty Panesar from their squad.
Source:The times
The England captain, speaking before tomorrow's third Ashes Test at Edgbaston, says the fear factor associated with great Australian sides of the past has gone and the current team was no different to any other Test team.
“I don’t think this Australian side has an aura about it,” Strauss said. “We didn’t think so even before the series started.
“Not to be disrespectful, they still have some great players. The aura came from players like [Glenn] McGrath, [Shane] Warne, [Matthew] Hayden and [Adam] Gilchrist. A lot of the guys in this team are at the start of their Test careers and don’t necessarily have an aura yet.
"An aura is built up over time. We've got some reasonably fresh faces around our group finding their feet at international level. An aura comes from results as well, and if we come out on top in this test I'm sure they will be thinking slightly differently."
Strauss went on to speak about the importance of the third Test, which he believes could be pivotal to the outcome of the series. He also expects Andrew Flintoff to play.
"Freddie [Flintoff] seems fine. He has come through all the workouts okay. Barring any dramatic stuff overnight, we are confident he will be fit," he said.
"We are very happy with the way things have gone for the last two days and we take a lot of confidence from Lord's [the second Test, which England won]. I believe this Test will be the hardest of all, a huge Test, and whoever does well will take the momentum into the second half of the series.
"If we can go 2-0 up, we will be in a great position but we've got to raise the level of our performance from Lord's. We expect the Australians to come back strong and motivated. We need to raise things to another level and, if we do that, we will put them under pressure again."
Strauss also revealed that England have released spinner Monty Panesar from their squad.
Source:The times
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Classy Saints crush Quins
St Helens 44 Harlequins 24.
ST HELENS usually enjoy their trips to London and the league leaders comfortably overcame the absence of regulars Paul Wellens, James Roby and Sean Long to inflict an embarrassing first-half hiding on a Quins side itself weakened by injuries.
It took Saints only four minutes to make the first breach — swift passing by Matt Gidley and Chris Dean creating the space for right-wing Tom Armstrong to cross. Kyle Eastmond converted from the touchline and the young half-back’s impressively accurate kicking, both off the ground and out of hand, continued to be a feature during a half in which Quins were given a rugby league lesson.
James Graham and Tony Puletua (twice) barged over from close range, while Leon Pryce demonstrated his class, first with a sidestep to give Eastmond a simple score, and then with a dummy to stroll over on his own account.
Down 34 points to nil at half-time, Quins could only improve, just as Saints, knowing the match was won, inevitably lost concentration. Gareth Haggerty, Chad Robinson, Danny Ward and Matt Gafa restored a certain amount of respectability to the scoreline, but Dean and Jon Wilkin ensured the gap between the sides remained very much unbridgeable.
“Conceding so many points in the second half took a bit of shine off our performance in the first half, but we achieved what we set out to achieve,” said St Helens coach Mick Potter, whose side face a resurgent Wigan on Friday.
Quins have now lost six matches in a row.
Star Man: Leon Pryce (St Helens)
Referee: J Child
Attendance: 4,258
HARLEQUINS: Sharp, Wells, Gafa, Clubb, Melling, Dorn, Gale, Temata, Kaye, Ward, Willimason, Robinson, Golden. Replacements: Esders, Haggerty, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Orr
ST HELENS: Gidley, Armstrong, Dean, Gilmour, Meli, Pryce, Eastmond, Graham, Cunningham, Puletua, Wilkin, Flannery, Dixon. Replacements: Ashurst, Clough, Hargreaves, Ellis
- Paul Cooke scored two tries as Hull Kingston Rovers completed a double over rivals Hull with a 24-18 win at Craven Park. Bradford eased to a 34-12 victory over struggling Celtic Crusaders.
Source:The times
ST HELENS usually enjoy their trips to London and the league leaders comfortably overcame the absence of regulars Paul Wellens, James Roby and Sean Long to inflict an embarrassing first-half hiding on a Quins side itself weakened by injuries.
It took Saints only four minutes to make the first breach — swift passing by Matt Gidley and Chris Dean creating the space for right-wing Tom Armstrong to cross. Kyle Eastmond converted from the touchline and the young half-back’s impressively accurate kicking, both off the ground and out of hand, continued to be a feature during a half in which Quins were given a rugby league lesson.
James Graham and Tony Puletua (twice) barged over from close range, while Leon Pryce demonstrated his class, first with a sidestep to give Eastmond a simple score, and then with a dummy to stroll over on his own account.
Down 34 points to nil at half-time, Quins could only improve, just as Saints, knowing the match was won, inevitably lost concentration. Gareth Haggerty, Chad Robinson, Danny Ward and Matt Gafa restored a certain amount of respectability to the scoreline, but Dean and Jon Wilkin ensured the gap between the sides remained very much unbridgeable.
“Conceding so many points in the second half took a bit of shine off our performance in the first half, but we achieved what we set out to achieve,” said St Helens coach Mick Potter, whose side face a resurgent Wigan on Friday.
Quins have now lost six matches in a row.
Star Man: Leon Pryce (St Helens)
Referee: J Child
Attendance: 4,258
HARLEQUINS: Sharp, Wells, Gafa, Clubb, Melling, Dorn, Gale, Temata, Kaye, Ward, Willimason, Robinson, Golden. Replacements: Esders, Haggerty, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Orr
ST HELENS: Gidley, Armstrong, Dean, Gilmour, Meli, Pryce, Eastmond, Graham, Cunningham, Puletua, Wilkin, Flannery, Dixon. Replacements: Ashurst, Clough, Hargreaves, Ellis
- Paul Cooke scored two tries as Hull Kingston Rovers completed a double over rivals Hull with a 24-18 win at Craven Park. Bradford eased to a 34-12 victory over struggling Celtic Crusaders.
Source:The times
Roger Federer proclaims birth of twin girls his 'greatest day'
Roger Federer has announced that his wife Mirka gave birth to twin girls yesterday.
"I have some exciting news to share with you," the Wimbledon champion's Facebook page said. "Late last night, in Switzerland, Mirka and I became proud parents of twin girls.
"We named them Myla Rose and Charlene Riva and they are both healthy, and along with their mother they are doing great.
"This is the best day of our lives."
The impending arrival of a new addition to the Federer family was the subject of some debate during Wimbledon when the world No 1 captured his sixth title at the grass court championship.
Mirka, 31, was courtside as he beat Andy Roddick 5-7, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5), 3-6, 16-14 in a classic final on Centre Court to capture his 15th grand-slam title, surpassing the previous record held by Pete Sampras.
It is unclear how the birth of his daughters will affect his preparations for the US Open at the end of August.
Source:The times
"I have some exciting news to share with you," the Wimbledon champion's Facebook page said. "Late last night, in Switzerland, Mirka and I became proud parents of twin girls.
"We named them Myla Rose and Charlene Riva and they are both healthy, and along with their mother they are doing great.
"This is the best day of our lives."
The impending arrival of a new addition to the Federer family was the subject of some debate during Wimbledon when the world No 1 captured his sixth title at the grass court championship.
Mirka, 31, was courtside as he beat Andy Roddick 5-7, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5), 3-6, 16-14 in a classic final on Centre Court to capture his 15th grand-slam title, surpassing the previous record held by Pete Sampras.
It is unclear how the birth of his daughters will affect his preparations for the US Open at the end of August.
Source:The times
British duo face force of Federica Pellegrini again
An enthralling women’s 400m freestyle competition in Rome will be overshadowed by the continuing swimsuit row.
A PINCER movement of British sorority and female rivalry will be put to the test today as Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington and teammate Joanne Jackson face the Lioness of Verona, Federica Pellegrini, in her den at the Foro Italico in Rome in the world championship 400m freestyle.
Adlington, the winner of the 400m and 800m crowns in Beijing last year, says the domestic challenge is welcome. “People think of rivals as being at each other’s throats. It’s not like that at all,” she said. “We’re not rivals in that sense. We’re friends and competitors. We push each other, work off each other, but have to swim our own races. We both work so well together and I’m so glad when it comes to the race that it’s someone like Jo who’s there with me. If there was more rivalry it probably wouldn’t work so well.
Jackson, 22, and Adlington, 20, train in the same pool at Loughborough a couple of times most weeks. As competition has grown closer, coaches Bill Furniss, for Adlington, and Kevin Renshaw, for Jackson, have moved to opposite ends of the pool with their charges.
“It’s been a couple of months since we did a set together,” said Adlington. “We have different work to do because Jo is more focused on the 200m and 400m and I have the 800m. It’s definitely the 800m for me if I have to choose. But I’m Olympic champion. The 400m is still in focus.”
And how: the first women’s final of the 13th world championship is charged with one-upwomanship and the art of intimidation. The saga started last year when Italy’s Pellegrini, fresh from stealing the Italian swimming boyfriend (Luca Marin) of the then world record holder Laure Manaudou, claimed the world 400m record from the Frenchwoman. In Beijing, Manaudou, by then mentally mauled, was not in the form to win and finished eighth. The title was Pellegrini’s for the taking. She made a big mistake: she swam Adlington and Jackson’s race and failed to take into account the former’s fast finish. Adlington claimed gold ahead of America’s Katie Hoff, while Jackson kept Pellegrini off the podium. The Italian recovered in time to win the 200m, the last Olympic swimming crown to be won by a swimmer wearing two swimsuits. New rules this year banned the practice, which improves buoyancy.
In March this year the Britons pushed each other on and raced inside the Italian’s world record: 4min 0.66sec for Jackson and 4min 0.89sec for Adlington, the first two women inside 4min 1sec. Last month, Pellegrini hit back with a time of 4min 0.41sec.
Adlington will continue wearing the Speedo LZR Racer suit she wore in Beijing, claiming that wearing newer aids would be like doping. Pellegrini will wear the most controversial suit, the Jaked01, while Jackson will wear the latest “fast suit”, the adidas Hydrofoil.
Adlington said: “Just like I have never used doping to go faster, I will not use these costumes that I think are illegal.” A headline in Gazzetta dello Sport said: “Adlington says suits are technological doping.” Italian commentators pointed out that all suits are legal, that the LZR was the fast suit that opened a Pandora’s box of performance-enhancement in suits, and that she was trying to hit at the heart of the Italian camp.
The term “technological doping” was coined by Alberto Castagnetti, the head coach of Italy and mentor to Pellegrini, when the LZR was launched in February 2008 by Speedo.
British team officials denied that Adlington ever used the term “technological doping” and that it was mistakenly placed in quotes. Waters were further calmed by Adlington and Jackson on the eve of racing in Rome after both deflected the Pellegrini question. The Italian was a “strong competitor”, said Jackson, while Adlington noted: “She seems to be a very nice person and we smile at each other on the podium. She’s an unbelievable athlete.”
Unbelievable will be how many will regard what may be the first sub-four minute 400m freestyle, but the bodysuits will overshadow such an achievement before they are banned from January 1, 2010.
Whatever transpires, Furniss and Renshaw will prize the race over the time on the clock. “We are taking the long-term view to London 2012,” said Furniss. “There is no level playing field right now and we want to emerge from this ready for the fresh challenges to come.”
Source:The times
A PINCER movement of British sorority and female rivalry will be put to the test today as Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington and teammate Joanne Jackson face the Lioness of Verona, Federica Pellegrini, in her den at the Foro Italico in Rome in the world championship 400m freestyle.
Adlington, the winner of the 400m and 800m crowns in Beijing last year, says the domestic challenge is welcome. “People think of rivals as being at each other’s throats. It’s not like that at all,” she said. “We’re not rivals in that sense. We’re friends and competitors. We push each other, work off each other, but have to swim our own races. We both work so well together and I’m so glad when it comes to the race that it’s someone like Jo who’s there with me. If there was more rivalry it probably wouldn’t work so well.
Jackson, 22, and Adlington, 20, train in the same pool at Loughborough a couple of times most weeks. As competition has grown closer, coaches Bill Furniss, for Adlington, and Kevin Renshaw, for Jackson, have moved to opposite ends of the pool with their charges.
“It’s been a couple of months since we did a set together,” said Adlington. “We have different work to do because Jo is more focused on the 200m and 400m and I have the 800m. It’s definitely the 800m for me if I have to choose. But I’m Olympic champion. The 400m is still in focus.”
And how: the first women’s final of the 13th world championship is charged with one-upwomanship and the art of intimidation. The saga started last year when Italy’s Pellegrini, fresh from stealing the Italian swimming boyfriend (Luca Marin) of the then world record holder Laure Manaudou, claimed the world 400m record from the Frenchwoman. In Beijing, Manaudou, by then mentally mauled, was not in the form to win and finished eighth. The title was Pellegrini’s for the taking. She made a big mistake: she swam Adlington and Jackson’s race and failed to take into account the former’s fast finish. Adlington claimed gold ahead of America’s Katie Hoff, while Jackson kept Pellegrini off the podium. The Italian recovered in time to win the 200m, the last Olympic swimming crown to be won by a swimmer wearing two swimsuits. New rules this year banned the practice, which improves buoyancy.
In March this year the Britons pushed each other on and raced inside the Italian’s world record: 4min 0.66sec for Jackson and 4min 0.89sec for Adlington, the first two women inside 4min 1sec. Last month, Pellegrini hit back with a time of 4min 0.41sec.
Adlington will continue wearing the Speedo LZR Racer suit she wore in Beijing, claiming that wearing newer aids would be like doping. Pellegrini will wear the most controversial suit, the Jaked01, while Jackson will wear the latest “fast suit”, the adidas Hydrofoil.
Adlington said: “Just like I have never used doping to go faster, I will not use these costumes that I think are illegal.” A headline in Gazzetta dello Sport said: “Adlington says suits are technological doping.” Italian commentators pointed out that all suits are legal, that the LZR was the fast suit that opened a Pandora’s box of performance-enhancement in suits, and that she was trying to hit at the heart of the Italian camp.
The term “technological doping” was coined by Alberto Castagnetti, the head coach of Italy and mentor to Pellegrini, when the LZR was launched in February 2008 by Speedo.
British team officials denied that Adlington ever used the term “technological doping” and that it was mistakenly placed in quotes. Waters were further calmed by Adlington and Jackson on the eve of racing in Rome after both deflected the Pellegrini question. The Italian was a “strong competitor”, said Jackson, while Adlington noted: “She seems to be a very nice person and we smile at each other on the podium. She’s an unbelievable athlete.”
Unbelievable will be how many will regard what may be the first sub-four minute 400m freestyle, but the bodysuits will overshadow such an achievement before they are banned from January 1, 2010.
Whatever transpires, Furniss and Renshaw will prize the race over the time on the clock. “We are taking the long-term view to London 2012,” said Furniss. “There is no level playing field right now and we want to emerge from this ready for the fresh challenges to come.”
Source:The times
Greg Norman storms back with reminder of glory days
GREG NORMAN recaptured some of the form that almost made him the oldest winner of the Open Championship last year at Royal Birkdale when he fired a 64 in the Senior Open Championship at Sunningdale for a 10-under-par total and a one-shot lead going into today’s final round.
The 54-year-old Great White Shark was seven shots behind overnight leader Fred Funk when he began his third round but a couple of birdies on the front nine holes and not a single dropped shot set him up for a blistering back nine which conjured images of the famous charges that were once his trademark. Driving the ball long and straight and striking his iron shots at the pins, Norman made a third birdie on the short par-four 11th before three successive birdies from the 13th gave him a share of the lead.
Funk, who once donned a pink skirt during a Skins Game in California after Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam drove her ball comfortably past his on a par-five hole, led his “round belly” rivals by seven strokes midway through his round. But a double bogey on the par-four 12th, where he pulled his drive into the heath, brought him back to the field and he surrendered the lead miserably by missing a putt from three feet on the par-three 15th. Recognised by his peers on the PGA Tour as one of the straightest drivers ever to play the game, Funk is also one of the shortest but lack of length off the tee is no serious handicap on the over-50’s circuit. Funk’s failings came on and around Sunningdale’s subtle greens.
Norman missed an opportunity to increase his advantage on the 17th as he failed to hole from nine feet for another birdie and an indifferent approach with his wedge to 18 feet on the last followed by a putt which lipped out of the hole denied him a glorious finish. For Tom Watson, that missed putt to win The Open at the age of 59 last week at Turnberry became a recurring nightmare as chance after chance slipped by on the greens. He missed from six feet on the 11th, from the same distance on 16 and another on the last — all for birdies — and a level par 70 for a four-under-par total has left him too many shots back to challenge.
Larry Mize, who stole The Masters from under Norman’s nose in 1987 when he chipped in from off the green on the second extra hole in a sudden-death play-off, made six birdies on the back nine as he came home in 29 strokes to close to within three of the lead.
Fellow American Loren Roberts was alongside Funk, a shot behind Norman while Bernhard Langer and defending champion Bruce Vaughan both fired 65 to lie four shots back alongside Mark McNulty.
Sam Torrance shot 71 after a triple- bogey seven on the second hole to finish alongside Mize on seven under.
Source:The times
The 54-year-old Great White Shark was seven shots behind overnight leader Fred Funk when he began his third round but a couple of birdies on the front nine holes and not a single dropped shot set him up for a blistering back nine which conjured images of the famous charges that were once his trademark. Driving the ball long and straight and striking his iron shots at the pins, Norman made a third birdie on the short par-four 11th before three successive birdies from the 13th gave him a share of the lead.
Funk, who once donned a pink skirt during a Skins Game in California after Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam drove her ball comfortably past his on a par-five hole, led his “round belly” rivals by seven strokes midway through his round. But a double bogey on the par-four 12th, where he pulled his drive into the heath, brought him back to the field and he surrendered the lead miserably by missing a putt from three feet on the par-three 15th. Recognised by his peers on the PGA Tour as one of the straightest drivers ever to play the game, Funk is also one of the shortest but lack of length off the tee is no serious handicap on the over-50’s circuit. Funk’s failings came on and around Sunningdale’s subtle greens.
Norman missed an opportunity to increase his advantage on the 17th as he failed to hole from nine feet for another birdie and an indifferent approach with his wedge to 18 feet on the last followed by a putt which lipped out of the hole denied him a glorious finish. For Tom Watson, that missed putt to win The Open at the age of 59 last week at Turnberry became a recurring nightmare as chance after chance slipped by on the greens. He missed from six feet on the 11th, from the same distance on 16 and another on the last — all for birdies — and a level par 70 for a four-under-par total has left him too many shots back to challenge.
Larry Mize, who stole The Masters from under Norman’s nose in 1987 when he chipped in from off the green on the second extra hole in a sudden-death play-off, made six birdies on the back nine as he came home in 29 strokes to close to within three of the lead.
Fellow American Loren Roberts was alongside Funk, a shot behind Norman while Bernhard Langer and defending champion Bruce Vaughan both fired 65 to lie four shots back alongside Mark McNulty.
Sam Torrance shot 71 after a triple- bogey seven on the second hole to finish alongside Mize on seven under.
Source:The times
Felipe Massa 'stable' after surgery on fractured skull
Felipe Massa remains in a stable condition in hospital today after fracturing his skull in two places during a freak accident in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
A Ferrari statement today read: "After undergoing an operation yesterday afternoon, Felipe Massa's condition remains stable and there were no further complications through the night.
"He will be given another CT scan today which will provide more precise information."
The 28-year-old was struck by a spring - which can weigh anything up to a kilogram - that had worked loose from Rubens Barrichello's Brawn GP during the middle 15-minute period of qualifying.
The spring was seen bouncing along the Hungaroring track before flying over the front of Massa's Ferrari that was travelling at 170mph, striking the Brazilian on the helmet just over his left eye.
Massa appeared to be knocked unconscious, with his right foot jamming down on the throttle as he drove straight into a tyre barrier.
Stricken in the car, photographs emerged showing a fist-sized dent in his helmet, and with the visor up, there was a large cut over a blackened left eye.
Massa was initially treated at the circuit's medical centre before being taken by helicopter to Budapest's AEK military hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.
A Ferrari official later described the operation as a "success".
Massa's parents and wife, Anna Rafaela, who is expecting their first child later this year, arrived at the hospital yesterday after flying in from Brazil.
"It's hard for a father, a mother and a wife to stay here and get news by phone," Massa's father, Luiz Antonio, said before departing from Guarulhos International Airport in Sao Paulo. "The information that we have is that he will be woken up tomorrow morning (Sunday), gradually removing the sedatives so he can wake up well."
Massa underwent surgery around 4.20pm local time yesterday, about an hour after being airlifted to the hospital. He was conscious at the time.
Hungary's defense department, which runs the hospital, said in a statement that Massa had suffered "serious, life-threatening injuries including loss of consciousness and a fracture of the forehead on the left side and a fracture on the base of the skull."
The crash came less than a week after Henry Surtees, the son of former Formula One champion John Surtees, died in similar circumstances during a Formula Two race last Sunday. Surtees was struck in the head by a tire from another car, causing him to lose consciousness and drive into a barrier.
Source:The times
A Ferrari statement today read: "After undergoing an operation yesterday afternoon, Felipe Massa's condition remains stable and there were no further complications through the night.
"He will be given another CT scan today which will provide more precise information."
The 28-year-old was struck by a spring - which can weigh anything up to a kilogram - that had worked loose from Rubens Barrichello's Brawn GP during the middle 15-minute period of qualifying.
The spring was seen bouncing along the Hungaroring track before flying over the front of Massa's Ferrari that was travelling at 170mph, striking the Brazilian on the helmet just over his left eye.
Massa appeared to be knocked unconscious, with his right foot jamming down on the throttle as he drove straight into a tyre barrier.
Stricken in the car, photographs emerged showing a fist-sized dent in his helmet, and with the visor up, there was a large cut over a blackened left eye.
Massa was initially treated at the circuit's medical centre before being taken by helicopter to Budapest's AEK military hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.
A Ferrari official later described the operation as a "success".
Massa's parents and wife, Anna Rafaela, who is expecting their first child later this year, arrived at the hospital yesterday after flying in from Brazil.
"It's hard for a father, a mother and a wife to stay here and get news by phone," Massa's father, Luiz Antonio, said before departing from Guarulhos International Airport in Sao Paulo. "The information that we have is that he will be woken up tomorrow morning (Sunday), gradually removing the sedatives so he can wake up well."
Massa underwent surgery around 4.20pm local time yesterday, about an hour after being airlifted to the hospital. He was conscious at the time.
Hungary's defense department, which runs the hospital, said in a statement that Massa had suffered "serious, life-threatening injuries including loss of consciousness and a fracture of the forehead on the left side and a fracture on the base of the skull."
The crash came less than a week after Henry Surtees, the son of former Formula One champion John Surtees, died in similar circumstances during a Formula Two race last Sunday. Surtees was struck in the head by a tire from another car, causing him to lose consciousness and drive into a barrier.
Source:The times
Sven-Göran Eriksson charms Notts County set
Gilly Hughes of Clifton was on the phone to her friend, explaining how long she’d been queuing to buy her ticket for yesterday’s Nottingham derby. “About an hour,” she explained, disbelief in her voice. The queue in question for what was a pre-season friendly stretched down Meadow Lane towards the city centre. Come three o’clock, fans of visiting Nottingham Forest had still not been accommodated and the friendly began 15 minutes late.
That overflowing Forest fans had delayed the start reminded us where the footballing power in this city of lace, bicycles and cigarettes lies. Although the preposterously unlikely arrival of Sven-Göran Eriksson as Notts County’s director of football suggests a possible overturning of the old order.
This time last week, the Russian press was agog with Eriksson tales. Apparently, he was in Russia and about to take over Zenit St Petersburg in November, at the end of the Russian season, when coach Dick Advocaat leaves the 2008 Uefa Cup winners to take over the Belgian national side. By last Wednesday, Eriksson and his trusty sidekick Tord Grip were signing on at Notts County, last season England’s 87th most successful club, as director of football and director of football’s trusty sidekick respectively.
County may be on the up (the season before they finished 89th), but with the most benign will in the world, they are no Lazio, England, Manchester City or Mexico. And, oh delicious irony, the man who was fooled by a fake sheikh offering the manager’s job at Aston Villa in 2006, now finds himself in the ultimate employ of a genuine one at little Notts County. Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.
Stranger still, who County’s new owners are remains a mystery. The British Virgin Islands-registered Munto Finance bought the club on July 14. Munto’s own finance — provided via a Swiss bank — is believed to be Qatari. Even County’s executive chairman Peter Trembling claims not to know exactly who’s who.
Not since England striker Tommy Lawton, at the peak of his powers, moved from first division Chelsea to County of the Third Division in 1947 has there been such heady romance at Meadow Lane. Even so, Eriksson’s motives remain typically delphic. The curiously ageless Swede, whose unchanged expression denoted either a coaching wizard (after England won 5-1 in Munich) or a buffoon (after England lost 1-0 in Belfast) was giving nothing away yesterday.
Still, he has entered into the spirit of his unlikely safari into the lower reaches of the jungle. He claims to be acquiring a property in the area and immediately before yesterday’s match he took a literal bow before the home supporters, who couldn’t have looked more surprised if Lawton himself had returned from the grave. And he waved at the Forest fans as they chorused: “You’re only here for the money.”
“We’ve struggled in the last few years,” explained a steward. “But now, who knows? Before Sven we were 33-1 for the League 2 title; now we’re 7-1. Mind you, I won’t be having a bet. This is Notts County . . . ”
Shortly before the start of the season, a lucky County fan will receive a knock on their door. Their caller will be Eriksson, personally delivering a County season ticket, drawn at random from those who buy one next week. Cynics may note Britain’s only Hooters franchise a couple of minutes from Meadow Lane and Nottingham’s rumoured 4/1 female/male ratio, although that myth hasn’t been true since the immediate aftermath of the second world war.
A contract that apparently includes a shareholding, no get-out clause and which, depending on results, could net Eriksson £2m a year over five years was hardly a barrier to his moving to DH Lawrence country. But pay-offs of £3m (England), £2m (Mexico) and £1m (Manchester City) on not-insubstantial salaries have meant that the 21st has been a good century for Eriksson, financially at least. In short, he doesn’t need the money or a marriage of inconvenience.
Lawton and Eriksson aside, the self-proclaimed “world’s oldest Football League club” have always had a certain romance, being a late-career staging post (albeit a successful one) for Hughie Gallagher, and the home of gifted mavericks such as Howard Wilkinson, Neil Warnock, Jimmy Sirrel and Ian Scanlon who scored a hat-trick in 165 seconds against Sheffield Wednesday in 1974 and quit football soon afterwards claiming (not entirely truthfully it later transpired) he had inherited a fortune.
County have only spent four seasons at the top table since 1926. Since the second world war, the trophy cupboard is bare, save only a Third and Fourth Division title and the 1995 Anglo-Italian Trophy, which attracted just 11,704 to the showpiece Wembley final.
Perhaps we should take Eriksson at face value when he claims he has joined County for the challenge of a role which encompasses “training facilities and player development; the youth academy; transfer negotiations and scouting network; the treatment room, overseas links and community football”. None of which Eriksson seems especially suited for.
As he sat impassively in the directors box, Eriksson would have seen much to encourage him, although down in the technical area, animated manager Ian McParland hardly resembled a dead man walking. County deserved their 2-1 victory. Luke Chambers’s slip allowed Luke Rodgers to run on and score, and Lee Hughes added a second soon after. Kevin Pilkington’s error allowed Lewis McGugan to pull one back for Forest. Afterwards, McParland didn‘t sound like a dead man walking either. “The media fenzy will settle down. Sven will give me advice, I’ll give him advice: that’s how it will work.”
Eriksson stayed until the final whistle and left in his chauffeur-driven Mercedes, although not the one in which he turned up at a local rugby club on Thursday, having lost his way between Meadow Lane and County’s training ground. Whether Eriksson has lost his way or found a vocation remains to be seen, most probably at a wet and windy Burton Albion, to whom County travel in December.
Source:The times
That overflowing Forest fans had delayed the start reminded us where the footballing power in this city of lace, bicycles and cigarettes lies. Although the preposterously unlikely arrival of Sven-Göran Eriksson as Notts County’s director of football suggests a possible overturning of the old order.
This time last week, the Russian press was agog with Eriksson tales. Apparently, he was in Russia and about to take over Zenit St Petersburg in November, at the end of the Russian season, when coach Dick Advocaat leaves the 2008 Uefa Cup winners to take over the Belgian national side. By last Wednesday, Eriksson and his trusty sidekick Tord Grip were signing on at Notts County, last season England’s 87th most successful club, as director of football and director of football’s trusty sidekick respectively.
County may be on the up (the season before they finished 89th), but with the most benign will in the world, they are no Lazio, England, Manchester City or Mexico. And, oh delicious irony, the man who was fooled by a fake sheikh offering the manager’s job at Aston Villa in 2006, now finds himself in the ultimate employ of a genuine one at little Notts County. Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.
Stranger still, who County’s new owners are remains a mystery. The British Virgin Islands-registered Munto Finance bought the club on July 14. Munto’s own finance — provided via a Swiss bank — is believed to be Qatari. Even County’s executive chairman Peter Trembling claims not to know exactly who’s who.
Not since England striker Tommy Lawton, at the peak of his powers, moved from first division Chelsea to County of the Third Division in 1947 has there been such heady romance at Meadow Lane. Even so, Eriksson’s motives remain typically delphic. The curiously ageless Swede, whose unchanged expression denoted either a coaching wizard (after England won 5-1 in Munich) or a buffoon (after England lost 1-0 in Belfast) was giving nothing away yesterday.
Still, he has entered into the spirit of his unlikely safari into the lower reaches of the jungle. He claims to be acquiring a property in the area and immediately before yesterday’s match he took a literal bow before the home supporters, who couldn’t have looked more surprised if Lawton himself had returned from the grave. And he waved at the Forest fans as they chorused: “You’re only here for the money.”
“We’ve struggled in the last few years,” explained a steward. “But now, who knows? Before Sven we were 33-1 for the League 2 title; now we’re 7-1. Mind you, I won’t be having a bet. This is Notts County . . . ”
Shortly before the start of the season, a lucky County fan will receive a knock on their door. Their caller will be Eriksson, personally delivering a County season ticket, drawn at random from those who buy one next week. Cynics may note Britain’s only Hooters franchise a couple of minutes from Meadow Lane and Nottingham’s rumoured 4/1 female/male ratio, although that myth hasn’t been true since the immediate aftermath of the second world war.
A contract that apparently includes a shareholding, no get-out clause and which, depending on results, could net Eriksson £2m a year over five years was hardly a barrier to his moving to DH Lawrence country. But pay-offs of £3m (England), £2m (Mexico) and £1m (Manchester City) on not-insubstantial salaries have meant that the 21st has been a good century for Eriksson, financially at least. In short, he doesn’t need the money or a marriage of inconvenience.
Lawton and Eriksson aside, the self-proclaimed “world’s oldest Football League club” have always had a certain romance, being a late-career staging post (albeit a successful one) for Hughie Gallagher, and the home of gifted mavericks such as Howard Wilkinson, Neil Warnock, Jimmy Sirrel and Ian Scanlon who scored a hat-trick in 165 seconds against Sheffield Wednesday in 1974 and quit football soon afterwards claiming (not entirely truthfully it later transpired) he had inherited a fortune.
County have only spent four seasons at the top table since 1926. Since the second world war, the trophy cupboard is bare, save only a Third and Fourth Division title and the 1995 Anglo-Italian Trophy, which attracted just 11,704 to the showpiece Wembley final.
Perhaps we should take Eriksson at face value when he claims he has joined County for the challenge of a role which encompasses “training facilities and player development; the youth academy; transfer negotiations and scouting network; the treatment room, overseas links and community football”. None of which Eriksson seems especially suited for.
As he sat impassively in the directors box, Eriksson would have seen much to encourage him, although down in the technical area, animated manager Ian McParland hardly resembled a dead man walking. County deserved their 2-1 victory. Luke Chambers’s slip allowed Luke Rodgers to run on and score, and Lee Hughes added a second soon after. Kevin Pilkington’s error allowed Lewis McGugan to pull one back for Forest. Afterwards, McParland didn‘t sound like a dead man walking either. “The media fenzy will settle down. Sven will give me advice, I’ll give him advice: that’s how it will work.”
Eriksson stayed until the final whistle and left in his chauffeur-driven Mercedes, although not the one in which he turned up at a local rugby club on Thursday, having lost his way between Meadow Lane and County’s training ground. Whether Eriksson has lost his way or found a vocation remains to be seen, most probably at a wet and windy Burton Albion, to whom County travel in December.
Source:The times
Ian Bell chimes for England in place of Kevin Pietersen
Andrew Flintoff and Ian Bell have been named in England's 13-man squad as the selectors sprang no surprises this morning in their line-up to face Australia at Edgbaston in the third npower Test.
The enforced absence of the injured Kevin Pietersen is the only change from the initial squad announced for the second Test at Lord's last week.
Bell, the Warwickshire batsman, will be the like-for-like replacement in the final XI for the injured Pietersen, who has been ruled out of the series after Achilles surgery. As expected, England have chosen not to select any extra batting cover.
Stephen Harmison, the Durham fast bowler, and Northamptonshire spinner Monty Panesar join the other players who featured in England's 115-run win over Australia at Lord's.
"The performance of the team at Lord's was outstanding, and a convincing win was well deserved," Geoff Miller, the ECB national selector, said.
"We have obviously had to make a change to the side following Kevin Pietersen's unavailability, and we wish Kevin the best with his rehabilitation and look forward to his return to the England team in due course."
The inclusion of Bell was an obvious reaction to Pietersen's absence for the remainder of the summer and England have contingency plans for a batting replacement should injury strike any of their top six before the Test.
"Kevin's injury has presented an opportunity for Ian Bell, who we know is a top-class batsmen with an excellent international record for England," Miller said.
"Ian will be looking to make the most of his return to the side during an Ashes series - and while we have a strong idea of where he will bat, we won't be disclosing the final line-up of the side until the toss on Thursday.
"Although we haven't named any extra batting cover in the squad, we have several options should the need arise to call in another batsmen."
England are optimistic that Lord's match-winner Flintoff will be able to play, despite the knee injury which has forced his Test retirement at the end of this series.
"Andrew Flintoff's performance at Lord's was truly memorable, and we hope he can take his place in the side for the third npower Test as he continues to manage his knee injury," Miller said.
"Andrew and the medical staff are quite bullish about his prospects of playing, but we'll continue to monitor his progress in the days leading up to Thursday.
"Steve Harmison and Monty Panesar once again come into the squad, and both players provide us with cover and exciting options within the bowling attack." .
Source:The times
The enforced absence of the injured Kevin Pietersen is the only change from the initial squad announced for the second Test at Lord's last week.
Bell, the Warwickshire batsman, will be the like-for-like replacement in the final XI for the injured Pietersen, who has been ruled out of the series after Achilles surgery. As expected, England have chosen not to select any extra batting cover.
Stephen Harmison, the Durham fast bowler, and Northamptonshire spinner Monty Panesar join the other players who featured in England's 115-run win over Australia at Lord's.
"The performance of the team at Lord's was outstanding, and a convincing win was well deserved," Geoff Miller, the ECB national selector, said.
"We have obviously had to make a change to the side following Kevin Pietersen's unavailability, and we wish Kevin the best with his rehabilitation and look forward to his return to the England team in due course."
The inclusion of Bell was an obvious reaction to Pietersen's absence for the remainder of the summer and England have contingency plans for a batting replacement should injury strike any of their top six before the Test.
"Kevin's injury has presented an opportunity for Ian Bell, who we know is a top-class batsmen with an excellent international record for England," Miller said.
"Ian will be looking to make the most of his return to the side during an Ashes series - and while we have a strong idea of where he will bat, we won't be disclosing the final line-up of the side until the toss on Thursday.
"Although we haven't named any extra batting cover in the squad, we have several options should the need arise to call in another batsmen."
England are optimistic that Lord's match-winner Flintoff will be able to play, despite the knee injury which has forced his Test retirement at the end of this series.
"Andrew Flintoff's performance at Lord's was truly memorable, and we hope he can take his place in the side for the third npower Test as he continues to manage his knee injury," Miller said.
"Andrew and the medical staff are quite bullish about his prospects of playing, but we'll continue to monitor his progress in the days leading up to Thursday.
"Steve Harmison and Monty Panesar once again come into the squad, and both players provide us with cover and exciting options within the bowling attack." .
Source:The times
Saturday, July 18, 2009
CLM, cost controllers for London Olympics, paid £151 million last year
Consultants tasked with keeping the bill for the London Olympics under control cost the taxpayer £151 million last year, including a £60 million bonus, it was revealed yesterday.
CLM, a consortium of surveyors overseeing the £8.1bn Olympic construction project, received the fee in a year when the taxpayer was forced to bail out the Athletes’ Village and the media centre after the collapse of a private financing deal.
The amount was nearly double the £87 million previously paid to the consortium, which includes Laing O’Rourke, the developer, Mace, the British management company, and the programme manager CH2M Hill.
The size of the fee emerged as Olympic chiefs awarded themselves generous pay rises, with three years to go until the start of the Games in 2012.
Staff at the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) shared £30 million, including £2 million of bonuses, according to the annual report for the year to March 31.
David Higgins, the chief executive, took home £537,000, although he bowed to the prevailing public mood and deferred half of his annual £210,000 bonus until 2012.
The Australian is still one of the best-paid public sector employees in Britain. Hugh Robertson, the Tories’ Olympic spokesman, said: “He’s doing an extremely good job but in the current climate everybody in the public sector must be aware of the need to bear down on bonuses and expenses.”
Mr Higgins and seven fellow directors collectively claimed £100,000 in expenses. Howard Shiplee, director of construction, was the highest spender, claiming £19,343, including £11,478 on hotels and nearly £2,280 on taxis.
Tom Brake, the Liberal Democrat Olympics spokesman, said: “These bonus and expenses arrangements are from a different era. We are now in tougher times where costs have to be more tightly controlled.”
The figures were released on the day the outer shell of the £547 million Olympic stadium was completed.
Olympic chiefs justified their pay because the complex 2012 project remains on schedule and on budget despite the recession.
John Armitt, the chairman who earned £250,000, said: “We have hit all, and exceeded some, of the ten milestones we set ourselves last year.”
By 2012, the estimated total paid to consultants will have reached nearly £680 million. Ministers have argued that the sum will prove value for money if there are no delays to the building programme.
The closer the completion deadline, the more quickly costs tend to escalate.
An ODA spokesman said: “We are not talking about consultants in suits. These are very experienced engineers, planners and construction experts who have worked on several Olympic Games. CLM’s contract is also heavily incentivised. Every penny earned is dependent on meeting strict performance measures tied to delivering on time, to budget and to a high standard.”
However, taxpayers may baulk at the cost, after they came to the rescue of two of the biggest venues on the Olympic Park. In May, the Government approved a further injection of £324 million into the £1 billion Village, which will house 17,500 athletes and officials during the Games, bringing public investment in the project to £650 million. The £355 million media centre had already been nationalised after private financing failed to materialise.
Ministers have insisted that the overall £9.3 billion public sector budget for the Olympics will not be exceeded.
The latest accounts revealed that the ODA wrote off £7.5 million in design and professional fees for work on the media centre. It also bore the cost of £2.5 million in legal fees incurred on behalf of Lend Lease, the property developer that pulled out of the Village financing deal.
A further £1.1 million in design fees were written off when the site of the canoeing venue was changed.
Source:The times
CLM, a consortium of surveyors overseeing the £8.1bn Olympic construction project, received the fee in a year when the taxpayer was forced to bail out the Athletes’ Village and the media centre after the collapse of a private financing deal.
The amount was nearly double the £87 million previously paid to the consortium, which includes Laing O’Rourke, the developer, Mace, the British management company, and the programme manager CH2M Hill.
The size of the fee emerged as Olympic chiefs awarded themselves generous pay rises, with three years to go until the start of the Games in 2012.
Staff at the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) shared £30 million, including £2 million of bonuses, according to the annual report for the year to March 31.
David Higgins, the chief executive, took home £537,000, although he bowed to the prevailing public mood and deferred half of his annual £210,000 bonus until 2012.
The Australian is still one of the best-paid public sector employees in Britain. Hugh Robertson, the Tories’ Olympic spokesman, said: “He’s doing an extremely good job but in the current climate everybody in the public sector must be aware of the need to bear down on bonuses and expenses.”
Mr Higgins and seven fellow directors collectively claimed £100,000 in expenses. Howard Shiplee, director of construction, was the highest spender, claiming £19,343, including £11,478 on hotels and nearly £2,280 on taxis.
Tom Brake, the Liberal Democrat Olympics spokesman, said: “These bonus and expenses arrangements are from a different era. We are now in tougher times where costs have to be more tightly controlled.”
The figures were released on the day the outer shell of the £547 million Olympic stadium was completed.
Olympic chiefs justified their pay because the complex 2012 project remains on schedule and on budget despite the recession.
John Armitt, the chairman who earned £250,000, said: “We have hit all, and exceeded some, of the ten milestones we set ourselves last year.”
By 2012, the estimated total paid to consultants will have reached nearly £680 million. Ministers have argued that the sum will prove value for money if there are no delays to the building programme.
The closer the completion deadline, the more quickly costs tend to escalate.
An ODA spokesman said: “We are not talking about consultants in suits. These are very experienced engineers, planners and construction experts who have worked on several Olympic Games. CLM’s contract is also heavily incentivised. Every penny earned is dependent on meeting strict performance measures tied to delivering on time, to budget and to a high standard.”
However, taxpayers may baulk at the cost, after they came to the rescue of two of the biggest venues on the Olympic Park. In May, the Government approved a further injection of £324 million into the £1 billion Village, which will house 17,500 athletes and officials during the Games, bringing public investment in the project to £650 million. The £355 million media centre had already been nationalised after private financing failed to materialise.
Ministers have insisted that the overall £9.3 billion public sector budget for the Olympics will not be exceeded.
The latest accounts revealed that the ODA wrote off £7.5 million in design and professional fees for work on the media centre. It also bore the cost of £2.5 million in legal fees incurred on behalf of Lend Lease, the property developer that pulled out of the Village financing deal.
A further £1.1 million in design fees were written off when the site of the canoeing venue was changed.
Source:The times
Max Mosley will not stand for re-election as FIA president
Max Mosley has confirmed he will not stand for re-election as FIA president later this year.
Mosley had previously suggested he would keep his options open after becoming infuriated by comments made by Luca di Montezemolo, the Ferrari president and Fota chairman, in the wake of a peace pact being agreed between motor sport's world governing body and the Formula One teams three weeks ago.
But in a letter sent today to all FIA members, Mosley has made it clear his 16-year reign will come to an end in October this year and proposed Jean Todt, the former Ferrari team principal, as his successor.
The 69-year-old has revealed he received 100 messages of support urging him to stand again, citing them as "deeply rewarding" and for which he was "very grateful". "From a personal point of view it would be very difficult for me to change my mind and stand again," Mosley said. "I began some months ago to re-arrange my family life with effect from next October. I also informed senior FIA staff I would not be a candidate.
To continue now would greatly complicate my domestic arrangements and be inconsistent with my obligations to my family, particularly after our recent loss. Also, I have felt for some time I would like to work less. After all, I will be 70 next year.
"Therefore, with these new arrangements in place, extremely grateful though I am for all the letters, emails and messages I have received, I have decided to reconfirm my decision. I will not be a candidate in October."
Mosley, who will continue to have a place on the FIA Senate, has decided to offer his full support to Todt. "I believe the objectives of those who have been kind enough to support me can be achieved if you elect a strong, experienced and competent team, one which will maintain the independence of the FIA, and ensure both the sport and mobility side are properly run.
"I believe the right person to head that team would be Jean Todt. Jean is unquestionably the outstanding motorsport manager of his generation, and arguably of any generation.
"If he agrees to stand, I think he would be the ideal person to continue, but also to extend the work of the past 16 years. He can be relied on in all areas where the FIA is active. I very much hope you will give him your support."
Mosley also dismissed suggestions Todt would be neither impartial nor independent given his background. "I must emphasise, he would not in any way be a motor industry candidate," Mosley said. "He would have no special relationship with his former company, Ferrari, nor with Peugeot Citroen, the manufacturer behind his former world rally, cross-country and Le Mans teams. He would preserve the independence of the FIA."
If Todt decides to stand he will be up against Ari Vatanen, the former World Rally champion, after the 57-year-old Finn announced his candidature last week.
Source:The times
Mosley had previously suggested he would keep his options open after becoming infuriated by comments made by Luca di Montezemolo, the Ferrari president and Fota chairman, in the wake of a peace pact being agreed between motor sport's world governing body and the Formula One teams three weeks ago.
But in a letter sent today to all FIA members, Mosley has made it clear his 16-year reign will come to an end in October this year and proposed Jean Todt, the former Ferrari team principal, as his successor.
The 69-year-old has revealed he received 100 messages of support urging him to stand again, citing them as "deeply rewarding" and for which he was "very grateful". "From a personal point of view it would be very difficult for me to change my mind and stand again," Mosley said. "I began some months ago to re-arrange my family life with effect from next October. I also informed senior FIA staff I would not be a candidate.
To continue now would greatly complicate my domestic arrangements and be inconsistent with my obligations to my family, particularly after our recent loss. Also, I have felt for some time I would like to work less. After all, I will be 70 next year.
"Therefore, with these new arrangements in place, extremely grateful though I am for all the letters, emails and messages I have received, I have decided to reconfirm my decision. I will not be a candidate in October."
Mosley, who will continue to have a place on the FIA Senate, has decided to offer his full support to Todt. "I believe the objectives of those who have been kind enough to support me can be achieved if you elect a strong, experienced and competent team, one which will maintain the independence of the FIA, and ensure both the sport and mobility side are properly run.
"I believe the right person to head that team would be Jean Todt. Jean is unquestionably the outstanding motorsport manager of his generation, and arguably of any generation.
"If he agrees to stand, I think he would be the ideal person to continue, but also to extend the work of the past 16 years. He can be relied on in all areas where the FIA is active. I very much hope you will give him your support."
Mosley also dismissed suggestions Todt would be neither impartial nor independent given his background. "I must emphasise, he would not in any way be a motor industry candidate," Mosley said. "He would have no special relationship with his former company, Ferrari, nor with Peugeot Citroen, the manufacturer behind his former world rally, cross-country and Le Mans teams. He would preserve the independence of the FIA."
If Todt decides to stand he will be up against Ari Vatanen, the former World Rally champion, after the 57-year-old Finn announced his candidature last week.
Source:The times
England turn screw on Australia at Lord's
Graham Onions claimed two wickets in three overs as England secured a 210-run first-innings lead - but they opted not to enforce the follow on in today's second Ashes Test.
The Durham seamer claimed two for nine in three overs on the third morning as Australia, who resumed overnight on 156 for eight, trailing by 269 runs needing a further 70 to avoid the follow-on, were dismissed for 215.
Onions' display, which ended the stubborn resistance of Nathan Hauritz and Peter Siddle, provided England with the option of making Australia bat again but captain Andrew Strauss instead decided to have another go in batsman-friendly conditions as the hosts attempt to establish a match-winning lead.
Off-spinner Hauritz, unbeaten on three overnight, demonstrated his capabilities with the bat at an early stage by steering James Anderson down to third man for four in the second over of the morning.
He was, however, given an early reprieve when he steered a short ball from Stuart Broad to Alastair Cook at short leg on 11, but the Essex left-hander was unable to claim the sharp chance.
To increase England's frustration, Siddle claimed two more boundaries in the next over, driving down the ground and past gully as Anderson conceded 13 from his first two overs of the day.
Twice Siddle edged just short of Paul Collingwood at third slip in Anderson's next over, but England were unable to claim the early breakthrough as Australia edged closer to the follow-on target.
Strauss decided to turn to Onions as a replacement for Anderson from the Nursery End in a desperate attempt to claim a wicket, but he also suffered immediate frustration when Hauritz guided his first ball through gully for another boundary.
But Onions claimed his revenge two balls later when he tempted Hauritz into pushing outside off-stump and this time he edged to Collingwood at third slip, who claimed the catch above his head.
Hauritz had contributed 24 vital runs to a stubborn 44-run stand in only 45 minutes, but departed the crease with Australia still 32 runs away from saving the follow-on as last man Ben Hilfenhaus walked out to bat.
Hilfenhaus immediately frustrated Onions by playing and missing three times in the same over before getting off the mark with a drive through the covers for four.
Just as Australia edged within sight of saving the follow on, needing just 11 to reach their target, Onions struck again to end the innings when Siddle edged to Strauss at first slip.
Source:The times
The Durham seamer claimed two for nine in three overs on the third morning as Australia, who resumed overnight on 156 for eight, trailing by 269 runs needing a further 70 to avoid the follow-on, were dismissed for 215.
Onions' display, which ended the stubborn resistance of Nathan Hauritz and Peter Siddle, provided England with the option of making Australia bat again but captain Andrew Strauss instead decided to have another go in batsman-friendly conditions as the hosts attempt to establish a match-winning lead.
Off-spinner Hauritz, unbeaten on three overnight, demonstrated his capabilities with the bat at an early stage by steering James Anderson down to third man for four in the second over of the morning.
He was, however, given an early reprieve when he steered a short ball from Stuart Broad to Alastair Cook at short leg on 11, but the Essex left-hander was unable to claim the sharp chance.
To increase England's frustration, Siddle claimed two more boundaries in the next over, driving down the ground and past gully as Anderson conceded 13 from his first two overs of the day.
Twice Siddle edged just short of Paul Collingwood at third slip in Anderson's next over, but England were unable to claim the early breakthrough as Australia edged closer to the follow-on target.
Strauss decided to turn to Onions as a replacement for Anderson from the Nursery End in a desperate attempt to claim a wicket, but he also suffered immediate frustration when Hauritz guided his first ball through gully for another boundary.
But Onions claimed his revenge two balls later when he tempted Hauritz into pushing outside off-stump and this time he edged to Collingwood at third slip, who claimed the catch above his head.
Hauritz had contributed 24 vital runs to a stubborn 44-run stand in only 45 minutes, but departed the crease with Australia still 32 runs away from saving the follow-on as last man Ben Hilfenhaus walked out to bat.
Hilfenhaus immediately frustrated Onions by playing and missing three times in the same over before getting off the mark with a drive through the covers for four.
Just as Australia edged within sight of saving the follow on, needing just 11 to reach their target, Onions struck again to end the innings when Siddle edged to Strauss at first slip.
Source:The times
Tom Watson rolls back years to lead Open
Five times champion shoots third-round of 71 to lead by one shot from Ross Fisher and Mathew Goggin in The Open.
A YEAR after 53-year-old Greg Norman headed the field going into the final round of The Open, another veteran champion has taken centre stage. Tom Watson, 59, holds a one-stroke lead over England’s Ross Fisher and Australian Mathew Goggin at Turnberry, scene of his greatest triumph 32 years ago.
The five-times Open champion began the day tied for the lead with fellow American Steve Marino. However, he had dropped three shots by the time he reached the 16th and his improbable challenge appeared to be fading. Yet, just as he had done on Friday, Watson rattled in a long putt for birdie and then picked up a further shot at the next hole. A par at the 18th gave him a round of 71 and put him on four under par for the tournament. If he wins today, he would become the oldest player in the modern era to win a major championship, easily topping Julius Boros, who won the 1968 US PGA title at the age of 48.
Watson’s last Open victory was at Birkdale in 1983, though he retains most affection for this course, scene of his dramatic Duel in the Sun with Jack Nicklaus.
On a day that saw England on top against Australia at Lords, it was honours even between the two countries at Turnberry. Fisher, from Wentworth and Tasmanian Goggin are on three under par, with Lee Westwood just a shot back.
Fisher had said he would abandon his challenge and leave the course to fly home immediately if his wife went into labour with their first child. However Jo Fisher, now five days overdue, had shown no signs of going into labour yesterday.
Her husband enters the final day with an outstanding chance of becoming the first Englishman since Nick Faldo in 1992 to land a major. Both he and Westwood arrived on the Ayrshire coast in form and have looked the two best strikers of the ball over the first three days. Had either holed more putts, he would have had a clear lead this morning.
Goggin started three shots back before a third round of 69 that had put him out front on his own, only for Watson’s late surge to leave him in a tie for second. Again, the wind and the course had the upper hand over the players. Only five broke par and just American Bryce Molder, with a 67, shot lower than Goggin.
Sunshine and showers are predicted today and it could be that those players who make par will move forward.
Source:The times
A YEAR after 53-year-old Greg Norman headed the field going into the final round of The Open, another veteran champion has taken centre stage. Tom Watson, 59, holds a one-stroke lead over England’s Ross Fisher and Australian Mathew Goggin at Turnberry, scene of his greatest triumph 32 years ago.
The five-times Open champion began the day tied for the lead with fellow American Steve Marino. However, he had dropped three shots by the time he reached the 16th and his improbable challenge appeared to be fading. Yet, just as he had done on Friday, Watson rattled in a long putt for birdie and then picked up a further shot at the next hole. A par at the 18th gave him a round of 71 and put him on four under par for the tournament. If he wins today, he would become the oldest player in the modern era to win a major championship, easily topping Julius Boros, who won the 1968 US PGA title at the age of 48.
Watson’s last Open victory was at Birkdale in 1983, though he retains most affection for this course, scene of his dramatic Duel in the Sun with Jack Nicklaus.
On a day that saw England on top against Australia at Lords, it was honours even between the two countries at Turnberry. Fisher, from Wentworth and Tasmanian Goggin are on three under par, with Lee Westwood just a shot back.
Fisher had said he would abandon his challenge and leave the course to fly home immediately if his wife went into labour with their first child. However Jo Fisher, now five days overdue, had shown no signs of going into labour yesterday.
Her husband enters the final day with an outstanding chance of becoming the first Englishman since Nick Faldo in 1992 to land a major. Both he and Westwood arrived on the Ayrshire coast in form and have looked the two best strikers of the ball over the first three days. Had either holed more putts, he would have had a clear lead this morning.
Goggin started three shots back before a third round of 69 that had put him out front on his own, only for Watson’s late surge to leave him in a tie for second. Again, the wind and the course had the upper hand over the players. Only five broke par and just American Bryce Molder, with a 67, shot lower than Goggin.
Sunshine and showers are predicted today and it could be that those players who make par will move forward.
Source:The times
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Scott Donald rescues Rhinos at death
Wakefield Wildcats 30 Leeds Rhinos 32
Wakefield Wildcats were 33 seconds from a first home victory against Leeds Rhinos, their big-city rivals, at the thirteenth attempt in the engage Super League last night. Scott Donald denied them with a coruscating last-gasp try as the Rhinos won 32-30.
In a last throw of the dice, Leeds, who had trailed 30-16 with 15 minutes left, swept out of their half and Brent Webb, who had just returned from the sin-bin, was dragged down short of the posts but got the ball away. Although Danny McGuire lost his footing, he popped the pass out to the exultant Donald in an extraordinary finish.
Leeds had been paralysed by Danny Brough’s stunning game with the boot, which was instrumental in Wakefield going to the brink of a memorable win against the champions. Their desperation to record a first home win against Leeds since 1992 was borne out by ten of their first-half points coming during the ten minutes they were left short-handed by Steve Snitch’s yellow card.
Sam Obst stabbed a kick through for Matt Blaymire to touch down after a searing break by Brough, who added the conversion and two penalty goals.
A rattled Leeds squandered possession and lost their discipline, despite Carl Ablett’s tip-toeing charge up the touchline in dispatching Jamie Jones-Buchanan for the opening try.
Leeds briefly drew level through Keith Senior’s charge in carrying Ryan Atkins over the line. But Senior’s subsequent error handed Wakefield the ball and Obst jinked his way over. Had Matt Petersen reached Brough’s crossfield kick in the last act of the half, the home side would have been comfortably in front.
Instead, Rob Burrow raced over within a minute of the resumption to achieve parity. Ablett, though, was penalised a second time for dissent in gifting Brough two more points and the scrum half created two further tries in ten minutes. His chip to the left wing fell invitingly for Scott Grix to touch down, before a steepling kick to the right corner was missed by Ryan Hall and Atkins scrambled over.
Brough’s touchline conversion looked to make Wakefield safe, before Ali Lauitiiti’s try and a second by Burrow initiated the Leeds revival.
Pat Richards converted a late try by Darrell Goulding as Wigan Warriors edged past Catalans Dragons 24-22.
Wakefield Wildcats: Tries: Blaymire, Obst, Grix, Atkins. Goals: Brough 7. Leeds Rhinos: Tries: Jones-Buchanan, Senior, Burrow 2, Lauitiiti, Donald. Goals: Sinfield 3, Smith. HT: 16-10. Att: 6,425.
Source:The times
Wakefield Wildcats were 33 seconds from a first home victory against Leeds Rhinos, their big-city rivals, at the thirteenth attempt in the engage Super League last night. Scott Donald denied them with a coruscating last-gasp try as the Rhinos won 32-30.
In a last throw of the dice, Leeds, who had trailed 30-16 with 15 minutes left, swept out of their half and Brent Webb, who had just returned from the sin-bin, was dragged down short of the posts but got the ball away. Although Danny McGuire lost his footing, he popped the pass out to the exultant Donald in an extraordinary finish.
Leeds had been paralysed by Danny Brough’s stunning game with the boot, which was instrumental in Wakefield going to the brink of a memorable win against the champions. Their desperation to record a first home win against Leeds since 1992 was borne out by ten of their first-half points coming during the ten minutes they were left short-handed by Steve Snitch’s yellow card.
Sam Obst stabbed a kick through for Matt Blaymire to touch down after a searing break by Brough, who added the conversion and two penalty goals.
A rattled Leeds squandered possession and lost their discipline, despite Carl Ablett’s tip-toeing charge up the touchline in dispatching Jamie Jones-Buchanan for the opening try.
Leeds briefly drew level through Keith Senior’s charge in carrying Ryan Atkins over the line. But Senior’s subsequent error handed Wakefield the ball and Obst jinked his way over. Had Matt Petersen reached Brough’s crossfield kick in the last act of the half, the home side would have been comfortably in front.
Instead, Rob Burrow raced over within a minute of the resumption to achieve parity. Ablett, though, was penalised a second time for dissent in gifting Brough two more points and the scrum half created two further tries in ten minutes. His chip to the left wing fell invitingly for Scott Grix to touch down, before a steepling kick to the right corner was missed by Ryan Hall and Atkins scrambled over.
Brough’s touchline conversion looked to make Wakefield safe, before Ali Lauitiiti’s try and a second by Burrow initiated the Leeds revival.
Pat Richards converted a late try by Darrell Goulding as Wigan Warriors edged past Catalans Dragons 24-22.
Wakefield Wildcats: Tries: Blaymire, Obst, Grix, Atkins. Goals: Brough 7. Leeds Rhinos: Tries: Jones-Buchanan, Senior, Burrow 2, Lauitiiti, Donald. Goals: Sinfield 3, Smith. HT: 16-10. Att: 6,425.
Source:The times
Unexposed Ra Junior can master his elders in York showpiece
Three-year-olds have a good record in the John Smith's Cup and that augurs well for the Brian Meehan-trained colt.
Ra Junior is one of the few unexposed runners in the 50th John Smith's Cup (3.10) at York today and, likely to improve now that he steps up in distance, can cause an upset.
Not many three-year-olds make the cut for this competitive contest, but they have a good record when they do, winning five of the past 17 renewals. Just two run this time around and, with Alazeyab being handed an unfavourably high draw, Ra Junior looks the one to be on.
He showed progressive form at the end of last season, beating the useful Emirates Roadshow by five lengths in a maiden at Newmarket before chasing home On Our Way in a conditions race at the same track in October. Ra Junior failed to handle the dirt surface when stepped up to group two company on his reappearance in Dubai in March, but has been given plenty of time to recover from that trip and returns on a potentially lenient mark.
David Probert, the excellent apprentice, takes off a further 3lb, while this step up in trip is sure to suit on breeding as his dam was runner-up in the 12-furlong Galtres Stakes here. His bare form gives him solid claims and, open to plenty of improvement after just five starts, he looks much too big at the 40-1 offered by William Hill.
Despite being two years older, Riggins is even more lightly raced and won in tidy fashion at Goodwood last time. He will be a threat if proving as effective over this extra quarter-mile.
Of the remainder, Sweet Lightning and Moonquake have fair form claims but are drawn higher than ideal. Seeking The Buck, unsuited by a slow pace when beaten for the first time this year at Lingfield, makes more appeal.
Mark Johnston has his stable in rude health and Quai D'Orsay may be hard to pass in the John Smith's Extra Smooth Silver Cup (3.45). He showed a good attitude when fending off allcomers at Haydock last time, shaping as though this longer trip would see him in an even better light. He can defy a 4lb rise in the weights.
Cesare will be a warm order in the totesport.com Summer Mile Stakes (2.50) at Ascot, but he seems most effective on a straight track and preference is for Confront. The latter lost a shoe when a good second at Epsom in June before being unsuited by a slow early pace when fourth at Sandown eight days ago. He can bounce back to form.
Secret Society ran a cracker when beaten a head by Fareer in the Britannia Handicap and can make the most of an easier assignment in the totescoop6 Stakes (1.50). He travelled with notable ease through that race until weakening in the dying strides and promises to be even more effective over this shorter trip.
The Euro Earthworks Handicap (2.20) can go to Mabuya. He is getting better with each start and had plenty in hand when powering clear of his rivals at Salisbury last time. A 6lb rise in the weights should not be enough to prevent a repeat.
Borderlescott has yet to rediscover the form that saw him land the group one Nunthorpe Stakes last summer, but should be too classy for his rivals in the toteswinger City Wall Stakes (3.30) at Chester. He was badly drawn when beaten a nose by Green Manalishi in this a year ago and, well-berthed this time around, can go one better.
Nashmiah has been well beaten in group one company on two of her past four starts, but has won the other two in listed company and looks the one to beat in the totepool City Plate (2.25).
Source :The times
Ra Junior is one of the few unexposed runners in the 50th John Smith's Cup (3.10) at York today and, likely to improve now that he steps up in distance, can cause an upset.
Not many three-year-olds make the cut for this competitive contest, but they have a good record when they do, winning five of the past 17 renewals. Just two run this time around and, with Alazeyab being handed an unfavourably high draw, Ra Junior looks the one to be on.
He showed progressive form at the end of last season, beating the useful Emirates Roadshow by five lengths in a maiden at Newmarket before chasing home On Our Way in a conditions race at the same track in October. Ra Junior failed to handle the dirt surface when stepped up to group two company on his reappearance in Dubai in March, but has been given plenty of time to recover from that trip and returns on a potentially lenient mark.
David Probert, the excellent apprentice, takes off a further 3lb, while this step up in trip is sure to suit on breeding as his dam was runner-up in the 12-furlong Galtres Stakes here. His bare form gives him solid claims and, open to plenty of improvement after just five starts, he looks much too big at the 40-1 offered by William Hill.
Despite being two years older, Riggins is even more lightly raced and won in tidy fashion at Goodwood last time. He will be a threat if proving as effective over this extra quarter-mile.
Of the remainder, Sweet Lightning and Moonquake have fair form claims but are drawn higher than ideal. Seeking The Buck, unsuited by a slow pace when beaten for the first time this year at Lingfield, makes more appeal.
Mark Johnston has his stable in rude health and Quai D'Orsay may be hard to pass in the John Smith's Extra Smooth Silver Cup (3.45). He showed a good attitude when fending off allcomers at Haydock last time, shaping as though this longer trip would see him in an even better light. He can defy a 4lb rise in the weights.
Cesare will be a warm order in the totesport.com Summer Mile Stakes (2.50) at Ascot, but he seems most effective on a straight track and preference is for Confront. The latter lost a shoe when a good second at Epsom in June before being unsuited by a slow early pace when fourth at Sandown eight days ago. He can bounce back to form.
Secret Society ran a cracker when beaten a head by Fareer in the Britannia Handicap and can make the most of an easier assignment in the totescoop6 Stakes (1.50). He travelled with notable ease through that race until weakening in the dying strides and promises to be even more effective over this shorter trip.
The Euro Earthworks Handicap (2.20) can go to Mabuya. He is getting better with each start and had plenty in hand when powering clear of his rivals at Salisbury last time. A 6lb rise in the weights should not be enough to prevent a repeat.
Borderlescott has yet to rediscover the form that saw him land the group one Nunthorpe Stakes last summer, but should be too classy for his rivals in the toteswinger City Wall Stakes (3.30) at Chester. He was badly drawn when beaten a nose by Green Manalishi in this a year ago and, well-berthed this time around, can go one better.
Nashmiah has been well beaten in group one company on two of her past four starts, but has won the other two in listed company and looks the one to beat in the totepool City Plate (2.25).
Source :The times
Phillips Idowu heads athletes in commercial rights row
Britain’s top medal prospects in athletics, including Phillips Idowu and Kelly Sotherton, face renewed pressure this weekend to sign a controversial contract to raise sponsorship for the 2012 Olympics campaign. The Aviva World Trials & UK Championships in Birmingham is expected to raise tensions as athletes refuse to sign the Team 2012 agreement that would grant certain image rights to a sponsor.
It is thought that Visa or BT are in line to buy a £5 million package of rights, including three appearances a year from each athlete in a deal mixing medal-winners with unknowns in promotional campaigns. Agents say that the scheme will limit their clients’ earning potential and questioned the timing with the World Championships in Berlin looming next month.
“Athletes should have performance on their minds without pressure being exerted on them to sign such a significant document,” Jonathan Marks, who represents Idowu and Sotherton, said. “Athletes believe that between now and 2012 this will compromise their commercial value.”
UK Sport, via governing bodies, has issued veiled threats to withdraw funding to anyone who does not sign the contract. In a leaked letter, Niels de Vos, the UK Athletics (UKA) chief executive, said it was essential that the Games’ biggest sport supported the initiative. UKA is under pressure to bring its athletes into line or risk its future funding.
“I fully appreciate that your primary focus right now is preparation for Berlin but unfortunately our funding agreement with UK Sport means we cannot delay action on Team 2012 until post-Berlin,” De Vos said. UKA said athletes’ performance this weekend would not be compromised.
The 200 Lottery-funded athletes resisting Team 2012 include the biggest stars from last year’s Beijing Olympics, such as Victoria Pendleton and Rebecca Adlington. They have yet to receive their annual Lottery grants, worth up to £70,000 a head, which were due in April.
The Team 2012 scheme was devised to fill a £50 million financial hole after the Beijing Games. UK Sport has persuaded 1,000 athletes that they can opt out if subsequently offered a conflicting sponsorship deal.
Source:The times
It is thought that Visa or BT are in line to buy a £5 million package of rights, including three appearances a year from each athlete in a deal mixing medal-winners with unknowns in promotional campaigns. Agents say that the scheme will limit their clients’ earning potential and questioned the timing with the World Championships in Berlin looming next month.
“Athletes should have performance on their minds without pressure being exerted on them to sign such a significant document,” Jonathan Marks, who represents Idowu and Sotherton, said. “Athletes believe that between now and 2012 this will compromise their commercial value.”
UK Sport, via governing bodies, has issued veiled threats to withdraw funding to anyone who does not sign the contract. In a leaked letter, Niels de Vos, the UK Athletics (UKA) chief executive, said it was essential that the Games’ biggest sport supported the initiative. UKA is under pressure to bring its athletes into line or risk its future funding.
“I fully appreciate that your primary focus right now is preparation for Berlin but unfortunately our funding agreement with UK Sport means we cannot delay action on Team 2012 until post-Berlin,” De Vos said. UKA said athletes’ performance this weekend would not be compromised.
The 200 Lottery-funded athletes resisting Team 2012 include the biggest stars from last year’s Beijing Olympics, such as Victoria Pendleton and Rebecca Adlington. They have yet to receive their annual Lottery grants, worth up to £70,000 a head, which were due in April.
The Team 2012 scheme was devised to fill a £50 million financial hole after the Beijing Games. UK Sport has persuaded 1,000 athletes that they can opt out if subsequently offered a conflicting sponsorship deal.
Source:The times
Max Mosley will stand down, Bernie Ecclestone promises
Max Mosley, the president of the FIA, will not stand for election again. It is official. How do we know that? Because his old friend, Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula One promoter, is absolutely sure of it.
Speaking to The Times about motor racing for the first time since giving an interview to the newspaper last weekend in which he praised Adolf Hitler — something he bitterly regrets — Ecclestone said at the Nürburgring on Friday that he had not even a scintilla of doubt that Mosley will honour an agreement to stand down in October.
Ecclestone, the Formula One commercial rights-holder, has chosen to keep a lower profile than normal during his visit to Nürburg for Sunday’s German Grand Prix and he was determined not to comment further on the Hitler issue, after making a series of apologies to Jewish groups and others. The scandal has been fighting for airtime with renewed talk from teams of a possible breakaway series if Mosley tries to hang on.
Ecclestone offered this reassurance to those who fear that Mosley could yet split Formula One by trying to stay in office for a fifth term as president of the world governing body. “I have no doubt in my mind, as long as I’ve known Max, he’s always done what he said he would do,” Ecclestone said in an upstairs office in one of his motorhomes.
“He’s an honourable person. I’ve always said Max can have a cheque signed by me, without any name or amount on it, because he’s a trustworthy guy. So I have no doubt that he will honour all the things he’s ever said he will do.”
In this case, however, Mosley agreed with the leaders of the teams threatening a breakaway championship that he would step down in October, then reacted to what he saw as subsequent unfair briefing against him in the press by saying that he would keep his options open. He has recently been talking of the sudden pressure on him by ordinary members of the FIA to stand again.
Ecclestone, though, is sure we can relax. “He said his options are open but he didn’t say what they were going to be, did he?” he said. And he offered an explanation for Mosley’s latest apparent attack of indecision about his future. “He was a bit upset after agreements had been made [with Luca Di Montezemolo, the president of Ferrari] to be quiet and not throw stones at each other, and then remarks were made which upset him,” he said.
Ecclestone spoke as Ari Vatanen, the Finnish former world rally champion, said that he will run as a candidate for the FIA presidency in response to requests that he had received from FIA clubs. “The time has come for a change,” Vatanen said. “My main focus is to reconcile views within the FIA and bring transparency to its stakeholders. The duty of the president is to defend a billion automobilists and the great sport of ours.”
Should Mosley stand aside, Vatanen could find himself running against Jean Todt, the former team principal of Ferrari, who is widely viewed as Mosley’s favoured candidate to succeed him.
As much as he is confident on Mosley’s motives, Ecclestone was also pretty certain that the breakaway will not happen. “There are probably a couple of people in all the teams who would like to see it happen,” he said. “But, no, I don’t think it will happen.
“I think people realise that the Formula One World Championship has been going for 60 years, it is well established, we’ve got the best circuits in the world and I don’t think they’ve even thought through really how there could be a breakaway. And if there is, what would our company do?”
The final point was in reference to CVC Capital Partners, which employs Ecclestone to run Formula One and which owns 68 per cent of the sport. Asked to elaborate, he would add only: “Let’s hope we don’t have to.”
On the track, Lewis Hamilton took advantage of changeable weather to set a surprise fastest time in the second session of practice in an updated McLaren Mercedes, but the battle for pole in qualifying today looks to be between Sebastian Vettel, in the Red Bull, who was second-fastest in the afternoon, and the championship leader, Jenson Button, of Brawn GP, who was third.
Source:The times
Speaking to The Times about motor racing for the first time since giving an interview to the newspaper last weekend in which he praised Adolf Hitler — something he bitterly regrets — Ecclestone said at the Nürburgring on Friday that he had not even a scintilla of doubt that Mosley will honour an agreement to stand down in October.
Ecclestone, the Formula One commercial rights-holder, has chosen to keep a lower profile than normal during his visit to Nürburg for Sunday’s German Grand Prix and he was determined not to comment further on the Hitler issue, after making a series of apologies to Jewish groups and others. The scandal has been fighting for airtime with renewed talk from teams of a possible breakaway series if Mosley tries to hang on.
Ecclestone offered this reassurance to those who fear that Mosley could yet split Formula One by trying to stay in office for a fifth term as president of the world governing body. “I have no doubt in my mind, as long as I’ve known Max, he’s always done what he said he would do,” Ecclestone said in an upstairs office in one of his motorhomes.
“He’s an honourable person. I’ve always said Max can have a cheque signed by me, without any name or amount on it, because he’s a trustworthy guy. So I have no doubt that he will honour all the things he’s ever said he will do.”
In this case, however, Mosley agreed with the leaders of the teams threatening a breakaway championship that he would step down in October, then reacted to what he saw as subsequent unfair briefing against him in the press by saying that he would keep his options open. He has recently been talking of the sudden pressure on him by ordinary members of the FIA to stand again.
Ecclestone, though, is sure we can relax. “He said his options are open but he didn’t say what they were going to be, did he?” he said. And he offered an explanation for Mosley’s latest apparent attack of indecision about his future. “He was a bit upset after agreements had been made [with Luca Di Montezemolo, the president of Ferrari] to be quiet and not throw stones at each other, and then remarks were made which upset him,” he said.
Ecclestone spoke as Ari Vatanen, the Finnish former world rally champion, said that he will run as a candidate for the FIA presidency in response to requests that he had received from FIA clubs. “The time has come for a change,” Vatanen said. “My main focus is to reconcile views within the FIA and bring transparency to its stakeholders. The duty of the president is to defend a billion automobilists and the great sport of ours.”
Should Mosley stand aside, Vatanen could find himself running against Jean Todt, the former team principal of Ferrari, who is widely viewed as Mosley’s favoured candidate to succeed him.
As much as he is confident on Mosley’s motives, Ecclestone was also pretty certain that the breakaway will not happen. “There are probably a couple of people in all the teams who would like to see it happen,” he said. “But, no, I don’t think it will happen.
“I think people realise that the Formula One World Championship has been going for 60 years, it is well established, we’ve got the best circuits in the world and I don’t think they’ve even thought through really how there could be a breakaway. And if there is, what would our company do?”
The final point was in reference to CVC Capital Partners, which employs Ecclestone to run Formula One and which owns 68 per cent of the sport. Asked to elaborate, he would add only: “Let’s hope we don’t have to.”
On the track, Lewis Hamilton took advantage of changeable weather to set a surprise fastest time in the second session of practice in an updated McLaren Mercedes, but the battle for pole in qualifying today looks to be between Sebastian Vettel, in the Red Bull, who was second-fastest in the afternoon, and the championship leader, Jenson Button, of Brawn GP, who was third.
Source:The times
Steve Bruce makes Fraizer Campbell his first signing
Sunderland manager pays initial £3.5m for Manchester United striker while Rafael Benitez signs promising French defender.
Sunderland have completed the signing of striker Fraizer Campbell from Manchester United on a four-year deal for an initial fee of £3.5million, potentially rising to £6million, the club have announced on their website. The England Under-21 striker was close to agreeing a deal with Hull City but instead becomes Steve Bruce's first signing as Sunderland manager.
Elsewhere, Liverpool have signed Chris Mavinga from Paris Saint-Germain for an undisclosed fee.
The 18-year-old left back, who can also play in the centre of defence, has played for France at Under-18 level and teams up with former PSG striker David Ngog, who moved to Anfield a year ago.
Liverpool also announced on Saturday that Moroccan attacking midfielder Nabil El Zhar had signed an extension to his contract to keep him at Anfield until 2012. El Zhar, who made 19 appearances for the Reds last season, joined the club from Saint-Etienne in October 2006.
Source:The times
Sunderland have completed the signing of striker Fraizer Campbell from Manchester United on a four-year deal for an initial fee of £3.5million, potentially rising to £6million, the club have announced on their website. The England Under-21 striker was close to agreeing a deal with Hull City but instead becomes Steve Bruce's first signing as Sunderland manager.
Elsewhere, Liverpool have signed Chris Mavinga from Paris Saint-Germain for an undisclosed fee.
The 18-year-old left back, who can also play in the centre of defence, has played for France at Under-18 level and teams up with former PSG striker David Ngog, who moved to Anfield a year ago.
Liverpool also announced on Saturday that Moroccan attacking midfielder Nabil El Zhar had signed an extension to his contract to keep him at Anfield until 2012. El Zhar, who made 19 appearances for the Reds last season, joined the club from Saint-Etienne in October 2006.
Source:The times
Welsh weather comes to England's rescue
Australia moved with ruthless professionalism on Saturday towards victory in the first Ashes test against England before rain brought a premature end to the fourth day.
Marcus North, with 125 not out, and Brad Haddin, who scored 121, put on exactly 200 for the sixth wicket to join Simon Katich (122) and captain Ricky Ponting (150) among the centurions.
It was the first time in Ashes history that four Australians have scored centuries in one innings and Australia's 674 for six declared, compiled over more than 12 hours, was their fourth-highest total against England.
Ponting's declaration after Haddin was caught on the boundary attempting a fourth six meant England needed 239 to make Australia bat again.
A distant target looked beyond reach when Alastair Cook (6) and Ravi Bopara (1) were both out lbw playing across the line in the half hour before tea. England were 20 for two but as they left the field the rain started to fall and play was finally called off at 5.37 pm.
Three sessions still remain in the match and the weather is forecast to improve on Sunday giving Australia every prospect of sealing victory in the first Ashes Test staged in the Welsh capital.
North is confident Australia can push for victory on the final day. He said: "If you keep the opposition in the field for 180 overs then that breeds confidence.
"I think we have ground England down in the past couple of days. Then, when we got out there with the ball we got a couple of wickets, and that has put us in a really good position.
"It is going to be a tough day of Test cricket tomorrow. They have to go out there and try to save the Test match. There is only one team that can win the game, and for us that is a really good position to be in.
"Tomorrow, if we can put the pressure on them for long enough then we hope they will fold under that."
Australia's seamers took both their wickets today, Mitchell Johnson trapping Cook lbw and Ben Hilfenhaus a little lucky to get a similar decision against Bopara. However, spin is expected to play a key role tomorrow - and North, who also bowls off-breaks, will welcome the chance to make use of a wearing wicket.
"Any time you are going into the last day of a five-day game you are looking to get a bowl," he said.
"I hope Ricky [Ponting] throws the ball my way and I hope I can get a couple of wickets for the boys."
Australia resumed on a warm, overcast morning with their first innings score already standing at an intimidating 479 for five.
North, who scored a century on debut against South Africa this year, and wicketkeeper Haddin proceeded to bat England out of the match by adding 98 in the morning session. North reached his second century in three Tests just before the interval.
The pair, both on Ashes debut, accelerated after the interval with Haddin swiping Graeme Swann for a huge six over mid-wicket to bring up the 600.
He reached his 100 from 138 balls before he was finally caught by Bopara off Paul Collingwood. Each of the five frontline England bowlers conceded more than 100 runs.
Source:The times
Marcus North, with 125 not out, and Brad Haddin, who scored 121, put on exactly 200 for the sixth wicket to join Simon Katich (122) and captain Ricky Ponting (150) among the centurions.
It was the first time in Ashes history that four Australians have scored centuries in one innings and Australia's 674 for six declared, compiled over more than 12 hours, was their fourth-highest total against England.
Ponting's declaration after Haddin was caught on the boundary attempting a fourth six meant England needed 239 to make Australia bat again.
A distant target looked beyond reach when Alastair Cook (6) and Ravi Bopara (1) were both out lbw playing across the line in the half hour before tea. England were 20 for two but as they left the field the rain started to fall and play was finally called off at 5.37 pm.
Three sessions still remain in the match and the weather is forecast to improve on Sunday giving Australia every prospect of sealing victory in the first Ashes Test staged in the Welsh capital.
North is confident Australia can push for victory on the final day. He said: "If you keep the opposition in the field for 180 overs then that breeds confidence.
"I think we have ground England down in the past couple of days. Then, when we got out there with the ball we got a couple of wickets, and that has put us in a really good position.
"It is going to be a tough day of Test cricket tomorrow. They have to go out there and try to save the Test match. There is only one team that can win the game, and for us that is a really good position to be in.
"Tomorrow, if we can put the pressure on them for long enough then we hope they will fold under that."
Australia's seamers took both their wickets today, Mitchell Johnson trapping Cook lbw and Ben Hilfenhaus a little lucky to get a similar decision against Bopara. However, spin is expected to play a key role tomorrow - and North, who also bowls off-breaks, will welcome the chance to make use of a wearing wicket.
"Any time you are going into the last day of a five-day game you are looking to get a bowl," he said.
"I hope Ricky [Ponting] throws the ball my way and I hope I can get a couple of wickets for the boys."
Australia resumed on a warm, overcast morning with their first innings score already standing at an intimidating 479 for five.
North, who scored a century on debut against South Africa this year, and wicketkeeper Haddin proceeded to bat England out of the match by adding 98 in the morning session. North reached his second century in three Tests just before the interval.
The pair, both on Ashes debut, accelerated after the interval with Haddin swiping Graeme Swann for a huge six over mid-wicket to bring up the 600.
He reached his 100 from 138 balls before he was finally caught by Bopara off Paul Collingwood. Each of the five frontline England bowlers conceded more than 100 runs.
Source:The times
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Australia show fighting spirit after batsmen waste chance to fill their boots
SWALEC Stadium (first day of five; England won toss): England have scored 336 for seven wickets against Australia.
It was with all manner of pomp and ceremony that Test cricket came to Cardiff. With the Welsh Guards, fêted opera singers and an equally splendid red carpet greeting the players before the start of the day, it was as if we were witnessing a royal occasion, not a cricket match.
The cricket itself was not exactly of the blue-blooded variety — there were too many unforced errors for that — but it was, as would be expected on the opening day of an Ashes series, red-blooded.
Whether this represents a good return or a missed opportunity, only time will tell, but the suspicion is that the home team will be happy with their day’s work, especially given their habit of starting Ashes series more slowly than a four-mile steeplechaser.
Australia would be content to have taken seven wickets having lost the toss, but this pitch has already shown signs of taking spin, England have five bowlers to Australia’s four, two spinners to their one, and Australia must bat last.
There was also consistent swing for Ben Hilfenhaus throughout the day, which will interest James Anderson when his turn comes.
After a sticky morning when three wickets were lost through a mixture of nerves, poor shot selection and Mitchell Johnson, there were half-centuries for Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood and Matt Prior, whose blade sounded the sweetest of all, and a pleasing cameo from Andrew Flintoff, who seems determined to try to recreate the mood of 2005 and the freedom with which he batted in that series.
Nobody, though, could go on and dominate the day, and convert a start into an innings of real substance, so the lasting impression is one of an opportunity missed.
For Australia it was a mixed day. After a bright morning, they went wicketless in the afternoon, when it was clear that Ricky Ponting, setting some defensive fields, has learnt to cut his cloth according to the bowlers at his disposal. Then, when the touring team’s captain took the second new ball after tea, they leaked runs at an alarming rate before Peter Siddle struck twice late in the day to redress the balance. At least Ponting got his selections spot on, Nathan Hauritz, the spinner, generally holding his own before taking the key wicket of Pietersen and Hilfenhaus bowling steadily.
There were signs, too, that Johnson had started to find his rhythm, picking up Ravi Bopara and Andrew Strauss, the former with a magnificently disguised slower ball, the second with a rapid bouncer that Strauss punched to slip.
For a while in the afternoon, as the cricket turned attritional, it looked as if English cricket’s version of royalty, Pietersen, might treat his subjects to a century, as he often does on these showpiece occasions. He was not at his vintage best, to be sure, showing unusual nerves at the start of his innings as Australia looked to exploit his penchant for playing across full, straight balls with a high backlift, but when he survived a plumb-looking leg-before appeal on 61 and a dropped catch by Michael Clarke at extra cover on 66, it felt as if it might be his day.
Ironically, Hauritz, the man most thought would be a lamb to Pietersen’s slaughter, cut short his stay. Pietersen had been forced to play a patient hand by Ponting’s deep-set fields — what John Buchanan, the former Australia coach, would have called playing on the Pietersen ego — and he managed to pierce the boundary ropes only three times in his first 50 runs. His bread-and-butter stroke off Hauritz had been the wristy paddle around the corner for a single a time and trying that stroke again brought his downfall.
Eyeing Pietersen’s premeditated sweep, Hauritz pushed the ball wider. So wide, in fact, that had the batsman essayed a square cut he might have struggled to reach it. Instead, he attempted to manoeuvre the ball behind square on the leg side, but succeeded only in top-edging it on to his helmet, short leg taking the offering. Depending on your take on these things, Pietersen, again, will be hero or villain. Poor shot selection will suffice.
Pietersen had enjoyed another three-figure collaboration with Paul Collingwood, their eighth together in now the most successful fourth-wicket partnership that England have produced. Collingwood is the artisan to Pietersen’s aristocracy and always happy to sail along in his slipstream, a fact acknowledged by Ponting, who was happy to allow the Durham man the lion’s share of the strike.
It needed a top-class snare by Brad Haddin, moving more sharply to his right than he had in the warm-up matches, to end Collingwood’s stay once Hilfenhaus had located the outside edge.
At 241 for five, with the new ball ten overs away, it was the second time in the day that Australia had sniffed an opportunity and, at times, it needed thrilling stokeplay from Prior and Flintoff to give England renewed momentum. Prior’s cockiness was impressive given that this is his first Ashes Test and he was severe on anything with the merest hint of width. His confidence seemed to rub off on Flintoff, who played in the manner of a man with a point to prove. Both were bowled courtesy of inside edges and the persevering Siddle.
Prior and Flintoff finished the day as Bopara had started it, once Alastair Cook had departed to Mike Hussey’s spring-heeled catch in the gully. But whereas Prior and Flintoff’s aggression was a deliberate counter-attack to neuter a dangerous situation, the suspicion remains that Bopara’s curious innings reflected the nerves in the team generally.
He was given a typically Antipodean greeting by Siddle, who thundered a second-ball bouncer into his neck: welcome to Ashes cricket, cobber. Clearly unsettled, he got off the mark eight balls later with a streaky inside-edged four to fine leg before driving airily on a number of occasions. It was noticeable how much of the stumps the bowlers could see and how far away from his body Bopara was defending, technical blemishes that will keep Australia’s bowlers interested. Was it nerves or an iffy technique? England will hope the former.
England: First Innings*A J Strauss c Clarke b Johnson 30A N Cook c Hussey b Hilfenhaus 10R S Bopara c Hughes b Johnson 35K P Pietersen c Katich b Hauritz 69P D Collingwood c Haddin b Hilfenhaus 64†M J Prior b Siddle 56A Flintoff b Siddle 37J M Anderson not out 2S C J Broad not out 4Extras (b 9, lb 7, w 2, nb 11) 29Total (7 wkts, 90 overs) 336
G P Swann and M S Panesar to bat.
Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-67, 3-90, 4-228, 5-241, 6-327, 7-329.
Bowling: Johnson 18-2-68-2; Hilfenhaus 23-5-61-2; Siddle 23-3-93-2; Hauritz 19-1-67-1; Clarke 5-0-20-0; Katich 2-0-11-0.
Australia: P J Hughes, S M Katich, *R T Ponting, M E K Hussey, M J Clarke, M J North, †B J Haddin, M G Johnson, N M Hauritz, B W Hilfenhaus, P M Siddle.
Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and B R Doctrove (West Indies).TV umpire: R A Kettleborough.Match referee: J J Crowe (New Zealand).Reserve umpire: R K Illingworth.
Series detailSecond Test match: July 16 (Lord’s).Third: July 30 (Edgbaston).Fourth: August 7 (Headingley Carnegie).Fifth: August 20 (Brit Oval).
Source: The times
It was with all manner of pomp and ceremony that Test cricket came to Cardiff. With the Welsh Guards, fêted opera singers and an equally splendid red carpet greeting the players before the start of the day, it was as if we were witnessing a royal occasion, not a cricket match.
The cricket itself was not exactly of the blue-blooded variety — there were too many unforced errors for that — but it was, as would be expected on the opening day of an Ashes series, red-blooded.
Whether this represents a good return or a missed opportunity, only time will tell, but the suspicion is that the home team will be happy with their day’s work, especially given their habit of starting Ashes series more slowly than a four-mile steeplechaser.
Australia would be content to have taken seven wickets having lost the toss, but this pitch has already shown signs of taking spin, England have five bowlers to Australia’s four, two spinners to their one, and Australia must bat last.
There was also consistent swing for Ben Hilfenhaus throughout the day, which will interest James Anderson when his turn comes.
After a sticky morning when three wickets were lost through a mixture of nerves, poor shot selection and Mitchell Johnson, there were half-centuries for Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood and Matt Prior, whose blade sounded the sweetest of all, and a pleasing cameo from Andrew Flintoff, who seems determined to try to recreate the mood of 2005 and the freedom with which he batted in that series.
Nobody, though, could go on and dominate the day, and convert a start into an innings of real substance, so the lasting impression is one of an opportunity missed.
For Australia it was a mixed day. After a bright morning, they went wicketless in the afternoon, when it was clear that Ricky Ponting, setting some defensive fields, has learnt to cut his cloth according to the bowlers at his disposal. Then, when the touring team’s captain took the second new ball after tea, they leaked runs at an alarming rate before Peter Siddle struck twice late in the day to redress the balance. At least Ponting got his selections spot on, Nathan Hauritz, the spinner, generally holding his own before taking the key wicket of Pietersen and Hilfenhaus bowling steadily.
There were signs, too, that Johnson had started to find his rhythm, picking up Ravi Bopara and Andrew Strauss, the former with a magnificently disguised slower ball, the second with a rapid bouncer that Strauss punched to slip.
For a while in the afternoon, as the cricket turned attritional, it looked as if English cricket’s version of royalty, Pietersen, might treat his subjects to a century, as he often does on these showpiece occasions. He was not at his vintage best, to be sure, showing unusual nerves at the start of his innings as Australia looked to exploit his penchant for playing across full, straight balls with a high backlift, but when he survived a plumb-looking leg-before appeal on 61 and a dropped catch by Michael Clarke at extra cover on 66, it felt as if it might be his day.
Ironically, Hauritz, the man most thought would be a lamb to Pietersen’s slaughter, cut short his stay. Pietersen had been forced to play a patient hand by Ponting’s deep-set fields — what John Buchanan, the former Australia coach, would have called playing on the Pietersen ego — and he managed to pierce the boundary ropes only three times in his first 50 runs. His bread-and-butter stroke off Hauritz had been the wristy paddle around the corner for a single a time and trying that stroke again brought his downfall.
Eyeing Pietersen’s premeditated sweep, Hauritz pushed the ball wider. So wide, in fact, that had the batsman essayed a square cut he might have struggled to reach it. Instead, he attempted to manoeuvre the ball behind square on the leg side, but succeeded only in top-edging it on to his helmet, short leg taking the offering. Depending on your take on these things, Pietersen, again, will be hero or villain. Poor shot selection will suffice.
Pietersen had enjoyed another three-figure collaboration with Paul Collingwood, their eighth together in now the most successful fourth-wicket partnership that England have produced. Collingwood is the artisan to Pietersen’s aristocracy and always happy to sail along in his slipstream, a fact acknowledged by Ponting, who was happy to allow the Durham man the lion’s share of the strike.
It needed a top-class snare by Brad Haddin, moving more sharply to his right than he had in the warm-up matches, to end Collingwood’s stay once Hilfenhaus had located the outside edge.
At 241 for five, with the new ball ten overs away, it was the second time in the day that Australia had sniffed an opportunity and, at times, it needed thrilling stokeplay from Prior and Flintoff to give England renewed momentum. Prior’s cockiness was impressive given that this is his first Ashes Test and he was severe on anything with the merest hint of width. His confidence seemed to rub off on Flintoff, who played in the manner of a man with a point to prove. Both were bowled courtesy of inside edges and the persevering Siddle.
Prior and Flintoff finished the day as Bopara had started it, once Alastair Cook had departed to Mike Hussey’s spring-heeled catch in the gully. But whereas Prior and Flintoff’s aggression was a deliberate counter-attack to neuter a dangerous situation, the suspicion remains that Bopara’s curious innings reflected the nerves in the team generally.
He was given a typically Antipodean greeting by Siddle, who thundered a second-ball bouncer into his neck: welcome to Ashes cricket, cobber. Clearly unsettled, he got off the mark eight balls later with a streaky inside-edged four to fine leg before driving airily on a number of occasions. It was noticeable how much of the stumps the bowlers could see and how far away from his body Bopara was defending, technical blemishes that will keep Australia’s bowlers interested. Was it nerves or an iffy technique? England will hope the former.
England: First Innings*A J Strauss c Clarke b Johnson 30A N Cook c Hussey b Hilfenhaus 10R S Bopara c Hughes b Johnson 35K P Pietersen c Katich b Hauritz 69P D Collingwood c Haddin b Hilfenhaus 64†M J Prior b Siddle 56A Flintoff b Siddle 37J M Anderson not out 2S C J Broad not out 4Extras (b 9, lb 7, w 2, nb 11) 29Total (7 wkts, 90 overs) 336
G P Swann and M S Panesar to bat.
Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-67, 3-90, 4-228, 5-241, 6-327, 7-329.
Bowling: Johnson 18-2-68-2; Hilfenhaus 23-5-61-2; Siddle 23-3-93-2; Hauritz 19-1-67-1; Clarke 5-0-20-0; Katich 2-0-11-0.
Australia: P J Hughes, S M Katich, *R T Ponting, M E K Hussey, M J Clarke, M J North, †B J Haddin, M G Johnson, N M Hauritz, B W Hilfenhaus, P M Siddle.
Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and B R Doctrove (West Indies).TV umpire: R A Kettleborough.Match referee: J J Crowe (New Zealand).Reserve umpire: R K Illingworth.
Series detailSecond Test match: July 16 (Lord’s).Third: July 30 (Edgbaston).Fourth: August 7 (Headingley Carnegie).Fifth: August 20 (Brit Oval).
Source: The times
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Andy Flower gives England broad view of the task ahead against Australia
The team director reveals deep based philosophy as he calmly goes about building the right spirit for the Ashes campaign.
So I tell Andy Flower my Sir Alex Ferguson story: about how I found myself in the Manchester United changing room some years ago, minutes before the start of a critical fixture against Arsenal; about how the atmosphere was unbelievably relaxed - players playing cards, watching telly, that kind of thing; and about how Ferguson was nowhere to be seen.
When I asked Ferguson about his absence afterwards, he said that the preparations had been done days before and there was no need to be there because he had absolute faith in his team.
Flower likes the story because it chimes with his coaching philosophy, about which we are speaking to promote the Sky SportsECB Coach Education Programme. It is a philosophy centred on empowering players to make their own choices and raising their self-awareness. “The more trust you place in people, I believe the more they will repay you; the better you understand yourself, the better your chances of success as a player,” the England team director said.
Although he has never said it, I suspect Flower looks at his England team and sees a bunch of narrow-minded, overly cosseted cricketers. No one could accuse Flower of that, coming from Zimbabwe, seeing at first hand the disintegration of a country and becoming politicised inevitably because of it. He wouldn't wish that experience on anyone, but he does want to broaden the England players' minds and help them to grow as human beings.
“That was the most important aim of the trip to Flanders,” he said, reflecting on England's pre-Ashes bonding journey. “Sometimes as cricketers you get caught up in your own little world and don't enjoy a wide enough range of experiences. We wanted to reconnect with English history a little to help the players appreciate who they are and where they fit in. We've put a lot of effort into personal growth, leadership and development programmes, and Flanders was part of that. It was not Ashes-specific.”
Rather than bringing the team some welcome headlines, though, the trip turned into something of a PR disaster, with the news that one player forgot the only thing he had to remember - his passport - and that Andrew Flintoff was too hung-over to make the team bus on time. Andrew Strauss, attempting to defend the all-rounder, was sidetracked into admitting that team discipline is not what it should be, generally. How disappointed was Flower with the fallout?
“I know what we got out of it as a group, so we are very comfortable with that. It was a very worthwhile experience and sometimes a moving experience. I know that the perception is that it has been sullied in some way, but I'm happy with what we got from it. I'm obviously disappointed with the hullabaloo that followed because we don't want that of kind of publicity.
“In any team there are timekeeping issues because people aren't perfect. I wouldn't say we are outstandingly bad compared to other teams I've worked in. There are always issues that crop up. It is important we iron it out, though, because poor timekeeping and bad discipline are common denominators of poor teams. We also have a lot of mutual respect, cohesion and fun, which are common values to good teams.”
At this point, Flintoff is inevitably the elephant in the room. The all-rounder's ill discipline was fundamental to the slow strangulation of Duncan Fletcher's impressive stint as England head coach. How far does the knowledge of that put Flower in an awkward position now? “It doesn't, because every player starts with a clean slate and I'm not judging him on anything that went before,” he said. “He made a bad mistake but I'll tell you right now that I've made more mistakes than Andrew Flintoff. He apologised to the team and pledged his commitment to do things well for the rest of the summer. Obviously, we had to speak to him privately about it and he has been formally warned. But that is the end of the matter for us as a team. It might come up in the press again, but we can move on.”
But will he be prepared to drop a big-name player, no matter who it is, for a significant lapse of discipline during the Ashes? “It's a sensitive issue: I won't just say, ‘Yes, of course I would' just because that is what everyone wants to hear. What I will say is that this particular situation was not a big enough thing for me to drop Andrew Flintoff. No way was it a serious enough issue to do that, to finish someone's career. I'm very clear in my own mind about that.
“But if a difficult decision has to be made, we will make a difficult decision. But, you know, those are often not the most difficult decisions because if someone transgresses seriously enough in your judgment, it becomes a simple decision - you just do it because it is the right thing to do for the team. All the decisions we make are in the best interests of the England cricket team; there are no hidden agendas at all - it's simple.
“In the car this morning I was listening to Ronnie Irani on the radio. Now Ronnie is an old friend from Essex, but there were some things being said on that show about how Flintoff should be axed straight away and shouldn't take any part in the Ashes.
“It was utterly ridiculous. We're talking about the end of someone's England career and I'm not prepared to finish someone's career on that basis. It's just crazy talk.”
Flower is about to embark on the most high-profile two months of his cricketing life, but nothing in his career, either as a brilliant player for Zimbabwe or during his brief time as coach can compare to an Ashes series. Is it a fair question to ask why we should have faith in him? “It's certainly valid,” he said. “In fact, you could go further and say that playing for Zimbabwe means that I know little about winning in international cricket.
“But just because you haven't experienced a specific situation doesn't mean you can't add value. If you took that attitude you would never blood a young player, for example. When you break it down into its simplest version, it's about one team trying to beat another. Whether you call it the Ashes or not, that doesn't change.”
He has coached formally ever since his twenties and says that he has pinched the good bits from every coach he has worked with, and remembered some of the bad, too.
He admired the no-nonsense attitude of John Hampshire, the former Yorkshire and England player, who coached Zimbabwe, and his emphasis on keeping things simple and doing the basics well; there was the tactical and technical knowledge of Dave Houghton and the freedom and lack of scrutiny given to him by Carl Rackemann, both of whom also coached Zimbabwe; Graham Gooch's enthusiasm, love of the game and work ethic at Essex; and the way Peter Moores, the previous England head coach, challenged him and made every day a joyful one.
He has also met twice with John Buchanan, the former Australia coach, in the past month (“I've really enjoyed talking with him, throwing different ideas around”) to pick his brains about the Australians.
Faith in himself, then, with enough experience of his own and other coaches to draw on. But, to come back to the Ferguson story, how much faith does he have in his team? “We're some way from the Ferguson ideal, if I'm honest, because we're fifth in the world,” he said. “If we were close to it, then we would be closer to No1 in the world. Once we are in the position where the players are making good decisions for themselves, and making good decisions under pressure, then I assure you we will be where I want us to be.
“We have a good chance this summer and I believe we can win, but I'm not about to make predictions. We're not scared of favouritism, but I don't think we're favourites because they are the No 1-ranked team in the world. We have home advantage, though, and there are vulnerabilities in this Australian outfit that were not there before.
“They have lost a wealth of experience: Warne, Gilchrist, McGrath, Gillespie, Hayden and Langer. Any side losing those sorts of people is going to be weakened. Some of those guys were once-a-generation players,great characters on the field and in the dressing room. We certainly respect them still, but we don't fear them.”
How Andy Flower grew into the job
He was born in April 28, 1968, in Cape Town, South Africa
Played 63 Tests and 213 one-day internationals for Zimbabwe. Scored 4,794 Test runs at an average of 51.54, including 12 hundreds
A former world No 1 batsman, he is rated by the ICC as the 24th-best batsman in history
Captained Zimbabwe from 1993-96 and 1999-2000
Retired from international cricket after 2003 World Cup when he and Henry Olonga led a protest against “death of democracy” in Zimbabwe
Became England assistant coach in 2007 and took over as acting head coach after Peter Moores departed in January. Was made full-time team director at the start of this season
Source:The times
So I tell Andy Flower my Sir Alex Ferguson story: about how I found myself in the Manchester United changing room some years ago, minutes before the start of a critical fixture against Arsenal; about how the atmosphere was unbelievably relaxed - players playing cards, watching telly, that kind of thing; and about how Ferguson was nowhere to be seen.
When I asked Ferguson about his absence afterwards, he said that the preparations had been done days before and there was no need to be there because he had absolute faith in his team.
Flower likes the story because it chimes with his coaching philosophy, about which we are speaking to promote the Sky SportsECB Coach Education Programme. It is a philosophy centred on empowering players to make their own choices and raising their self-awareness. “The more trust you place in people, I believe the more they will repay you; the better you understand yourself, the better your chances of success as a player,” the England team director said.
Although he has never said it, I suspect Flower looks at his England team and sees a bunch of narrow-minded, overly cosseted cricketers. No one could accuse Flower of that, coming from Zimbabwe, seeing at first hand the disintegration of a country and becoming politicised inevitably because of it. He wouldn't wish that experience on anyone, but he does want to broaden the England players' minds and help them to grow as human beings.
“That was the most important aim of the trip to Flanders,” he said, reflecting on England's pre-Ashes bonding journey. “Sometimes as cricketers you get caught up in your own little world and don't enjoy a wide enough range of experiences. We wanted to reconnect with English history a little to help the players appreciate who they are and where they fit in. We've put a lot of effort into personal growth, leadership and development programmes, and Flanders was part of that. It was not Ashes-specific.”
Rather than bringing the team some welcome headlines, though, the trip turned into something of a PR disaster, with the news that one player forgot the only thing he had to remember - his passport - and that Andrew Flintoff was too hung-over to make the team bus on time. Andrew Strauss, attempting to defend the all-rounder, was sidetracked into admitting that team discipline is not what it should be, generally. How disappointed was Flower with the fallout?
“I know what we got out of it as a group, so we are very comfortable with that. It was a very worthwhile experience and sometimes a moving experience. I know that the perception is that it has been sullied in some way, but I'm happy with what we got from it. I'm obviously disappointed with the hullabaloo that followed because we don't want that of kind of publicity.
“In any team there are timekeeping issues because people aren't perfect. I wouldn't say we are outstandingly bad compared to other teams I've worked in. There are always issues that crop up. It is important we iron it out, though, because poor timekeeping and bad discipline are common denominators of poor teams. We also have a lot of mutual respect, cohesion and fun, which are common values to good teams.”
At this point, Flintoff is inevitably the elephant in the room. The all-rounder's ill discipline was fundamental to the slow strangulation of Duncan Fletcher's impressive stint as England head coach. How far does the knowledge of that put Flower in an awkward position now? “It doesn't, because every player starts with a clean slate and I'm not judging him on anything that went before,” he said. “He made a bad mistake but I'll tell you right now that I've made more mistakes than Andrew Flintoff. He apologised to the team and pledged his commitment to do things well for the rest of the summer. Obviously, we had to speak to him privately about it and he has been formally warned. But that is the end of the matter for us as a team. It might come up in the press again, but we can move on.”
But will he be prepared to drop a big-name player, no matter who it is, for a significant lapse of discipline during the Ashes? “It's a sensitive issue: I won't just say, ‘Yes, of course I would' just because that is what everyone wants to hear. What I will say is that this particular situation was not a big enough thing for me to drop Andrew Flintoff. No way was it a serious enough issue to do that, to finish someone's career. I'm very clear in my own mind about that.
“But if a difficult decision has to be made, we will make a difficult decision. But, you know, those are often not the most difficult decisions because if someone transgresses seriously enough in your judgment, it becomes a simple decision - you just do it because it is the right thing to do for the team. All the decisions we make are in the best interests of the England cricket team; there are no hidden agendas at all - it's simple.
“In the car this morning I was listening to Ronnie Irani on the radio. Now Ronnie is an old friend from Essex, but there were some things being said on that show about how Flintoff should be axed straight away and shouldn't take any part in the Ashes.
“It was utterly ridiculous. We're talking about the end of someone's England career and I'm not prepared to finish someone's career on that basis. It's just crazy talk.”
Flower is about to embark on the most high-profile two months of his cricketing life, but nothing in his career, either as a brilliant player for Zimbabwe or during his brief time as coach can compare to an Ashes series. Is it a fair question to ask why we should have faith in him? “It's certainly valid,” he said. “In fact, you could go further and say that playing for Zimbabwe means that I know little about winning in international cricket.
“But just because you haven't experienced a specific situation doesn't mean you can't add value. If you took that attitude you would never blood a young player, for example. When you break it down into its simplest version, it's about one team trying to beat another. Whether you call it the Ashes or not, that doesn't change.”
He has coached formally ever since his twenties and says that he has pinched the good bits from every coach he has worked with, and remembered some of the bad, too.
He admired the no-nonsense attitude of John Hampshire, the former Yorkshire and England player, who coached Zimbabwe, and his emphasis on keeping things simple and doing the basics well; there was the tactical and technical knowledge of Dave Houghton and the freedom and lack of scrutiny given to him by Carl Rackemann, both of whom also coached Zimbabwe; Graham Gooch's enthusiasm, love of the game and work ethic at Essex; and the way Peter Moores, the previous England head coach, challenged him and made every day a joyful one.
He has also met twice with John Buchanan, the former Australia coach, in the past month (“I've really enjoyed talking with him, throwing different ideas around”) to pick his brains about the Australians.
Faith in himself, then, with enough experience of his own and other coaches to draw on. But, to come back to the Ferguson story, how much faith does he have in his team? “We're some way from the Ferguson ideal, if I'm honest, because we're fifth in the world,” he said. “If we were close to it, then we would be closer to No1 in the world. Once we are in the position where the players are making good decisions for themselves, and making good decisions under pressure, then I assure you we will be where I want us to be.
“We have a good chance this summer and I believe we can win, but I'm not about to make predictions. We're not scared of favouritism, but I don't think we're favourites because they are the No 1-ranked team in the world. We have home advantage, though, and there are vulnerabilities in this Australian outfit that were not there before.
“They have lost a wealth of experience: Warne, Gilchrist, McGrath, Gillespie, Hayden and Langer. Any side losing those sorts of people is going to be weakened. Some of those guys were once-a-generation players,great characters on the field and in the dressing room. We certainly respect them still, but we don't fear them.”
How Andy Flower grew into the job
He was born in April 28, 1968, in Cape Town, South Africa
Played 63 Tests and 213 one-day internationals for Zimbabwe. Scored 4,794 Test runs at an average of 51.54, including 12 hundreds
A former world No 1 batsman, he is rated by the ICC as the 24th-best batsman in history
Captained Zimbabwe from 1993-96 and 1999-2000
Retired from international cricket after 2003 World Cup when he and Henry Olonga led a protest against “death of democracy” in Zimbabwe
Became England assistant coach in 2007 and took over as acting head coach after Peter Moores departed in January. Was made full-time team director at the start of this season
Source:The times
Lions restore pride with record-equalling win
South Africa 9 Lions 28.
ON THE menu in Johannesburg, just deserts; and also what was, in the circumstances, one of the best and most heroic performances in the history of the Lions. They had to absorb the savage blow of losing a second Test in which they were cantering, they had to absorb such a list of injuries that Mike Phillips, the brilliant scrum-half, had to play the last quarter of this magnificent occasion in the centre, where he would have been roughly the 65th choice.
And if you know your rugby touring, if you know how ferociously difficult it is to win the final Test, and especially one played in Johannesburg where the Springboks have hardly ever lost, then you would not devalue this Lions epic by as much as one point.
Reflecting in this dangerous city last night, I simply could not conclude that South Africa had proved themselves a better team than Paul O’Connell’s men after what has been one of the finest series in history.
South Africa were completely and utterly shut down. The Lions played such an effervescent brand of rugby, breaking the Springbok line almost at will, and it was quite incredible that in the closing stages of this almost endless season, they were still buzzing around in attack and still making colossal hits on the defensive line. By the end, too, they were pulverising South Africa up front, with the likes of Andrew Sheridan, Phil Vickery, John Hayes and O’Connell rumbling forward. John Smit, the South Africa captain, has been outstanding in this series but after an afternoon against Sheridan, he wandered off looking like an old man who had gone on too long.
It was also yet another amazing triumph for Ian McGeechan, the tactical master. The Lions used the sheer front-on power of the South Africans, using South African momentum to attack at the sides of the intended tackle, playing a brand of rugby for which Britain and Ireland is not normally renowned.
But even deeper at the heart of this victory was sporting heroism. The togetherness of these Lions in adversity has been almost beyond praise, and there is surely no one on the planet who can begrudge them this thunderous victory.
Peter de Villiers, the South Africa coach, began the week by demeaning the game with his refusal to condemn eye-gouging. He demeaned the Springbok jersey by leaving out some leading players. In the second half, in a panic, he brought on the fifth cavalry, only to find that their bugle was silenced.
South Africa wore armbands in support, so they said, of Bakkies Botha, who was suspended after the second Test. Botha’s suspension was then confirmed by an independent tribunal, and Adam Jones, the Lions prop whom Botha illegally charged, could be out of the game for nine months. The sheer inappropriate pomposity of South Africa’s gesture took the breath away, and they should remember that their status as world champions conveys a responsibility to the game at large, not simply to one player.
How much more fitting were the words of Smit afterwards. “This has been a fantastic series, and to tie the Lions is the biggest thing in sport. They must continue. They were a fantastic side today and they deserved it.”
The opening stages had been significant for the crushing of the Beast. Vickery had suffered an individual disaster when he played against Tendai Mtawarira in Durban. But here in the first scrum, at a psychologically devastating moment, Vickery and Matthew Rees blasted Mtawarira clean out of the scrum, the referee awarded the Lions a penalty and it was 3-0, and sweet revenge. When the revived Vickery was replaced at the end to a standing ovation from 25,000 Lions fans, he was bawling: “Who is the Beast?” to the Johannesburg skies.
And the Lions deserved nothing less than a lead for a bright start, with Phillips and Stephen Jones prompting madly, and with the ball being off-loaded out of tackles. And thrillingly, the Lions scored two memorable tries to pull clear. The first one came at the end of a series of South African attacks, which brought the best from the Lions defence and which ended when Ugo Monye turned the ball over. The Lions counter-attacked, Riki Flutey and Tommy Bowe took the ball on and then Jamie Heaslip battered his way through a series of attempted tackles. Shane Williams then ran a beautiful supporting line and scored at the posts. Disastrously, the ball fell off the kicking tee as Jones was running up to take the conversion and South Africa scrambled it away.
The Lions produced another dazzling move when electric passing from Bowe, Rob Kearney and Flutey sent Williams away down the left, but a clever chip infield by Williams found no Lions chasers.
No matter. They came again. They broke up the South African attack, Flutey took the ball on and chipped ahead, regathered and popped the ball inside for Williams to run to the posts. This time the ball stayed on its tee and Jones made it 15-3.
There was some alarm near half-time when Simon Shaw dropped a knee on Fourie du Preez and was sent to the sin-bin. South Africa swarmed all over the Lions but they managed only one penalty on half-time, and when Shaw returned early in the second half, there was no more damage.
Except to South Africa. They launched probably their most threatening series of attacks just after the 50-minute mark, but the Lions held their forward drives and forced South Africa to go wide. Yet a pass from Wynard Olivier, intended for Zane Kirchner, was picked off dramatically by Monye, and the Lion wing went scorching over 80 metres to the posts.
South Africa did kick a penalty, awarded at the breakdown, but by now the Lions replacements were reviving the team and the Springbok’s attacking potential was confined to doomed blundering by Francois Steyn from full-back.
And the Lions even got a break from the official. The touch judge spotted Phillips being manhandled vigorously off the ball, and also spotted a late charge by Pierre Spies. Stephen Jones calmly put the Lions out of sight with two penalties and the television match official then ruled out what appeared to be a perfectly good try by Odwa Ndungane.
The Lions gathered to applaud South Africa as the series trophy was awarded, then lapped the ground to wave to the massed banks of red. It has been a bizarre tour, in the sense that in defeat the grand name of the Lions has been enhanced. And yet in the end, how painful is the defeat, when you realise that it could all have been so different?
Star man: Rob Kearney (Lions)
Scorers: South Africa: Pens: M Steyn (3)
Lions: Tries: S Williams 25, 33, Monye 54 Cons: Jones (2) Pens: Jones (2)
Yellow card: Lions: Shaw 37
Referee: S Dickinson (Australia)
Attendance: 62,567
SOUTH AFRICA: Z Kirchner (F Steyn 57mins); O Ndungane, J Fourie (F Steyn 24-28mins), W Olivier, J Nokwe (P Spies 65mins); M Steyn, F du Preez (R Pienaar 41mins); T Mtawarira, M Ralepelle (B du Plessis 41mins), J Smit (capt), J Muller, V Matfield, H Brüssow, R Kankowski, J Smith
LIONS: R Kearney; U Monye, T Bowe, R Flutey (H Ellis 55mins), S Williams; S Jones, M Phillips; A Sheridan, M Rees (R Ford 37mins), P Vickery (J Hayes 55mins), S Shaw (A W Jones 68mins), P O’Connell (capt), J Worsley (T Croft 31-35mins; 66mins), J Heaslip, M Williams (D Wallace 76mins)
Source:The times
ON THE menu in Johannesburg, just deserts; and also what was, in the circumstances, one of the best and most heroic performances in the history of the Lions. They had to absorb the savage blow of losing a second Test in which they were cantering, they had to absorb such a list of injuries that Mike Phillips, the brilliant scrum-half, had to play the last quarter of this magnificent occasion in the centre, where he would have been roughly the 65th choice.
And if you know your rugby touring, if you know how ferociously difficult it is to win the final Test, and especially one played in Johannesburg where the Springboks have hardly ever lost, then you would not devalue this Lions epic by as much as one point.
Reflecting in this dangerous city last night, I simply could not conclude that South Africa had proved themselves a better team than Paul O’Connell’s men after what has been one of the finest series in history.
South Africa were completely and utterly shut down. The Lions played such an effervescent brand of rugby, breaking the Springbok line almost at will, and it was quite incredible that in the closing stages of this almost endless season, they were still buzzing around in attack and still making colossal hits on the defensive line. By the end, too, they were pulverising South Africa up front, with the likes of Andrew Sheridan, Phil Vickery, John Hayes and O’Connell rumbling forward. John Smit, the South Africa captain, has been outstanding in this series but after an afternoon against Sheridan, he wandered off looking like an old man who had gone on too long.
It was also yet another amazing triumph for Ian McGeechan, the tactical master. The Lions used the sheer front-on power of the South Africans, using South African momentum to attack at the sides of the intended tackle, playing a brand of rugby for which Britain and Ireland is not normally renowned.
But even deeper at the heart of this victory was sporting heroism. The togetherness of these Lions in adversity has been almost beyond praise, and there is surely no one on the planet who can begrudge them this thunderous victory.
Peter de Villiers, the South Africa coach, began the week by demeaning the game with his refusal to condemn eye-gouging. He demeaned the Springbok jersey by leaving out some leading players. In the second half, in a panic, he brought on the fifth cavalry, only to find that their bugle was silenced.
South Africa wore armbands in support, so they said, of Bakkies Botha, who was suspended after the second Test. Botha’s suspension was then confirmed by an independent tribunal, and Adam Jones, the Lions prop whom Botha illegally charged, could be out of the game for nine months. The sheer inappropriate pomposity of South Africa’s gesture took the breath away, and they should remember that their status as world champions conveys a responsibility to the game at large, not simply to one player.
How much more fitting were the words of Smit afterwards. “This has been a fantastic series, and to tie the Lions is the biggest thing in sport. They must continue. They were a fantastic side today and they deserved it.”
The opening stages had been significant for the crushing of the Beast. Vickery had suffered an individual disaster when he played against Tendai Mtawarira in Durban. But here in the first scrum, at a psychologically devastating moment, Vickery and Matthew Rees blasted Mtawarira clean out of the scrum, the referee awarded the Lions a penalty and it was 3-0, and sweet revenge. When the revived Vickery was replaced at the end to a standing ovation from 25,000 Lions fans, he was bawling: “Who is the Beast?” to the Johannesburg skies.
And the Lions deserved nothing less than a lead for a bright start, with Phillips and Stephen Jones prompting madly, and with the ball being off-loaded out of tackles. And thrillingly, the Lions scored two memorable tries to pull clear. The first one came at the end of a series of South African attacks, which brought the best from the Lions defence and which ended when Ugo Monye turned the ball over. The Lions counter-attacked, Riki Flutey and Tommy Bowe took the ball on and then Jamie Heaslip battered his way through a series of attempted tackles. Shane Williams then ran a beautiful supporting line and scored at the posts. Disastrously, the ball fell off the kicking tee as Jones was running up to take the conversion and South Africa scrambled it away.
The Lions produced another dazzling move when electric passing from Bowe, Rob Kearney and Flutey sent Williams away down the left, but a clever chip infield by Williams found no Lions chasers.
No matter. They came again. They broke up the South African attack, Flutey took the ball on and chipped ahead, regathered and popped the ball inside for Williams to run to the posts. This time the ball stayed on its tee and Jones made it 15-3.
There was some alarm near half-time when Simon Shaw dropped a knee on Fourie du Preez and was sent to the sin-bin. South Africa swarmed all over the Lions but they managed only one penalty on half-time, and when Shaw returned early in the second half, there was no more damage.
Except to South Africa. They launched probably their most threatening series of attacks just after the 50-minute mark, but the Lions held their forward drives and forced South Africa to go wide. Yet a pass from Wynard Olivier, intended for Zane Kirchner, was picked off dramatically by Monye, and the Lion wing went scorching over 80 metres to the posts.
South Africa did kick a penalty, awarded at the breakdown, but by now the Lions replacements were reviving the team and the Springbok’s attacking potential was confined to doomed blundering by Francois Steyn from full-back.
And the Lions even got a break from the official. The touch judge spotted Phillips being manhandled vigorously off the ball, and also spotted a late charge by Pierre Spies. Stephen Jones calmly put the Lions out of sight with two penalties and the television match official then ruled out what appeared to be a perfectly good try by Odwa Ndungane.
The Lions gathered to applaud South Africa as the series trophy was awarded, then lapped the ground to wave to the massed banks of red. It has been a bizarre tour, in the sense that in defeat the grand name of the Lions has been enhanced. And yet in the end, how painful is the defeat, when you realise that it could all have been so different?
Star man: Rob Kearney (Lions)
Scorers: South Africa: Pens: M Steyn (3)
Lions: Tries: S Williams 25, 33, Monye 54 Cons: Jones (2) Pens: Jones (2)
Yellow card: Lions: Shaw 37
Referee: S Dickinson (Australia)
Attendance: 62,567
SOUTH AFRICA: Z Kirchner (F Steyn 57mins); O Ndungane, J Fourie (F Steyn 24-28mins), W Olivier, J Nokwe (P Spies 65mins); M Steyn, F du Preez (R Pienaar 41mins); T Mtawarira, M Ralepelle (B du Plessis 41mins), J Smit (capt), J Muller, V Matfield, H Brüssow, R Kankowski, J Smith
LIONS: R Kearney; U Monye, T Bowe, R Flutey (H Ellis 55mins), S Williams; S Jones, M Phillips; A Sheridan, M Rees (R Ford 37mins), P Vickery (J Hayes 55mins), S Shaw (A W Jones 68mins), P O’Connell (capt), J Worsley (T Croft 31-35mins; 66mins), J Heaslip, M Williams (D Wallace 76mins)
Source:The times
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Moore makes big races the priority above title chase
Champion jockey seeks further success at the highest level on board Conduit, left, in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park on Saturday.
In many ways, Britain's two champion jockeys are uncannily alike - not just supremely gifted but so driven and single-minded they tend to look miserable even when inwardly content. Impossible, though, to imagine Tony McCoy uttering the phrases that tumbled from Ryan Moore's mouth this week.
Moore dismissed his three Royal Ascot winners as “not big races”, described the type of challenges so key to McCoy's mentality as “only numbers” and indicated that he was not unhappy to be starting a suspension today. “It's good to have a break,” he said.
It was a rare unburdening by a man as famous for buttoning up his feelings as for being the most prolific and coveted rider of his generation. And it might hint at a change in his personality and approach.
Moore was talking at Brighton, on the track where he grew up, cutting his teeth with morning gallops on horses from his father's yard across the road. He still feels at ease here, no matter that home is now Suffolk, with a partner and child to care for. This, like the demands of being champion, came early to Moore.
His son, Toby, will be a year old this month and Moore reflected: “It's not so much changed my outlook on the job as my outlook on life, if that makes any sense. Your priorities change.
“People say 200 winners should be my target this year but you have to be sensible - it's only numbers. You can't ride at two meetings every day and stay sharp. Overdo it and it wears you down. I'm trying hard not to do too many meetings.”
McCoy starts each year obsessed by remaining champion and pledges to retire when he loses the title. Moore admires him for it but begs to differ. “It's amazing what he does but his is an entirely different job to mine. The jumps boys ride all year round in England and have nowhere else to go. We're always off overseas.
“I love being champion but it's not my first priority. For me, it's all about the bigger races, the group ones.” Races such as the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, which he won on the recalcitrant Spanish Moon last Sunday, and the Coral-Eclipse, which he hopes to win on Conduit on Saturday.
Spanish Moon has misbehaved at the stalls often enough to find himself banned in Britain and briefly threatened to repeat his obstinacy in France. “I thought it was going to be a very bad day,” Moore recalled.
He expects no such difficulties with Conduit, who heads the older generation's challenge against the stellar three-year-olds, Sea The Stars and Rip Van Winkle, at Sandown. “You can't be sure about them yet,” he said. “I thought Sea The Stars looked good in the Guineas and the Derby was a great performance, but this will tell us where he stands.
“The Eclipse has been a strong race the last few years and this one is no different. My horse is very solid and I'm sure he'll run well. He got beaten a nose in the Brigadier Gerard but that was his first run of the year, he had a 7lb penalty and he wasn't tuned up at all. I rode work on him last Saturday and he's come on a lot. He won the Breeders' Cup [Turf] on quick ground, so he'll love the conditions.”
More sensitively, he also won a St Leger under Frankie Dettori, Moore having chosen to partner the other Sir Michael Stoute runner, Doctor Fremantle. It was a missed chance to clear a monkey off his back with that elusive first classic, an omission of which he attempts to make light.
“I know you guys write about it a lot but I've never felt I should have won one, other than choosing wrong in the Leger. It's just one of those things, they're not easy to win and there are plenty of other jockeys who won't have won a classic at 25.”
This touch of huffiness extended to a rebuttal of the belief that he snubbed a press conference after winning the Coronation Cup at Epsom. “I did the presentation then got called into the stewards' room - the criticism was unfair,” he said, with an expression that suggested he feels the world remains united against him.
Mellower he may be but the prickliness remains in Ryan Moore as he craves the constant palliative of his next big winner. It may not be a long wait.
Source:The times
In many ways, Britain's two champion jockeys are uncannily alike - not just supremely gifted but so driven and single-minded they tend to look miserable even when inwardly content. Impossible, though, to imagine Tony McCoy uttering the phrases that tumbled from Ryan Moore's mouth this week.
Moore dismissed his three Royal Ascot winners as “not big races”, described the type of challenges so key to McCoy's mentality as “only numbers” and indicated that he was not unhappy to be starting a suspension today. “It's good to have a break,” he said.
It was a rare unburdening by a man as famous for buttoning up his feelings as for being the most prolific and coveted rider of his generation. And it might hint at a change in his personality and approach.
Moore was talking at Brighton, on the track where he grew up, cutting his teeth with morning gallops on horses from his father's yard across the road. He still feels at ease here, no matter that home is now Suffolk, with a partner and child to care for. This, like the demands of being champion, came early to Moore.
His son, Toby, will be a year old this month and Moore reflected: “It's not so much changed my outlook on the job as my outlook on life, if that makes any sense. Your priorities change.
“People say 200 winners should be my target this year but you have to be sensible - it's only numbers. You can't ride at two meetings every day and stay sharp. Overdo it and it wears you down. I'm trying hard not to do too many meetings.”
McCoy starts each year obsessed by remaining champion and pledges to retire when he loses the title. Moore admires him for it but begs to differ. “It's amazing what he does but his is an entirely different job to mine. The jumps boys ride all year round in England and have nowhere else to go. We're always off overseas.
“I love being champion but it's not my first priority. For me, it's all about the bigger races, the group ones.” Races such as the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, which he won on the recalcitrant Spanish Moon last Sunday, and the Coral-Eclipse, which he hopes to win on Conduit on Saturday.
Spanish Moon has misbehaved at the stalls often enough to find himself banned in Britain and briefly threatened to repeat his obstinacy in France. “I thought it was going to be a very bad day,” Moore recalled.
He expects no such difficulties with Conduit, who heads the older generation's challenge against the stellar three-year-olds, Sea The Stars and Rip Van Winkle, at Sandown. “You can't be sure about them yet,” he said. “I thought Sea The Stars looked good in the Guineas and the Derby was a great performance, but this will tell us where he stands.
“The Eclipse has been a strong race the last few years and this one is no different. My horse is very solid and I'm sure he'll run well. He got beaten a nose in the Brigadier Gerard but that was his first run of the year, he had a 7lb penalty and he wasn't tuned up at all. I rode work on him last Saturday and he's come on a lot. He won the Breeders' Cup [Turf] on quick ground, so he'll love the conditions.”
More sensitively, he also won a St Leger under Frankie Dettori, Moore having chosen to partner the other Sir Michael Stoute runner, Doctor Fremantle. It was a missed chance to clear a monkey off his back with that elusive first classic, an omission of which he attempts to make light.
“I know you guys write about it a lot but I've never felt I should have won one, other than choosing wrong in the Leger. It's just one of those things, they're not easy to win and there are plenty of other jockeys who won't have won a classic at 25.”
This touch of huffiness extended to a rebuttal of the belief that he snubbed a press conference after winning the Coronation Cup at Epsom. “I did the presentation then got called into the stewards' room - the criticism was unfair,” he said, with an expression that suggested he feels the world remains united against him.
Mellower he may be but the prickliness remains in Ryan Moore as he craves the constant palliative of his next big winner. It may not be a long wait.
Source:The times
Diana Luna over the moon at Ladies Irish Open success
It is every professional golfer's dream to play a nearly faultless last round to win a tournament and know that no one can quibble about the manner of victory. This is what Henrik Stenson did to win The Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach in May when his 66 spreadeagled the field and it is what Diana Luna of Italy did to win the AIB Ladies Irish Open at Portmarnock Links on Sunday.
For 18 holes, 18 holes that took a long time to play because fog interrupted the round, Luna did not make a mistake on a course over which mistakes were easy to make. She had no three putts, no missed greens and the firm and fast-running fairways held no fears for her. Her 68 gave her a 54-hole total of 11 under par.
Playing with a rare confidence, Luna, 26, steadily widened the one-stroke lead she had held overnight so that if the truth be told she rather cruised home, winning her first victory on the Ladies European Tour for five years by four strokes.
Tied for second on seven-under were Frenchwoman Gwladys Nocera (69), English first year player Florentyna Parker (70) and Swede Sophie Gustafson (71), three-times an Irish Open winner.
Luna had arrived at this demanding links golf course just north of Dublin in good form after finishing second in a tournament in Holland earlier in the month. She had been putting in a lot of work on her technique with Roger Damiano, her coach, at Cannes Mougins golf club. As a result of this, and as a result of improved physical conditioning, she estimated she had added 20 yards to her drives since the end of last year. This is a considerable bonus and not surprisingly Luna found there were bunkers at Portmarnock that she had ended in a year ago but was now hitting the ball far enough to get over them.
The anticipated challenge from Gustafson, an expert at winning tournaments in Ireland, both north and south, did not materialise. “I had a little bit of trouble finding my rhythm after the fog delay but I came back and made a few birdies towards the end" Gustafson said. "I couldn’t really get anything going. Diana played very solid and hats off to her. I would have liked to give her a little bit more of a run for her money but it was nice to be out in the last group and be in contention again.”
Source:The times
For 18 holes, 18 holes that took a long time to play because fog interrupted the round, Luna did not make a mistake on a course over which mistakes were easy to make. She had no three putts, no missed greens and the firm and fast-running fairways held no fears for her. Her 68 gave her a 54-hole total of 11 under par.
Playing with a rare confidence, Luna, 26, steadily widened the one-stroke lead she had held overnight so that if the truth be told she rather cruised home, winning her first victory on the Ladies European Tour for five years by four strokes.
Tied for second on seven-under were Frenchwoman Gwladys Nocera (69), English first year player Florentyna Parker (70) and Swede Sophie Gustafson (71), three-times an Irish Open winner.
Luna had arrived at this demanding links golf course just north of Dublin in good form after finishing second in a tournament in Holland earlier in the month. She had been putting in a lot of work on her technique with Roger Damiano, her coach, at Cannes Mougins golf club. As a result of this, and as a result of improved physical conditioning, she estimated she had added 20 yards to her drives since the end of last year. This is a considerable bonus and not surprisingly Luna found there were bunkers at Portmarnock that she had ended in a year ago but was now hitting the ball far enough to get over them.
The anticipated challenge from Gustafson, an expert at winning tournaments in Ireland, both north and south, did not materialise. “I had a little bit of trouble finding my rhythm after the fog delay but I came back and made a few birdies towards the end" Gustafson said. "I couldn’t really get anything going. Diana played very solid and hats off to her. I would have liked to give her a little bit more of a run for her money but it was nice to be out in the last group and be in contention again.”
Source:The times
Max Mosley about-turn clears path for Jean Todt
MAX MOSLEY is preparing the ground for former Ferrari team principal Jean Todt to replace him as president of motor sport’s governing body, the FIA. That, at least, is the belief of the F1 teams as to why he made his dramatic about-turn a day after agreeing a peace deal with them.
On Wednesday the FIA world council had voted in favour of a resolution that included Mosley not seeking re-election and not pushing through earlier proposed F1 regulations against the teams’ wishes. The “dissident” eight teams duly called off their breakaway championship and indicated they would now commit to F1 until the end of 2012. It seemed that Mosley had finally run out of ammunition against a body of teams that had remained unified. When even his long-time ally, Bernie Ecclestone, switched his support from Mosley to the teams it appeared the game was up.
The revelation a day later that Mosley was “considering his options” and intimating he might, after all, stand for re-election in October has left the teams nonplussed. “As far as we are concerned we have an agreement,” said one team. “We expect him to respect his side of it. If he doesn’t, then we’ll see what our options are, but at this stage we are treating what he has said as polemics. We have an agreement — to compete in F1 until the end of 2012.”
The “polemics” refers to the belief that Mosley is simply laying the ground for his succession plan, one that involves Todt, a man who would be an unpopular choice with the teams — but not as unpopular as Mosley himself.
Toyota’s John Howett, a leading light in the team association Fota, said on Wednesday: “From the teams’ point of view, we would like to see someone who actually is independent , perhaps independent from any of us currently or historically.” This was taken as a clear hint that Todt, as an ex-Ferrari man, would not find favour among them.
This quote angered Mosley and is believed to have been the trigger for his current position. He was angered further by quotes attributed to Fota chief and Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo regarding Mosley’s role within the FIA between now and the end of his term in October and apparent references to Mosley as “a dictator”. In a leaked Thursday letter to Montezemolo, Mosley said: “If you wish the agreement we made to have any chance of survival you and Fota must immediately rectify your actions. You must correct the false statements which have been made and make no further such statements. You yourself must issue a suitable correction and apology.” No such apology was forthcoming. Mosley signed off with what, to the teams, was an ominous final paragraph: “Given your and Fota’s deliberate attempt to mislead the media, I now consider my options open. At least until October, I am president of the FIA with the full authority of that office. After that it is the FIA member clubs, not you or Fota, who will decide on the future leadership of the FIA.” Mosley followed that up with a letter to the member clubs of the FIA in which he said: “The question of FIA president is a matter exclusively for you, the member clubs of the FIA, and most definitely not for the vehicle manufacturers who make up Fota.”
One team insider said: “Mosley wants someone to continue his work. Someone that can be manipulated by him — and we all know who that is.”
Todt is working with the FIA as president of eSafetyAware, a non-profit organisation promoting the use of safety technologies in cars that is supported by the FIA.
Di Montezemolo recruited Todt to Ferrari in 1993, but the Frenchman resigned as CEO in March, and their parting is said to have been less than cordial.
Todt and Mosley have had a close working relationship ever since Todt was made Ferrari team principal. For instance, last year after revelations about Mosley’s private life in the News of the World, there was a campaign among the teams to take action at the Canadian Grand Prix in an attempt to force him to resign. The plan foundered on one team refusing to go along with it — Ferrari, represented by Todt.
So F1 continues in a crisis limbo, fuelled by its Byzantine politics, just a few days after apparently securing its future. It took Mosley just over 24 hours to turn around what looked to be a humiliating political defeat into something that might not yet be termed a victory, but which makes it very clear the war is far from over. There are as yet no winners. But F1 is surely the loser.
- Mark Hughes writes for Autosport magazine
On Wednesday the FIA world council had voted in favour of a resolution that included Mosley not seeking re-election and not pushing through earlier proposed F1 regulations against the teams’ wishes. The “dissident” eight teams duly called off their breakaway championship and indicated they would now commit to F1 until the end of 2012. It seemed that Mosley had finally run out of ammunition against a body of teams that had remained unified. When even his long-time ally, Bernie Ecclestone, switched his support from Mosley to the teams it appeared the game was up.
The revelation a day later that Mosley was “considering his options” and intimating he might, after all, stand for re-election in October has left the teams nonplussed. “As far as we are concerned we have an agreement,” said one team. “We expect him to respect his side of it. If he doesn’t, then we’ll see what our options are, but at this stage we are treating what he has said as polemics. We have an agreement — to compete in F1 until the end of 2012.”
The “polemics” refers to the belief that Mosley is simply laying the ground for his succession plan, one that involves Todt, a man who would be an unpopular choice with the teams — but not as unpopular as Mosley himself.
Toyota’s John Howett, a leading light in the team association Fota, said on Wednesday: “From the teams’ point of view, we would like to see someone who actually is independent , perhaps independent from any of us currently or historically.” This was taken as a clear hint that Todt, as an ex-Ferrari man, would not find favour among them.
This quote angered Mosley and is believed to have been the trigger for his current position. He was angered further by quotes attributed to Fota chief and Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo regarding Mosley’s role within the FIA between now and the end of his term in October and apparent references to Mosley as “a dictator”. In a leaked Thursday letter to Montezemolo, Mosley said: “If you wish the agreement we made to have any chance of survival you and Fota must immediately rectify your actions. You must correct the false statements which have been made and make no further such statements. You yourself must issue a suitable correction and apology.” No such apology was forthcoming. Mosley signed off with what, to the teams, was an ominous final paragraph: “Given your and Fota’s deliberate attempt to mislead the media, I now consider my options open. At least until October, I am president of the FIA with the full authority of that office. After that it is the FIA member clubs, not you or Fota, who will decide on the future leadership of the FIA.” Mosley followed that up with a letter to the member clubs of the FIA in which he said: “The question of FIA president is a matter exclusively for you, the member clubs of the FIA, and most definitely not for the vehicle manufacturers who make up Fota.”
One team insider said: “Mosley wants someone to continue his work. Someone that can be manipulated by him — and we all know who that is.”
Todt is working with the FIA as president of eSafetyAware, a non-profit organisation promoting the use of safety technologies in cars that is supported by the FIA.
Di Montezemolo recruited Todt to Ferrari in 1993, but the Frenchman resigned as CEO in March, and their parting is said to have been less than cordial.
Todt and Mosley have had a close working relationship ever since Todt was made Ferrari team principal. For instance, last year after revelations about Mosley’s private life in the News of the World, there was a campaign among the teams to take action at the Canadian Grand Prix in an attempt to force him to resign. The plan foundered on one team refusing to go along with it — Ferrari, represented by Todt.
So F1 continues in a crisis limbo, fuelled by its Byzantine politics, just a few days after apparently securing its future. It took Mosley just over 24 hours to turn around what looked to be a humiliating political defeat into something that might not yet be termed a victory, but which makes it very clear the war is far from over. There are as yet no winners. But F1 is surely the loser.
- Mark Hughes writes for Autosport magazine
Karim Benzema joins Real Madrid
Karim Benzema, the France forward, has joined Real Madrid from Lyons, the Ligue 1 club have confirmed. The fee is estimated to be an initial €35 million (about £30 million) rising to €41 million (around £35 million).
Benzema, 21, who had also been a target for Manchester United, becomes Real's third major signing after Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo joined from AC Milan and Manchester United respectively.
A statement on the Lyons website read: "Lyon announce they have reached an agreement with Real Madrid on the details of the transfer of their international attacker Karim Benzema.
"A few days ago Karim Benzema informed the club president Jean Michel Aulas of his desire to move to the Madrid club, which had always been his favourite club after Lyon, earlier than he had foreseen.
"The player wanted to seize the opportunity which Real Madrid offered him to be one of the major elements in their new ambitious project based around the greatest players of the world.
"Lyon accepted Karim Benzema's decision and negotiated the conditions of a transfer which satisfies all the different parties.
"The club wishes Karim the greatest success with Real Madrid."
Source:The times
Benzema, 21, who had also been a target for Manchester United, becomes Real's third major signing after Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo joined from AC Milan and Manchester United respectively.
A statement on the Lyons website read: "Lyon announce they have reached an agreement with Real Madrid on the details of the transfer of their international attacker Karim Benzema.
"A few days ago Karim Benzema informed the club president Jean Michel Aulas of his desire to move to the Madrid club, which had always been his favourite club after Lyon, earlier than he had foreseen.
"The player wanted to seize the opportunity which Real Madrid offered him to be one of the major elements in their new ambitious project based around the greatest players of the world.
"Lyon accepted Karim Benzema's decision and negotiated the conditions of a transfer which satisfies all the different parties.
"The club wishes Karim the greatest success with Real Madrid."
Source:The times
Alastair Cook hits hundred for England as Lions fight back against Australia
Alastair Cook warmed up for the first Ashes Test with a determined hundred as England dominated the opening day of their warm-up match against Warwickshire.
The Essex left-hander hit a timely 124 at Edgbaston to help England reach 217 for four at tea in their three-day match.
Cook hit 21 boundaries in an innings spanning nearly four hours to ensure he will report for duty against Australia in Cardiff next week in prime form having also hit 160 on his previous England appearance in the second Test against West Indies in May.
Put into bat by a Warwickshire side missing Ian Bell, who is captaining England Lions against Australia at Worcester, Neil Carter and injured overseas player Jeetan Patel, England made a solid start with Cook and captain Andrew Strauss forging a 61-run opening stand.
That partnership was broken by seamer Naqaash Tahir, who tempted Strauss into driving at a full-length ball which flew to Rikki Clarke at second slip. Strauss had already been given one reprieve when he was dropped by Tony Frost at second slip after edging left-arm seamer Keith Barker on 20.
But Strauss failed to exploit that escape and added just 11 more runs before falling, only for Cook to team up with Essex team-mate Ravi Bopara in a 101-run partnership which guided England into mid-afternoon.
Bopara must have sensed his third England century of the summer having scored two against West Indies earlier this summer after easing to 43 without any great concern. Perhaps lulled into complacency by a flat-looking surface, Bopara attempted to attack Irish seamer Boyd Rankin but mis-timed a pull and was caught at deep mid-wicket prompting him to furiously stomp off towards the dressing room.
Tempted by the short boundary on offer, Kevin Pietersen must have been similarly confident of making an impression in his final opportunity before the start of the Ashes. But after struggling for 13 minutes at the crease to score one, Pietersen fell four overs later when he pushed at all-rounder Rikki Clarke and gave a catch to second slip.
Cook followed just two overs before the tea interval when he edged Jonathan Trott's medium pace behind to allow England's middle order an opportunity for important match practice on a good batting wicket.
At Worcester, Graham Onions and Tim Bresnan led an England Lions fightback as Australia lost four wickets for 32 runs during the afternoon session at New Road.
The Australians looked set to register a sizeable total in their final game before the first Ashes Test at Cardiff as Simon Katich and Mike Hussey shared a third-wicket stand of 141 in 29 overs. But then the dismissal of Katich for 95 made off 122 balls, pulling a leg-stump delivery from Steve Harmison to Onions at fine leg, sparked an upturn in the Lions fortunes.
Bresnan had looked innocuous during the morning session but his first ball back in the attack accounted for Michael Clarke (4) who drove to Adil Rashid at backward point.
Onions collected his second wicket of the innings when Marcus North chopped onto his stumps after making only a single.
Then Bresnan struck again as wicketkeeper Brad Haddin (seven) was trapped lbw although replays suggested the ball may have missed his leg stump.
The situation could have been more precarious for Australia when Hussey on 75 offered a caught-and-bowled chance to Sajid Mahmood. But the Lancashire paceman spilled the straightforward opportunity and Hussey remained undefeated at tea on 82 out of 215 for six off 55 overs.
It was a welcome return to form for Hussey who has been chronically out of touch at Test level and managed just one century in his last 31 innings.
Ricky Ponting, the Australia captain, had elected to bat on winning the toss and his side were given a searching examination by Harmison and Onions on a muggy morning. The Durham pair are looking to stake a late claim to be included in the England squad for the first Ashes Test which will be announced on Sunday.
Harmison made the first breakthrough when Hughes on seven fended a short ball off the handle of his bat to Joe Denly at gulley. His dismissal brought in Ponting but he struggled before he was out to Onions for only a single. He tried to force Onions off the back foot and fell to a head-high catch by Vikram Solanki at first slip.
The wicket appeared to flatten out and Katich and Hussey were relatively untroubled as they effected a recovery as their 100 partnership was completed in 23 overs. Katich had a let-off on 37 when he mistimed a pull at Mahmood and Onions at leg slip failed to get his hands onto a difficult head high chance as the ball sped away to the boundary.
The initial stages of the afternoon session produced a flurry of boundaries but then came the Lions revival.
Source:The times
The Essex left-hander hit a timely 124 at Edgbaston to help England reach 217 for four at tea in their three-day match.
Cook hit 21 boundaries in an innings spanning nearly four hours to ensure he will report for duty against Australia in Cardiff next week in prime form having also hit 160 on his previous England appearance in the second Test against West Indies in May.
Put into bat by a Warwickshire side missing Ian Bell, who is captaining England Lions against Australia at Worcester, Neil Carter and injured overseas player Jeetan Patel, England made a solid start with Cook and captain Andrew Strauss forging a 61-run opening stand.
That partnership was broken by seamer Naqaash Tahir, who tempted Strauss into driving at a full-length ball which flew to Rikki Clarke at second slip. Strauss had already been given one reprieve when he was dropped by Tony Frost at second slip after edging left-arm seamer Keith Barker on 20.
But Strauss failed to exploit that escape and added just 11 more runs before falling, only for Cook to team up with Essex team-mate Ravi Bopara in a 101-run partnership which guided England into mid-afternoon.
Bopara must have sensed his third England century of the summer having scored two against West Indies earlier this summer after easing to 43 without any great concern. Perhaps lulled into complacency by a flat-looking surface, Bopara attempted to attack Irish seamer Boyd Rankin but mis-timed a pull and was caught at deep mid-wicket prompting him to furiously stomp off towards the dressing room.
Tempted by the short boundary on offer, Kevin Pietersen must have been similarly confident of making an impression in his final opportunity before the start of the Ashes. But after struggling for 13 minutes at the crease to score one, Pietersen fell four overs later when he pushed at all-rounder Rikki Clarke and gave a catch to second slip.
Cook followed just two overs before the tea interval when he edged Jonathan Trott's medium pace behind to allow England's middle order an opportunity for important match practice on a good batting wicket.
At Worcester, Graham Onions and Tim Bresnan led an England Lions fightback as Australia lost four wickets for 32 runs during the afternoon session at New Road.
The Australians looked set to register a sizeable total in their final game before the first Ashes Test at Cardiff as Simon Katich and Mike Hussey shared a third-wicket stand of 141 in 29 overs. But then the dismissal of Katich for 95 made off 122 balls, pulling a leg-stump delivery from Steve Harmison to Onions at fine leg, sparked an upturn in the Lions fortunes.
Bresnan had looked innocuous during the morning session but his first ball back in the attack accounted for Michael Clarke (4) who drove to Adil Rashid at backward point.
Onions collected his second wicket of the innings when Marcus North chopped onto his stumps after making only a single.
Then Bresnan struck again as wicketkeeper Brad Haddin (seven) was trapped lbw although replays suggested the ball may have missed his leg stump.
The situation could have been more precarious for Australia when Hussey on 75 offered a caught-and-bowled chance to Sajid Mahmood. But the Lancashire paceman spilled the straightforward opportunity and Hussey remained undefeated at tea on 82 out of 215 for six off 55 overs.
It was a welcome return to form for Hussey who has been chronically out of touch at Test level and managed just one century in his last 31 innings.
Ricky Ponting, the Australia captain, had elected to bat on winning the toss and his side were given a searching examination by Harmison and Onions on a muggy morning. The Durham pair are looking to stake a late claim to be included in the England squad for the first Ashes Test which will be announced on Sunday.
Harmison made the first breakthrough when Hughes on seven fended a short ball off the handle of his bat to Joe Denly at gulley. His dismissal brought in Ponting but he struggled before he was out to Onions for only a single. He tried to force Onions off the back foot and fell to a head-high catch by Vikram Solanki at first slip.
The wicket appeared to flatten out and Katich and Hussey were relatively untroubled as they effected a recovery as their 100 partnership was completed in 23 overs. Katich had a let-off on 37 when he mistimed a pull at Mahmood and Onions at leg slip failed to get his hands onto a difficult head high chance as the ball sped away to the boundary.
The initial stages of the afternoon session produced a flurry of boundaries but then came the Lions revival.
Source:The times
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
