Abbas overlooked for Pakistan’s CWG and Asian Games squads

Karachi: Pakistan's hockey selectors Thursday ignored veteran drag-flick ace Sohail Abbas for the preliminary squad for this year's Commonwealth Games in Delhi and Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.

A 25-man provisional squad was named by the national selection committee for a series of training camps ahead of the two major events.

The seasoned defender, who holds the record for the highest number of goals in international hockey, apparently paid the price for skipping a training camp earlier this summer.

However, Pakistan's chief selector Hanif Khan tried to make it clear that Sohail's omission had nothing to do with his decision to skip the training camp.

'We haven't selected Sohail Abbas because we don't need him any more,' said Hanif, an Olympian. Hanif stressed that Pakistan has a number of youngsters capable enough to fill in for Sohail.

'We have found some good young boys on our team's Europe tour especially Muhammad Tauseeq who converted penalty corners in matches against Holland and Spain earlier this month,' said Hanif.

Meanwhile, Sohail who recently returned home from Dhaka after featuring in the Bangladesh League is featuring in the Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup Hockey Tournament - a major domestic event - in Karachi. He has been in prolific form, scoring four goals in two matches in the event so far.

Preliminary squad: Salman Akbar (Lahore), Imran Shah (HBL), Zeeshan Ashraf (NBP), Muhammad Imran (Army), Muhammad Irfan (PIA), Waseem Ahmad (WAPDA), Muhammad Rashid (Navy), Fareed Ahmad (HBL), Muhammad Tauseeq (NBP), Kashif Javed (NBP), Rehan Butt (WAPDA), Shakeel Abbasi (SSGC), Abdul Haseem Khan (NBP), Shafqat Rasool (PIA), Muhammad Rizwan (Army), Muhammad Waqas (WAPDA), Muhammad Umar Bhutta (HBL), Imran Butt (PIA), Muhammad Khalid Bhatti (HBL), Tasawar Abbas (Police), Abdul Ghaffar (Customs), Waqas Akbar (PIA), Muhammad Zubair (PIA), Shahbaz Ali (HBL) and Mohsin Bilal (PQA). - IANS

Murali and Kumble eye bowling academy

NEW DELHI: Record-breaking Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and retired Indian legend Anil Kumble plan to join hands to set up a spin academy for youngsters, the players were quoted as saying on Thursday.

Muralitharan, who quit Test cricket last week after a final match against India in Galle, said he had first discussed the academy with leg-spinner Kumble two years ago and was now likely to take it up.

"I would like to be a part of it," Muralitharan said. "I am not planning a career in coaching but if Anil starts his academy, I will be happy to go."

Muralitharan is the world's highest wicket-taker in both Tests (800) and one-day internationals (515).

"It is in the pipeline. But it is Anil's call because he is arranging things for setting up the academy in Bangalore," he added. Kumble quit Test cricket last year with 619 wickets, the third highest after Muralitharan and Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne (708). "I have been in touch with Muralitharan," said Kumble.

"However after his retirement from Tests I have not been able to speak to him. At the moment he must be busy with all the felicitations and he truly deserves it. "Once he is free and I have time on my hands, we will sit down and chalk out plans in detail," the leg-spinner was quoted as saying by the paper. - Agencies

I am not a number two at Ferrari: Felipe Massa

LONDONL Felipe Massa insists he is not playing second fiddle to Fernando Alonso in the wake of the 'team orders' controversy at the German Grand Prix. The Italian team appeared to give Massa a coded order to allow Alonso through to win and have been fined $100,000 and could yet face further punishment.

Massa said: "When I say I am a number two driver, I will not race any more. "I've spoken to everyone inside the [Ferrari] team - and I'm not just here to race, I'm here to win."

The Brazilian was leading with 18 laps to go at Hockenheim when his race engineer Rob Smedley told him: "Fernando is faster than you. Can you confirm you understand?" - to which the Brazilian responded by letting Alonso through a lap later. Alonso went on to win the race with Massa second.

The Spaniard insisted on Thursday that the events in Germany did not mean he was now Ferrari's de facto number one driver.

"There is not a number one and number two driver," Alonso said. "It is more about respect of each other, of racing for the Scuderia (Ferrari), which means a lot."

Alonso refused to comment further on the incident, saying his focus was now on getting the best result possible in Hungary this weekend. "There are many opinions, many things have been said in the last couple of days," he said.

"The only important thing for us is the car is competitive and we can do well here in Hungary as well. We respect other people's opinions, but we concentrate on our own job."

Since the German Grand Prix, fierce debate has raged over team orders, which are banned in F1 - and on top of their fine, Ferrari have been referred to the World Council of the sport's governing body, the FIA, which could impose further punishment. - Agencies

Four Indians advance in world junior squash

Quito, Ecuador: The Indian team had a good start at the world junior men's squash championships with four players progressing into the top 32 stage Wednesday.

The contingent comprising Aditya Jagtap, Ravi Dixit, Ramit Tandon, Karan Malik, Abhishek Pradhan, Mahesh Mangaonkar and coach Cyrus Poncha arrived a week prior to the championships for acclimatisation. This has been beneficial as it is the first time the Indian boys are playing at an altitude of 9,000 feet above sea level.

The quartet of Jagtap, Tandon, Dixit and Malik advanced to the round of 32 without too much trouble. Dixit survived a small hiccup but pulled through to join Jagtap and Tandon who notched up straight game victories.

The notable achievement was Malik who defeated higher ranked Tom de Mulder from Belgium in four games. Malik was fitter and more consistent than his opponent. Mangaonkar went down to England's top seed Charles Sharpes in keenly contested four games while Pradhan lost to a fast moving Ricardo from Mexico in straight games. - IANS

Azeem Rafiq suspended by Yorkshire Club

LONDON: England Under-19 cricketer Azeem Rafiq who has Pakistani roots has been suspended by Yorkshire County Cricket Club following reports of misconduct whilst he was on England duty at Northampton. Rafiq, a leg spinner and a middle order batsman, is also likely to be summoned to Lords to face an ECB Disciplinary Committee over the next few days.

A club statement Thursday said a full investigation will be carried out into the events leading up to the player being sent home by ECB Team Management before deciding on what course of action they will take.

The matter came to the attention of the club following Rafiq’s four-letter outburst on the social networking site, Twitter.

Stewart Regan, Yorkshire’s Chief Executive said, “Azeem’s behaviour was totally unacceptable and the club will not tolerate it. Our professional players are role models to aspiring young cricketers and need to behave as such. - Agencies

Rs6,25,000 cash awards for NBP teams

KARACHI,: National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Thursday announced cash awards of Rs625000 for the winners of their badminton and hockey teams.

According to news release of NBP Sports Division, bank's Chief Syed Ali Raza announced Rs400,000 for the winners of their badminton team and Rs225,000 for the winners of All Pakistan Golf Cup Hockey Tournament.

In message to NBP Sports Chief Iqbal Qasim, NBP President said it was a great honour for the bank.

He expressed the hope that NBP sportsperson will keep up their momentum in coming sports events. Sara of National Bank of Pakistan won the National Women Singles badminton crown in Islamabad and NBP won their own sponsored hockey event in Faisalabad. - APP

Ibrahimovic commits to Barcelona

MADRID: Barcelona's Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has put an end to speculation that he is leaving the Spanish champions, saying Thursday that he is staying put at the club.

"I am a Barcelona player and I will continue to be one," the 28-year-old was quoted by Barcelona's website as saying at a news conference in Oslo ahead of a friendly against Norwegian side Valerenga.

"The rumours have not affected me because I have not had any doubts that I want to stay. I have taken them as a compliment."

Ibrahimovic said Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola who told him he was "important" to him. "I will continue to work as hard as possible to maintain his confidence," he added.

Barcelona signed Spain striker David Villa, who shone during the World Cup, from Valencia in May, fuelling speculation that Ibrahimovic was on his way out. - AFP

Tendulkar’s double-ton leads India’s run feast

COLOMBO: Star batsman Sachin Tendulkar hit 203 and debutant Suresh Raina made 120 as India bettered Sri Lanka's run-spree in the high-scoring second cricket Test on Thursday.

India, kept on the field for the first two days during Sri Lanka's massive 642-4 declared, responded by piling up 669-9 by stumps on the fourth day at the Sinhalese Sports Club.

With just 13 wickets having fallen on the placid wicket in four days, the batsman-dominated Test is heading for a draw with Sri Lanka enjoying a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Tendulkar and Raina, who came together on the third afternoon with India on 241-4 and struggling to avoid their second successive follow-on, put on 256 runs for the fifth wicket.

Tendulkar compiled his fifth double-century, adding another feather to a glorious 168-Test career marked by more runs (13,742) and hundreds (48) than any other batsman in history.

He is also the leading one-day batsman with 17,598 runs and 46 hundreds, including the only double-century in limited-overs internationals.

The 37-year-old braved the stifling hot and humid weather in the Sri Lankan capital for more than eight hours to play a marathon innings studded with 23 boundaries and a six.

Tendulkar reached the 200-mark, his first in six years, with a flick off Ajantha Mendis for two runs, earning warm applause from team-mates and spectators alike.

Left-hander Raina became the ninth Indian to score a century in his first Test innings, before holing out to short mid-wicket off Mendis shortly after lunch.

Raina, just 23 and already a veteran of 98 one-day internationals, was awarded his Test cap only after Yuvraj Singh reported sick on the opening day of the match.

He hit two sixes and 12 boundaries, reaching his century with a fluent off-drive against seamer Dammika Prasad that raced to the fence.

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (76) joined in the run feast after Raina's departure, adding 95 for the sixth wicket with Tendulkar and 51 for the eighth with Abhimanyu Mithun (41).

It was left to part-time spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan to get rid of Tendulkar soon after tea as wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene held a bat-pad catch moving swiftly to the silly point area.

Dilshan also dismissed Harbhajan Singh in the same over and later took a return catch off Dhoni to finish with three wickets.

Sri Lanka missed the wicket-taking abilities of the retired Muttiah Muralitharan and injured fast bowler Lasith Malinga as the young crop of bowlers failed to contain the Indians.

Mendis finished with 4-157 from his 54 overs, while off-spinner Suraj Randiv failed to add to his two wickets on the third day and returned with 2-212 in 64 overs.

Muralitharan and Malinga had claimed 15 of the 20 Indian wickets in the first Test in Galle last week, which Sri Lanka won by 10 wickets. – AFP