Business Recorder! Sports syndication. http://www.brecorder.com Tue, 21 May 2013 12:13:45 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.brecorder.com/images/M_images/livemarks.png http://www.brecorder.com Business Recorder! Sports syndication. http://www.brecorder.com/sports/cricket/120458-tauqir-zia-demands-ad-hoc-arrangements-in-pcb.html KARACHI: Former Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Lt. Gen. Tauqir Zia (Retd) has demanded ad hoc arrangements in the present set-up of the board.When the incumbent management of the PCB is celebrating the democratic transition a few former, current players and administrators casting doubts on the mechanism adopted by the PCB for the elections held in Islamabad on May 8 three-day before the General Elections in the country."The recent election for the chairman Zaka Ashraf was also unconstitutional as major associations did not participate in the voting process", Tauqir Zia told a private TV channel on Monday evening.However, Zaka Ashraf appointment was challenged by former captain Rashid Latif at the Sindh High Court and by the heads of the regional cricket associations of Faisalabad and Sialkot at the Lahore High Court.Tauqir Zia also spoke about the recent spot-fixing scandal in the Indian Premier League (IPL), saying that the BCCI was striving to reach at the bottom of the event.He added, however, that the International Cricket Council (ICC) should play more active part in curbing the malpractice in Cricket.On a question, the former chairman paid tribute to the incumbent PCB management for its efforts against corruption in the game."PCB has... Tue, 21 May 2013 06:59:04 +0100 http://www.brecorder.com/sports/cricket/120457-adoptability-to-conditions-key-in-pakistan-success-in-champions-trophy.html KARACHI: Former skipper Aamer Sohail firmly believes that Pakistan's chances in the Champions Trophy depend on their adoptability to the conditions."Conditions would play a very important role in Pakistan's chances for this premier 8-nation contest," Aamer Sohail told APP in an interview on Tuesday."Batting will be our key area in focus and if they did well, team will have bright chances to reach the semi-final", he commented."We are second favourites in our group "B" with West Indies, South Africa and india.Misbah-ul-Haq's Pakistan team will launch their campaign when they take on West Indies in their opening matches on June 7.He was of the view that with an eye on the future, captain Misbah should give confidence to young batsmen like Nasir Jamshed, Umer Amin and Asad Shafiq."We must expose these youngsters to full and groom them for future," he said.He said Pakistan batsmen struggled in the opening One-day International against Scotland because conditions are seaming there.It has become fashion that selectors were picking young guns like Umar Amin, Harris Sohail, Asad Ali, veteran left arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar. But they never played a match which was disappointing."As Pakistan will be playing only three matches in Champions Trophy, Misbah will use... Tue, 21 May 2013 06:57:32 +0100 http://www.brecorder.com/sports/cricket/120452-england-squad-for-second-new-zealand-test-.html LONDON: England squad for the second Test against New Zealand at Headingley, starting on Friday:Alastair Cook (capt), James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Ian Bell, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Nick Compton, Steven Finn, Matt Prior (wkt), Joe Root, Graeme Swann, Jonathan TrottCopyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2013 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:44:01 +0100 http://www.brecorder.com/sports/cricket/120434-pakistan-needs-coach-for-batting-more-than-bowling-zaheer-abbas.html ISLAMABAD: Former legendary cricketer Zaheer Abbas advised the Pakistan Cricket Board to immediately appoint a batting coach for the national team instead of focusing on the bowlers ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy in June.Zaheer also called on the selectors to take a few risks and drop those players from the Champions Trophy who had not performed during the tour to South Africa urging the selectors to look for new talent in the batting department, reported a private news channel."What is more urgent to my mind is having a specialized camp for the batsmen or hiring a batting coach as soon as possible because it is in batting that the team has struggled badly in recent times," he said.Zaheer said Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal and Nasir Jamshed had not performed up to the mark in recent times.It is pertinent to mention here that PCB had hired former captain and bowling great Wasim Akram to supervise a 10-day camp for the top 19 pace bowlers in the country including those named in the 30-member probables list for the Champions Trophy.Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2013 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:21:08 +0100 http://www.brecorder.com/sports/other-sports/120420-royal-trophy-set-for-china-debut.html HONG KONG: China will host the Royal Trophy team event for the first time this year, organisers said on Tuesday, adding to a list of big golf tournaments in the country.The seventh edition of the tournament between Asia and Europe will be held at Dragon Lake Golf Club in the southern province of Guangdong, from December 20-22, they said in a press release."The first hosting of the Royal Trophy in China is a historic event," said players committee member Nick Faldo, a six-time major-winner.Asia are the holders of the trophy after a dramatic play-off win at last year's edition in Brunei.This year, China's golf events include the lucrative BMW Masters and WGC-HSBC Champions, both in Shanghai, plus the European-sanctioned Volvo China Open and a new LPGA women's event in Beijing.Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2013 Tue, 21 May 2013 04:35:37 +0100 http://www.brecorder.com/sports/cricket/120403-no-aussie-plan-to-curb-twitter-after-warner-rant.html SYDNEY: Cricket Australia said Tuesday it had no immediate plan to curb the use of social media by players after a Twitter rant by David Warner, but suggested it could happen in the future.Opening batsman Warner is due to face a disciplinary hearing on Wednesday into an alleged code of conduct breach after a heated tirade at two top cricket writers.He faces sanctions ranging from a fine to suspension or counselling.Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland would not comment on the Warner controversy but said using social media remained a key tool for players to engage with fans and promote the game."Absolutely (I'll encourage players to use social media) -- it's very important," he told reporters."We want our players to be engaging with fans. Part of our strategy is to put the fans first and for them to have a closer and better relationship with our players."Sutherland said there had been no discussions about developing a social media policy for players but admitted it might be something that needs to be considered."We haven't (discussed having a policy) so far," he said."We've worked with our players and helped them in training and development and understanding the pitfalls of it."It (social media policy)... Tue, 21 May 2013 03:10:30 +0100 http://www.brecorder.com/sports/cricket/120399-indian-bowlers-in-court-over-spot-fixing.html NEW DELHI: India's Test paceman Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and two other bowlers were to appear Tuesday in court over allegations that they accepted tens of thousands of dollars for spot-fixing, police said.Sreesanth, along with his Rajasthan Royals teammates Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan, was arrested last week for deliberately bowling badly in specific overs during the ongoing Indian Premier League after striking deals with bookmakers."We will seek further custody of the players in the court as we need to interrogate them further," a senior police officer told AFP on condition of anonymity.The officer said that 11 bookmakers who have been arrested as part of the same inquiry would also appear in the court in Saket, a suburb in southern Delhi.Sreesanth, who has played 27 Tests for India, is alleged to have been paid four million rupees (about $75,000) to give away 14 runs in an over in a match against Kings XI Punjab on May 9.Newspaper reports Tuesday said investigators had seized two million rupees stashed in a cricket kit bag and hidden at a house belonging to a relative of Chandila in the state of Haryana.Police behind the arrests say the trio were acting under orders from international crime syndicates... Tue, 21 May 2013 02:58:48 +0100 http://www.brecorder.com/sports/other-sports/120397-former-asian-phenom-takes-slow-route-to-success.html TOKYO: Japan's Hideki Matsuyama has bided his time since becoming an amateur sensation, but the newly professional 21-year-old says he is now ready to take on the US PGA Tour and work towards a major title.In a year of teenage golfing phenoms, the two-time Asian amateur champion has shown the virtues of taking a slower route to success after he delayed turning pro to attend university.Now, in his rookie professional year, Matsuyama has found it was worth the wait after winning once and twice finishing second in his first four events on the Japanese tour, putting him top of the domestic prize-money list.Matsuyama's measured approach contrasts with China's Guan Tianlang, 14, who became the youngest player to appear and make the cut at the Masters in April, and is now about to play his fourth straight event on the US tour.In early May, fellow Chinese Ye Wocheng smashed Guan's year-old record as the youngest European Tour competitor when he played the Volvo China Open at the age of just 12, missing the cut after back-to-back rounds of 79.Matsuyama is also compared with his Japanese contemporary Ryo Ishikawa, the "Bashful Prince", a 21-year-old former amateur whizz who turned pro at 16... Tue, 21 May 2013 02:56:58 +0100 http://www.brecorder.com/sports/other-sports/120372-guana39s-dream-run-will-continue-at-memorial-.html DUBLIN: Chinese schoolboy Guan Tianlang, the youngest player in Masters history, will continue his dream run in US PGA events by playing in next week's Memorial tournament, organizers said Monday.The 14-year-old prodigy won the low amateur's Silver Cup last month at Augusta National and shared 58th at the Masters and followed up two weeks later by making the cut at finishing 71st at a PGA event in New Orleans.Guan missed the cut at last week's Byron Nelson Championship but on Monday accepted a sponsor's exemption invitation into next week's event, which will be hosted by 18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus at Muirfield Village."I have had the fortunate pleasure of spending time with Guan and his family and I have found him to be mature beyond his years and very passionate about his development in the game," Nicklaus said."The performance of this young 14-year-old -- who, mind you, is just an eighth-grader -- in making the cut at the Masters and then in New Orleans was fantastic."His maturity, composure and competitiveness in these two significant events sends a message that this young man has a wonderful future."Guan won last year's Asia Pacific Amateur Championship to qualify for the Masters and has... Mon, 20 May 2013 20:00:18 +0100 http://www.brecorder.com/sports/other-sports/120335-zhang-retains-mena39s-world-crown.html PARIS: Defending champion Zhang Jike of China retained his men's singles title at the World Table Tennis Championships in Paris on Monday after defeating compatriot Wang Hao in the final.Fourth seed Zhang prevailed 11-7, 11-8, 6-11, 14-12, 5-11, 11-7 in a rematch of last year's Olympic final to secure a fourth major title in a row.Zhang completed a career grand slam when he pipped Wang to the Olympic crown in London last August, adding to the world title he won two years ago in Rotterdam and the 2011 World Cup, with Wang also the losing finalist on both of those occasions.Ma Long took top honours at last year's World Cup in Liverpool, an event in which Zhang did not take part.Having raced into a two games to love lead in the French capital, Zhang was pegged back by Wang in game three and the contest appeared to be heading for two-all only for Zhang to fight off four set points in the fourth frame to re-establish a two-game advantage.Wang, the 2009 champion, then took the following game to preserve his title hopes but it proved to be merely a stay of execution as Zhang wrapped things up in game six... Mon, 20 May 2013 13:33:29 +0100