New Delhi, July 25
Barely a few days into retirement and there is something in Test cricket that Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muraliatharan is already missing - bowling to Indian batting icon Sachin Tendulkar. Muralitharan brought down the curtains on his glittering 18-year-old career after guiding Sri Lanka to a thumping 10-wicket triumph over India at Galle. “I am going to miss the dressing room environment. The challenges of five-day cricket and first and foremost bowling to great players like Sachin Tendulkar. I will miss this,” Muraliatharan said.

Muralitharan, however, neither regrets his decision nor does he think that it was a premature one. “I don't think that it was a premature decision. I was thinking about it since long and I thought it was the perfect time,” said the eye-popping legend.

Muralitharan retired from Test cricket after reaching his 800 wickets. The affable bowler said he was not confident of reaching the milestone. “Many people, including my wife, suggested that I should play the whole series against India but I wanted to play only the Galle Test. Frankly speaking I was not at all confident of getting eight wickets need to touch 800. I was not even thinking about that. Winning was more important for me and I was concentrating on that. Although I felt on the top of the world when I got Pragyan Ojha's wicket. All my teammates hugged me. Everyone was very happy. That was an invaluable moment for me and I can never forget that,” he said.

Muralitharan does not agree that his record is for keeps and no bowler would be able to break it. “This is cricket. You cannot guarantee anything. Someone may cross the 800 Test wickets mark tomorrow. Even when I started playing I never thought of making a world record one day,” said the bowler, who has taken 515 ODI wickets. — PTI

Leeds, July 25
Australian captain Ricky Ponting insisted his team's three-wicket defeat by Pakistan in the second Test would be irrelevant come the start of their bid to regain the Ashes.

British newspapers were unable to contain themselves after Australia were bowled out for just 88 - their lowest total in 26 years - on the first day, with the tabloid Daily Mail crowing: “Any chance we can play you for the Ashes now, Ricky?” But England's defence of the Ashes in Australia - where they haven't won a Test series since 1986 - does not start for several months.

And with England about to play an in-form Pakistan in a four-Test series, much could have changed by the time they face arch-rivals Australia in Brisbane on November 25. “I don't think it will do too much to dent our confidence,” said Ponting after a fourth day loss yesterday ended Australia's run of 13 straight Test wins over Pakistan - a record sequence for one country against another.

“Late November is a long way away. We're not even focusing on the Ashes just yet. A loss quite often just highlights some of the things you're not doing well. That's all this week will do for us,” he said. Before they face England, Australia travel to India for a two-Test series in October and Ponting said: “If you were trying to set down your perfect preparation for an Ashes series, it probably wouldn't be playing two Test matches in India. But you don't live in an ideal world. That's the way international cricket is these days. We'll go there and play the best cricket we possibly can.” At Headingley, as was even the case against during a 150-run first Test win at Lord's, Australia's batsmen struggled against the swinging ball, with Pakistan's pacemen exploiting the overcast conditions superbly.

Nevertheless, Australia almost became the first side in over a century to win a Test after being dismissed for under a hundred in the first innings, with Pakistan losing seven wickets on the way to a victory target of 180. “I felt there was a really good opportunity for us to win the Test,” said Ponting, who while making 66 in Australia's much-improved second innings 349 became only the second batsman, after India's Sachin Tendulkar, to have scored 12,000 Test runs. — AFP

New Delhi, July 25
Having defended his World Championships title two months back, Indian Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand has set his eyes on regaining FIDE number one spot by the year end. “I wanted to win the world championship and now that I have done it, I will focus on ranking and regaining number one status by this year end,” Anand said.

Anand, who defended his world title against Bulgaria's Veselin Topalov in May, said the priority, however, would be to win the big tournaments which are coming up in the next few months. “But I believe, I should focus on the board rather than the scoreboard because once I do that, the ranking will take care of itself,” he said on the sidelines of a seminar on 'Role of Chess in Developing Young Minds' here.

“I have some big tournaments coming up in August, October and December in Spain, China and London. The emphasis would be to play in tournaments and win those as it will automatically lead to the surge in ranking,” he explained. Anand is currently ranked third with 2800 ELO points, which he touched for the first time since April 2008.

Norwegian prodigy Magnus Carlsen (2826) and Topalov (2803) are at the first and second spot, respectively. Anand said he would not only try to win tournaments but also study the games of his opponents as he faces the winner of the Candidates Tournament for World Chess Championship 2012. “Magnus, who is currently number one, will pose a good challenge. Even Russia's Vladimir Kramnik, Topalav they all are fighting in the challenger. So I would have to study their games to chalk strategies for World Championship of 2012,” he said.

The 40-year-old Indian has achieved literally everything in chess but he remains insatiable and said he doesn't even want to think about his retirement. “I am still motivated to compete and I am doing well. It feels strange when people ask me about retirement. At times you don't need targets. Thinking about retirement is a wrong attitude to have,” said Anand, who in April 2007 became the oldest person to become world number one. — PTI

Karachi, July 25
Pakistan’s cricket coach Waqar Younis believes that his team's first Test win over Australia in 15 years is the beginning of a new era for the game in the troubled country. Waqar said from London that the hard-earned victory in Headingly showed that the "new culture" which has been introduced in the Pakistan dressing room has started to bear fruit.

“All the players have been told clearly that no one is allowed any personal agenda in the dressing room. Every player has to play for the team and for the country and we don't expect anything less from anyone,” Waqar said.

“Clear guidelines have been laid out that if any player tries to spoil the dressing room or team environment he will have to face severe consequences,” he added. The former Test captain, who took over as coach after the troubled Australian tour, said what had happened in the past is now history. “Now no one is allowed to have his own personal agenda except performance. Because at the end of the day we owe it to the Pakistani nation to deliver. No one can win all the time and no one expects us to win all the time. But we must give our best in every match, we must show commitment as a team,” he said.

Waqar, who was bowling coach on the Australian tour in the aftermath of which the cricket board banned or fined seven players for indiscipline and misconduct, said he was happy that the board was also backing the team management on disciplinary issues. “There has to be discipline in the team and there is a change taking place in the dressing room and that is why I say this narrow win is a good start for us,” he said. Waqar said he was satisfied with the performance of young players like Muhammad Aamer, Umar Akmal, Umar Amin and Azhar Ali. — PTI 

Noida, July 25
Sydney Olympics bronze medallist Karnam Malleswari today demanded the sacking of Indian Weightlifting Federation Secretary Sahdev Yadav for not paying heed to her repeated complaints against coach Ramesh Malhotra, who has been suspended on charges of sexually harassing junior lifters. Malleswari, who is now the vice-President in IWF, said Yadav has to be shown the door so that coaches like Malhotra are never appointed.

“Suspending the coach is not enough. The Federation secretary should also be sacked because he didn't act against Malhotra despite repeated complaints. If he is not sacked then people like Malhotra will be made coach again,” Malleswari told reporters here.

“I made a complaint against Malhotra in the IWF Executive Committee meeting in Udaipur in February and I was assured that action would be taken. But leave alone taking action, he was recommended for the Dronacharya award,” she added. Malhotra was suspended after Malleswari revealed that he had been harassing young lifters for the past 10 years now. — PTI

New Delhi, July 25
Suspended IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi will have to face the music if he is found guilty of corruption, according to ICC President Sharad Pawar who today made it clear that there was no question of "protecting" his one-time protege. Pawar said the recent corruption scandal has tarnished the image of IPL to some extent and Modi was paying the price for his controversial style of functioning which had not gone down well with the BCCI's top brass.

Asked specifically if he would protect Modi in case he is found guilty of financial irregularities in running the IPL, Pawar said: "No question of protecting anybody. Not only Modi but anybody. If somebody has committed some mistake he will have to face the music". Pawar, who took over as ICC President from Englishman David Morgan earlier this month, said Modi should be given credit for making IPL a global brand but his style of functioning was the problem.

“IPL, the product has been a success in this country. It has established that India can also organise such things and there he (Modi) has taken lots of pain there is no two opinion about that. If somebody has contributed one has also to accept that contribution,” he told Karan Thapar in ‘Devil’s Advocate’ programme on CNN-IBN.

“But his style of functioning has become controversial and the present Board feels they should go in-depth (probe). The Board has deputed a committee and let us see what is the outcome. From what I know of BCCI it will take an appropriate decision and take steps to improve their functioning and image,” Pawar pointed out.

Asked whether Modi has been treated fairly by the BCCI, Pawar said, "I am confident that he has to be given a fair trial. But I can't interfere either way." The former BCCI chief denied that he was supporting Modi in the IPL scandal. “All of us - myself, Modi and Manohar - have worked together as a group and have contributed something. But the present set-up feels something has gone wrong. So until these (wrongdoings) are not established, it is not proper for me to support or oppose one against the other. Basically I am keeping away from all this,” said Pawar, who is also the Union Agriculture Minister.

He said even if the BCCI fails to take satisfactory steps to clear the IPL mess, the ICC cannot interfere as it relates to a domestic tournament. “Under its constitution, ICC has no authority to interfere in functioning of any member country. ICC will not interfere in their domestic tournaments,” he said. — PTI

Jammu, July 25
Players from Jammu, who were part of the Indian Roller Hockey team winning the Bronze Medal at the Asian Championship in Hong Kong last week got a rousing welcome when they reached at the local railway station this afternoon.

Notably among them was Ankush Gupta, whose father, a roadside cigarette vendor raised him in poverty. Other players were Devinder Singh, Arjun Gandotra, Jugraj Singh and Vinay Bakshi. Coach PP Singh and other players received them at the railway station amidst beating of drums. The players were garlanded as they proudly showed their medals.

GS Khurmi, president, JK Roller Skating Association and vice-president, Roller Skating Federation of India said the players would be honoured at a function later in the roller skating rink near the banks of the Tawi. Ankush Gupta said the tournament gave them well-needed exposure of international standards, we would surely perform better next time, he said.

Biel, July 25
Grandmaster Parimarjan Negi played out his third draw on the trot, signing peace with Anish Giri of Holland in the sixth round of the Young Grandmasters tournament, a part of the 43rd Biel Chess Festival here. After three losses in the first three rounds, this has been a good recovery by Negi and the Indian can now look forward to an improved finish in the last three rounds slated to start after the only rest day in the tournament.

Fabiano Caruana of Italy remained in sole lead after thwarting the challenge of Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son of Vietnam. Being on the defensive for the major part of the game, Caruana managed to eke out good defensive moves to get a draw.

The Italian took his tally to four points out of a possible six and he now remains a half point adrift of the nearest contenders. Top seeded Maxime Vachier-Lagrave scored his first victory in the tournament to elevate himself to joint second spot. On the receiving end was British David Howell who proved no match in the complexities of a King's Indian defense game. Vachier-Lagrave now shares the second spot with Maxim Rodshtein of Israel, Wesley So of Philippines and Russian duo of Dmitry Andreikin and Evgeny Tomashevsky. — PTI

BRIEFLY

Atwal loses PGA card
ONTARIO: Arjun Atwal lost his PGA Tour card after failing to make the final round due to the made-cut-but-did-not-finish rule, while Jeev Milkha Singh slipped three rungs to tied 56th with a one-under 69 in the third round of the RBC Canadian Open golf tournament here. — PTI

Chowrasia slips to tied 42nd
STOCKHOLM: A poor back nine saw SSP Chowrasia card a two-over 74 and slip to the tied 42nd spot after the third round of the Nordea Scandinavian Masters golf tournament here. The Kolkata-pro has a total of two-over 218 after three rounds. Off to a fine start with birdies on the second and fourth, Chowrasia gained another stroke on the eighth before a dropped shot on the ninth left him two-under at the turn. — PTI

CWFG: Pak hockey team to train in Holland
KARACHI: With just a little over two months left for the Commonwealth Games in India, the Pakistan Hockey Federation has decided to send the team on a six-week training camp to the Netherlands. Sources said the decision was taken on the advice of the national team's new coach Michel Van Den, who belongs to the Netherlands. — PTI

Kiwi tells family to skip CWG
CHRISTCHURCH: New Zealand netball captain Casey Williams has told her family and friends not to travel to India for the Commonwealth Games in October, as she fears terrorist bombings during the event. Although Williams has committed to lead New Zealand netball team's Commonwealth title defence, she said she doesn't want her loved ones to travel to India. — PTI

Guti to quit Real Madrid
MADRID: Real Madrid midfielder Guti is leaving the La Liga giants after a quarter of a century. The 33-year-old former Spain international, who joined Real's youth setup in 1985 and made his first-team debut a decade later, is poised to join Turkish Club Besiktas, the local media reported. — Reuters

Eurosport-ESS tie up
Chandigarh: Eurosport has announced that it has signed an exclusive three-year deal with Asia’s biggest sports content provider, ESPN STAR Sports, to broadcast the Airtel Champions League Twenty20 tournament in Pan-Europe and the United Kingdom. The new rights deal includes rights to broadcast the tournaments on-air and online, with featured matches appearing exclusively on the Eurosport Player, the channel’s online subscription player service. — TNS

Satinder for Champions Trophy
Chandigarh: Satinder Sharma, an International Grade I Hockey umpire, and an officer in the State Bank of India here, has been appointed by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) as an umpire at the Champions Trophy to be held at Monchengladbach in Germany from July 31 to August 8. He is the only Indian Hockey Umpire to enjoy the rare distinction of holding the Golden Whistle for having officiated in more than hundred International matches. He has been on the elite panel of FIH for almost a decade now in view of his consistent fine performance. — TNS