ARSENAL v Man United: Wenger to make late fitness checks on quartet
Arsenal forward Robin van Persie is suspended for the Barclays Premier League clash against Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium...
2008-11-08 02:11:26Becks eyeing £7m jet to be with family
London, Oct 29 ANI: David Beckham is a true family man at heart. The soccer ace is planning to dish out 7 million pounds on a jet so that he can spend time with his family based in US while he plays in Europe.The multi-millionaire soccer star is eyeing a top-of-the-range plane so that he can shuttle back and forth to US in between games, or even bring them to Europe.Pals are urging the 33-year-old footballer to snap up a luxury Bombardier Learjet, and he is already in talks to sign a deal with AC Milan so that he can keep his fitness up while his American league shuts down.Beckham's friends believe that the only way for him to keep up with family life is to spend his extra earnings on a private jet.With the jet, the former England captain will be able to bring his family- wife 34-year-old Posh and sons Brooklyn, 9, Romeo, 6, and Cruz, 3-to Europe. "He's doing this to keep himself match-fit for future England games because he's desperate to beat Bobby Moore's 108 outfield caps record," The Daily Star quoted a pal, as saying.The pal added: "But he's going to have to sacrifice a lot by moving back to Europe in January. The only thing we can think of is if he either buys or rents his own jet for a couple of months."He'll be able to fly back to Los Angeles between games and meet up with the family. It might cost a bit but you can't put a price on time with your children." ANI
2008-10-29 07:00:16Ledley King's fitness woes haunt new Spurs manager Harry Redknapp
Is Redknapp the right man for Tottenham
2008-10-28 06:42:18Fired-up Flintoff transforms England
R. MohanTo say Andrew Flintoff is greater than the sum of his parts is the simplest way to praise the man. As class acts go, he is in a league of his own, so rare has the bowling all-rounder become in the modern game. A fired-up Flintoff has transformed England from a rag tag and bob-tailed ODI outfit into a fighting unit that has gone up the ranks from number seven to three in a matter of weeks. Sometimes, to swing games, all it takes is one classy cricketer.Just a couple of months ago, England were losing matches like novices to New Zealand. They were in free fall then, so much that the Collingwood incident with the run out even led to a change at the helm.It's no mere coincidence that Kevin Pietersen is in charge when England charged up the rankings. It takes one gladiator to bring out the best in another. Freddie has acknowledged this by saying that a move up the order, to three drop, had led to his resurgence as a batsman. At the beginning of the season when he was struggling to put bat to ball, Flintoff had more ducks than on dining tables at sumptuous English feasts. He might even have threatened the inglorious run that Ajit Agarkar had when he got nicknamed as the "Bombay Duck" on a tour of Australia once.The thing with these characters who are class acts is you don't judge them in backyard cricket. Put them in the big arena and the adrenaline flow will see to the recapturing of form far sooner than nets or not so meaningful first class games. Champs tend to target the big occasion to come good. They need atmosphere.The fact remains that England have not won a big limited-overs event World Cup, Champions Trophy, T-20 Worlds since the one-day international was invented in 1971. To credit them with a world championship chance is still very hard, more so considering the next World Cup is in the sub-continent where they have done very little. To write the home side off in next year's T-20 Worlds would be unwise. In English conditions, they have an attack that commands respect. The run-denying middle overs, operated by Flintoff and the rediscovered international cricketer Stephen Harmison, make them a particularly competitive side.The fear with Flintoff has, of course, to do with injuries. He has recovered from a fourth ankle operation, each one possibly to tackle a problem worse than the previous one. When he is fit and raring to go, there are few sights more inspiring than the quick stuff he sends down that sees the ball come up with a distinct bounce even on the slower and well-prepared ODI pitches.It is a measure of the man and his new captain's influence on him that Freddie should be such a willing workhorse with the ball even when the soft hotel beds got to his back on the eve of the fourth ODI. There is no doubting the KP influence on both quick bowlers, Flintoff and Harmison, who have responded brilliantly.Imagine the value Flintoff and Pietersen will fetch in the IPL now. While English cricketers may have been feigning a lack of interest, would they in their heart of hearts wish to forego the chance to earn in millions for not so demanding work The star value of both the Lancashire man and the South African from Pietermaritzburg has shot up considerably and all eight IPL franchises will be lining up to rope them in.For a bowler plagued with an ankle problem, the finite look to a career must impel Flintoff to look at the IPL option. With the Ashes to be played next summer, the focus would, however, not be on the IPL T-20. Also, the window will be a small one. In theory, Flintoff may be the player least likely to be enticed by the concept of the quick dash for cash, but India is the favoured destination for all cricketers now.How much Flintoff has transformed England with his contributions with bat and ball brings us back to the argument that class is class and that it will come out regardless of other circumstances like fitness problems. Not in the last couple of years has Flintoff been up and firing on all cylinders as he has in his team's four dramatic wins.A Freddie in pomp is a major spectacle the game was in dire need of.ÂÂ
2008-10-18 21:41:21Obesity can raise inflammation risk
London, Oct 18 ANI: Being obese can raise illness risk as it negatively impacts body's internal chemistry, a new research has shown.Researchers from United States found that levels of white blood cells were highest in men who were unfit and overweight. White blood cells are key to fighting infection, but high levels can be a sign of inflammation, which is linked to coronary heart disease. To reach the conclusion, a team from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center carried out tests on 452 healthy men who were taking part in a long-term study of fitness. Blood tests were taken, and analysed for their content of various types of white blood cell. After taking account of age, the researchers found that all groups of white blood cell were lowest in the men who were most physically fit. The greater proportion of body fat a man had, the higher his white blood cell count was. Total white cell count was highest in men who had a combination of higher body fat and lower levels of physical fitness. Levels were also high among men with lower body weight but lower levels of fitness. However, a high degree of physical fitness negated the effect of extra body fat. Lead researcher Professor Tim Church said it was clear that inflammation played a key role in heart disease and other illnesses, but the factors which drove it were still relatively unclear. "There is nothing worse than a risk factor that an individual cannot modify, but here are two risk factors - obesity and fitness - which they can do something about," BBC quoted him, as saying.June Davison, cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: "These findings add to evidence that regular physical activity and keeping close to a healthy weight have huge benefits for your heart health." The study has been published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. ANI
2008-10-18 06:00:00By Joseph Hoover
SPO23SportsRecords to Tendulkar are mere numbers TributeBy Joseph HooverEven as fireworks rent the Mohali air to celebrate his accomplishment, Sachin Tendulkar piously looked into the sky, thanked the Almighty and his late father. Though he had surpassed Brian Charles Lara's record Test aggregate of 11953 runs, his emotions, as always, were under control. He had a more important mission on hand: to bat India into a commanding position from where they could strategise to decimate Australia in the second Test. He may have taken 21 Tests more to better the cavalier Trinidadian's record, but it certainly wouldn't hurt the master batsman as records to him are mere numbers. "If it comes along the way, I will cherish it. But to me records are a number game. Winning matches for India is more important," the ebullient Mumbaikar had said recently. He could well have reached the landmark in the first Test at Bangalore. He was in great nick. He could have batted on and on. But his focus was on saving the Test. In a rare moment of lapse in concentration, when he persistently pressed the umpires for bad light, he offered his scalp on a platter to debutant leg-spinner Cameron White. He was distraught at letting his side down though India salvaged a draw as he trudged his way back to the pavilion. Statistics aside, there can never be an iota of doubt that Tendulkar is the world's premier batsman. When the legendary Don Bradman has acknowledged him as the best he has seen, nobody, not even Steve Waugh or Ricky Ponting, more so the Doubting Thomases in the media, should question his greatness. Let's put his career in perspective. For 19 years he has enthralled us with his melodious batting. His body has endured the punishment of turning out day in and out in Indian colours. He has sacrificed a lot in life to achieve what no batsman ever has: highest run getter in both forms of the game, most number of hundreds in Test and ODIs, played more matches than anyone else in the history of the game…the list could go on. People may write odes about his skill, commitment, temperament, cricketing greatness and achievements. But the most significant aspect of his illustrious career has been his humility. For someone who has achieved so much with authority and flair, he comes out as a modest man, one committed entirely to the cause of Indian cricket and the team. Isn't it astonishing that his has been a blemish less international career. Perhaps, the only time a Match Referee Mike Dennes questioned his conduct on the field was in a Test match at Port Elizabeth in 2001. But the ICC was soon to clear his name for ball tampering. Ask any player if he has rubbed them wrong. Ask any umpire if he has transgressed the game's code of conduct. Ask any administrator if he has tread over their toe. They will have nothing against him. So pristine has his character been. Only a week ago, he was being belittled for underperforming in Sri Lanka, where he aggregated a niggardly 95 runs from three Tests. His run-scoring ability was under the media scanner. His fitness was questioned. He was virtually written off. Today, he is the toast of the nation. Make no mistake, he is one player who doesn't get affected by all that is said and written. What matters to him is making runs and making it count in an Indian win. So let's desist from writing off a genius who has so often brought light into our homes with magnificent hundreds. Let's learn to respect him. For, whatever the critics may harp, he is set to serve Indian cricket well for another two years, unless injury lays him low. Let's pray that he appends another 2000 runs to his Test kitty.Joseph Hoover is a senior editor with the Deccan Chronicle. He can be contacted atcricketlore@gmail.com--Indo-Asian News Servicejh/abr/vs725 Words*17101848
2008-10-17 09:00:00'Intelligent men have the best sperm'
London, Oct 10 ANI: A man's sperm quality turns out to be a decent indicator of his brain power, says University of New Mexico evolutionary psychologist Geoffrey Miller.According to the tests conducted by the expert, it was found that men who scored high on a battery of intelligence tests boasted high counts of healthy sperm.Whereas, low scorers tended to have fewer and more sickly sperm.The finding suggests that intelligence might tip off a man's overall health to women looking for a mate with healthy genes, the researcher explained at a recent Harvard University talk."It's not necessarily that the same genes are influencing sperm quality and intelligence," New Scientist quoted him, as saying.Rather, the two traits could be linked through a tangled web of biological and environmental interactions that has evolved to help women pick a mate.To reach the conclusion, the researcher and his team uncovered the apparent sperm-intelligence connection after reanalyzing data gathered in 1985 to assess the after-effects of the Vietnam War, particularly exposures to Agent Orange. Of the 4,402 veterans who participated in three days of physical and mental testing, 425 provided sperm samples. After accounting for factors that could skew the results, such as age, drug use, and abstinence before providing a sample, Miller's team looked for a statistical link between men's sperm counts and motility and their scores on several tests of verbal and arithmetic intelligence.Though the connections between brains and sperm were "not awesome, they're there and highly significant," Miller said. All things held equal, good sperm and good brains go together.Exactly why smart men would have healthy sperm is unclear, but Miller has one idea: "I'm thinking of intelligence as being quite closely related to individual fitness." ANI
2008-10-10 02:51:38Oz selectors' spin surprise, pick veteran McGain instead of young Casson
Melbourne, Sept.12 ANI: The Australian cricket selection committee sprung a spin surprise ahead of the team's tour to India. They picked veteran Victorian leg-spinner Bryce McGain and axed 25-year-old Beau Casson, who was the first choice spinner for the recent tour to the West Indies.A shocked Casson vowed to return to the international arena following his stunning omission from the Australian squad.The New South Wales spinner had to make way for the 36-year-old McGain and unheralded Tasmanian and former Blues spinner, Jason Krezja."Bryce McGain was the standout leg-spinner at the inter-state level last year and we think he is really well suited to the Indian conditions and bowling plans," said chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch."His story is a great example of how those who perform at inter-state level will be rewarded. Bryce suffered a minor strain to his right shoulder in India and has been selected for this tour subject to fitness but we are very hopeful of him being fully fit in the near future."Jason Krejza had a good season for Tasmania last year but is a selection very much for Indian conditions. The selectors felt right-arm finger spinners would perform well in India and Jason now has a chance to prove himself at the international level"Casson's state coach Matthew Mott spoke to the young star this afternoon and was pleased to hear he was determined to fight his way back after making his Test debut in the West Indies and playing a minor role in the Australia A tour to India last week."He didn't presume anything but everything was telling us he'd be in the squad, he would be inhuman if he wasn't upset," Mott told the age.com.au."The feedback from everyone has been that he has done very well, so I don't know what has transpired. But he is very philosophical about it, it's not like he is bitter at all.He will bounce back, he is very young," Mott added.As expected, all-rounder Andrew Symonds has also been left out of the touring party, with Shane Watson and Simon Katich to battle for the middle-order batting spot."Cricket Australia has told us that selectors will be advised once Andrew can be considered again for selection and we hope we can look forward to that advice in due course because as we all know, a fit and fully-committed Andrew Symonds can be a world beater. In the meantime, our advice was that he was not available to be considered for selection this time," said Hilditch.Victorian paceman Peter Siddle was another surprise addition to the 15-man squad.Squad: Ricky Ponting captain, Michael Clarke vice-captain, Matthew Hayden, Phil Jaques, Michael Hussey, Simon Katich, Brad Haddin, Shane Watson, Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Bryce McGain, Mitchell Johnson, Jason Krejza, Doug Bollinger, Peter Siddle. ANI
2008-09-12 02:00:00Ronaldo's agent plays down speculation linking player with Manchester City move
Brazil striker Ronaldo has returned to full fitness but his agent would not be drawn on whether he will join Man City.
2008-09-05 00:22:12Home shock for Man City, Villa win
<p><font size="2"><strong>Paris: English clubs had a bitter-sweet night in Uefa Cup action on Thursday as Aston Villa won in Iceland but Manchester City face a tough task to qualify for the first round after a shock loss to FC Midtjyllandat.<p>City lost 1-0 to a Danny Olsen goal on the quarter-hour and will have to make up that ground in the second leg of their second qualifying round game in Denmark in a fortnight’s time.<p>Aston Villa had a good game at FH Hafnarfjordur in Reykjavik as Gareth Barry, now cup-tied for the Champions League should he move to Liverpool before the transfer deadline in a fortnight, got his name on the scoresheet in their 4-1 win.<p>City had their chances to win the match however, twice hitting the woodwork through Daniel Sturridge and Martin Petrov. City almost went 2-0 down in the 72nd minute after a wayward header from Dunne but Petrov cleared off the line.<p>However they hit back and almost equalised six minutes later only for Petrov’s superb free-kick to come back off the bar. Bojinov then turned quickly in the area but sent his effort over the bar.<p>Manchester City manager Mark Hughes felt his side lacked match fitness.<p>&quot;Perhaps we were a little bit behind them in terms of sharpness and match fitness,&quot; he said.<p>Meanwhile in Iceland, Barry scored after just four minutes in front of England manager Fabio Capello, making the most of defensive mishaps.<p>Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor also scored before the break. Although Matthias Gudmundsson pulled one back, Martin Laursen headed the ball home in the second half. — AP<p>Â
2008-08-15 21:35:41
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