The New Nation - Internet Edition

Federer, Nadal braced for Beijing power shift

AFP, Paris

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will be chasing more than gold at the Beijing Olympics with the coveted world number one place suddenly at stake following the Spaniard's stunning Wimbledon triumph.

Federer has occupied the top spot in the rankings for 232 weeks while Nadal has had to be content with life in the Swiss star's slipstream for 155 of those.

But the tournament in China could witness the latest dramatic switch in tennis's balance of power which seemed impossible just a few weeks ago.

Ahead of the French Open, where Nadal cruised effortlessly to a fourth successive title, the Mallorcan was too busy looking over his shoulder at the imminent danger posed by Novak Djokovic who was poised to take over his number two slot.

But after becoming the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to complete the elusive Roland Garros-Wimbledon double, Nadal is now poised to knock Federer off his perch if a complicated series of scenarios work in his favour.

The defining moment could come on the north American hardcourts, in Beijing or at the US Open where Federer is the defending champion.

Either way, the 22-year-old Nadal is eager for the Olympics to get underway.

"To play in the Olympics is very special, because when you're very young you always see the Olympic Games on television," said Nadal who'll be making his singles debut in Beijing having played doubles with Carlos Moya at Athens four years ago.

"You represent your country, that's the same as the Davis Cup, but at the same time it's completely different. When I play Davis Cup I always have this big motivation and I think in the Olympics I am going to have the same."

Despite Nadal's triumphs at Wimbledon and at Roland Garros, Federer doesn't take kindly to suggestions that he should be preparing to hand over his number one spot to his Spanish rival.

"You write what you want," he snapped after losing the five-set thriller at the All England Club, his 12th defeat in 18 matches with Nadal.

"I'm going to try and win the Olympics and the US Open and then we can talk again."

The Federer-Nadal rivalry will be one of the most fascinating at the Games with commercial backers and the game's rulers licking their lips in anticipation.

If TV viewing figures are any guide, a gold medal clash between the sport's heavyweights will be big box office.

In the United Kingdom, more than 13 million viewers watched the culmination of the Wimbledon final, a huge 47.6 percent of the TV audience.

Federer finished fourth at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and was knocked out in round two at Athens by Thomas Berdych of the Czech Republic.

Despite his enthusiasm for the Games, the 12-time Grand Slam champion acknowledged, however, that Wimbledon, Roland Garros and the Australian and US Opens remain the benchmark of success.

"You're going to be judged on the Grand Slams you win and number ones," Federer says. "The Olympics are a new thing to tennis.

"Maybe in 50 years' time it will also become one of the big tournaments to win. For me it is already, but maybe some players and some fans need more convincing that the Olympics is big for tennis."

Sri Lanka yet to resolve England tour crisis

AFP, Colombo

Sri Lankan cricket's governing body has yet to resolve the crisis over next year's England tour that clashes with a more financially lucrative tournament in India, officials said today.

A source at Sri Lanka Cricket dismissed local media reports indicating the board had agreed to allow players to take part in the Indian Premier League despite the clash with the England tour scheduled for April and May.

"The issue is yet to be finalised and very much at a discussion stage," the source said, asking to remain anonymous. He said they were awaiting a response from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

Some 13 Sri Lankan cricketers, including star players Mahela Jayawardene, Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan and Kumar Sangakkara, have signed three-year contracts to play in the IPL.

The players argued they received permission to play in the IPL before the ECB came up with the idea of replacing Zimbabwe with Sri Lanka for the early part of the summer 2009.

Sri Lankan players earlier this week asked President Mahinda Rajapakse to persuade Sri Lanka Cricket to re-schedule the England tour.

The ECB has already released the itinerary for Sri Lanka's tour between April 21 and May 30, which will include three Test matches and three one-day internationals.

The next season's IPL is due to take place between April 10 to May 29.

Sri Lanka's apparent readiness to consider putting the IPL over the tour of England has drawn a tough reaction from the International Cricket Council.

English chief wary of new Twenty20 plans

AFP, London

English cricket's senior administrator has poured cold water on plans to create a new money-spinning Twenty20 county tournament.

Proposals drafted by a group including Keith Bradshaw, the Australian secretary of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the owners of Lord's, and Surrey chairman David Stewart for a nine-team tournament are set to be presented at an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) meeting on Tuesday.

However, ECB chairman Giles Clarke has made it clear he is concerned at any plan which doesn't cater for England's existing 18 first-class counties.

The new scheme, which has been discussed by MCC, Hampshire, Surrey and Lancashire - all clubs whose grounds currently stage international matches - envisages nine consortium backed by private investors and based at England venues playing in a 57- match tournament in 2010.

According to its backers, it would replace the current 40- over league, a competition many feel the English game could do without as there is no international equivalent, in the county set-up.

There are also suggestions for a separate Twenty20 event on Friday nights and a 50-overs per side one-day tournament to be played at weekends, which would wrap around the first-class County Championship.

But despite projections of a 50 million pounds (100 million dollars) profit in its first year, rising to as much as 85 million pounds (170 million dollars), which would be shared between the ECB, investors and overseas boards, for their role in supplying players, Clarke was unconvinced.

"There have been a lot of ideas pushed around, most of debatable economic validity," said Clarke, a self-made millionaire.

"Quite a lot of it is probably not going to find favour with me.

"I am firmly in favour of 18 counties playing matches for their home crowds. I don't see why they should be fearful for their county futures.

"History and tradition is something only a fool breaks asunder. We need to ensure whatever is produced will be economically viable, will provide cricket people want to watch and the right format for our national side in all forms of cricket," the former Somerset chairman added.

The new scheme also envisages the new teams entering a bidding process for players.

England quicks spark South Africa slump

AFP, London

England removed three of South Africa's leading batsmen to leave the Proteas in a perilous position in the first Test at Lord's here on Saturday.

South Africa, at lunch on the third day, were 78 for three, still needing a further 316 runs to avoid the follow-on target of 394, with Proteas captain Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis all out for single figure scores.

Neil McKenzie was 35 not out and Ashwell Prince 20 not out in the opening match of this four-Test series.

South Africa faced a daunting prospect in replying to England's first innings total of 593 for eight declared, which featured Ian's Bell's Test-best 199 and 152 from Kevin Pietersen in his first Test innings against the land of his birth.

The pressure was on the Proteas batsman, notably skipper Smith who had chosen to field after winning the toss and resumed on two not out, with McKenzie unbeaten on five in a total of seven without loss.

Five years ago, Smith made 259 at Lord's - the highest score by an overseas batsman in a Test at the 'home of cricket'.

But off Saturday's twelfth ball, a sharp James Anderson delivery squared up the left-hander and took the shoulder of the bat before lobbing gently to Bell, running round from gully.

Smith was out for eight and South Africa were 13 for one.

Amla had come into this Test on the back of scores of over 160 in both warm-up matches, against Somerset and Middlesex.

But having seen his helmet come off and nearly hit his wicket when he was on one, he played at a delivery from first change Stuart Broad he could have left outside stump and was caught behind for six.

South Africa were now 28 for two with tall fast bowler Broad, who struck a Test-best 76 on Friday, building on the pressure created by Anderson's opening spell of one wicket for four runs in seven overs with four maidens.

The collective accuracy of England's quicks was in marked contrast to the waywardness of their South African counterparts.

Ryan Sidebottom then got in on the act when the left-arm quick angled a delivery across Kallis, on seven, which took the outside edge and was brilliantly caught low down by a diving Andrew Strauss at first slip.

Prince hit back with some fine shots, including a cover-driven four off Broad, but the session belonged to England.

Isinbayeva sets new polevault world record

AFP, Rome

Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva set a new women's polevault world record of 5.03m at the Golden League meeting here on Friday.

Isinbayeva bettered her previous world record of 5.01m set in Helsinki in August 2005.

The Olympic and world champion, making her first appearance of the season outdoors, has now set 22 world records in the event (12 outdoor and 10 indoors).

Her latest world record comes just four weeks before the Beijing Olympics get underway and took her closer to one of her ambitions - beating Ukrainain Sergei Bubka's record of setting 35 world records in the men's polevault.

Isinbayeva's record-breaking performance also appeared to justify her controversial decision to change her coach at the end of the 2005 season when she linked up with Bubka's former handler Vitaly Petrov.

Under Petrov's guidance, the former gymnast modified her technique and it has paid dividends.

"I was ready for the record. It's what I wanted," said Isinbayeva.

"I have a particular rapport with Rome and I love this stadium so I wanted to do something important. After I jumped 4.95m tonight I really felt like putting the bar at 5.03m rather than 5.02m.

"This is just the start. There is the Olympic Games and other records will come later."

Bangladesh face Oman today in Junior Asia Cup Hockey

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Under-21 Hockey team play their 2nd match against Oman today (Sunday) in the 6th Men's Junior Asia Cup Hockey at Hyderabad in India.

The junior Bangladesh is expected to win the match against their Oman counterparts as Bangladesh recently outplayed Oman by 6-1 goals to clinch the AHF Cup held in Singapore recently.

Placed in Group B, Bangladesh will play their 3rd and last match against strong Pakistan on July 14.

Earlier, in the inaugural match on Friday, Bangladesh conceded a humiliating 0-8 goals defeat to strong South Korea.

Mohit Chouhan becomes champion in A Division

UNB, Dhaka

Mohit Chouhan of Dhaka Club emerged champion in the A Division of the 1st Delta Life National Squash Tournament crushing Omar of Gulshan Club by straight 3-0 sets in the final at the Dhaka Club here Saturday.

In the B Division, Shaheed of Gulshan Club clinched the title thrashing Jonny Ram of Chittagong Club, also by 3-0 sets in the final.

In the Above-40 Division, Commander Gani of Navy Club became champion beating Dinesh Biddopa of Gulshan Club by 2-0 sets.

Meanwhile, the final of the Premier Division will be held Sunday at Dhaka Club.

Bangladesh A score 183/6 in 55.5 overs on 2nd day against Warwickshire

UNB, Dhaka

Visiting Bangladesh A team scored 183 runs for 6 wickets in 55.5 overs in the 1st innings against Warwickshire when the 2nd day's play of the 2nd three-day match was halted due to rain at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Saturday.

Resuming with overnight 117/2 in 29 overs, the second string Bangladesh side received early blow as two overnight batsmen skipper Junaed Siddiqui and middle order Rokibul Hassan returned to the pavilion leaving the team score at 122 for 4.

Junaed could add just one run to score 50 off 92 balls with nine fours, while Rokibul contributed 28 runs off 42 balls with six boundaries.

Then middle order Nayeem Islam and Rajin Saleh played nicely but failed to produce big scores both throwing their wickets with the at 183.

Rajin was the 5th batsman to get out scoring 29 runs, followed by Nayeem's 30, both hammering four boundaries each.

AS Miller and LM Daggett grabbed two wickets apiece for 35 and 47 runs respectively.

Earlier, on Tuesday, the rain-affected first three-day match between visiting Bangladesh A team and hosts England Under-19 team ended in a draw at the Hazelgrave Ground in Loughborough.

On completion of the 2nd three-dayer, Bangladesh A team will play the 3rd match against Leicestershire on July 16-18, the 4th against Derbyshire July 21-23 and the 5th three-day match against a South African selection on July 25-27.

After the three-dayers, Bangladesh A will play three one-day matches -- against Lancashire on July 30, Marylebone Cricket Club on August 1 and Durham on August 3.

AC Milan ready to clinch Ronaldino deal

AFP, Rome

AC Milan are on the brink of completing their purchase of Barcelona's Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho, the Italian press reported on Saturday.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport an agreement has been reached between AC Milan's vice-president Adriano Galliano and Barcelona president Joan Laporta for a fee of 15 million euros, with Ronaldinho set to sign a two-year contract to 2010 worth 6.5 million euros per year.

It will be a major coup for the 2007 European Champions who are still licking their wounds after failing to reach the 2008-09 Champions League and needed a big signing to signal their intent for next season.

The club will also be delighted with the price that they have negotiated for a player they have been tracking for over a year, with the final total 20 million euros lower than Barcelona's initial request of 35 million euros.

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti is expected to pair him in an all-Brazilian attacking trident, along with Kaka and their young sensation, Alexander Pato.

The former AC Milan and Roma midfielder will have high hopes for a player who hit 70 goals in 149 matches at the Nou Camp and helped Barcelona to the 2006 Champions League title.

There was no mention made as to whether Ronaldinho will be able to take his place as part of Brazil's squad for the Beijing Olympic Games.

He was initially named in the 18-man squad before new Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola refused to release him.

Since the end of the 2007-08-season Ancelotti has added Italy fullback Gianluca Zambrotta and French midfielder Mathieu Flamini to his squad, whilst he has also recalled striker Marco Borriello, who was on loan at Genoa.