Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Tom Moody has said that it is a pleasure working with players such as Shikhar Dhawan, who have a strong desire to improve their skills and evolve as a cricketer.
     27-year-old Dhawan scored his second consecutive half-century to lead Hyderabad to the main round of Champions League T20 as they beat Faisalabad Wolves, last night.
     "He has done a good job, he is going to blossom every single game he plays, his leadership today was excellent. The positive thing about Shikhar is that whether he is captaining or batting, he constantly wants to improve," Moody said at the post-match press conference here.
     "He is always asking questions, he is always wanting to develop his game. So, from a coaching point of view, it is pleasure to work with people who have an open mind and are prepared to grow, as people," Moody said at the post-match press conference here," the burly Australian added.
     With back-to-back victories, Hyderabad have joined New Zealand's .

Dhawan's work ethics and desire to improve impresses Moody

PTI Automatic

Under-fire Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq says that lack of international cricket back home was having a negative impact on team's performance.
     Pakistan suffered a humiliating Test defeat at the hands of minnows Zimbabwe and now Faisalabad Wolves have been eliminated from the Champions League Twenty20 Qualifiers after back-to-back defeats.
     "When there is no international cricket happening and when you are not seeing any players playing, there are not even side matches being played, no opportunities, it has an impact. When you play in your country, the confidence one gains from performing there also helps in performing away from home," Misbah said at the post-match press conference here last night.
     When asked if he feels overburdened or under pressure, Misbah replied, "Sometimes, it happens that your team is not responding, unfortunately, like this time batsmen in Pakistan team are struggling. As far as Faisalabad team is concerned, we are an inexperienced side and don't 

Lack of international cricket at home affecting us: Misbah

The Mumbai Cricket Association has approached the Bombay High Court, challenging a civil court order which put a stay on the five-year ban imposed on BCCI's game development officer Ratnakar Shetty.
     A city civil court had on September 7 granted a stay on the MCA's decision to ban Shetty for five years. The association has petitioned the High Court to challenge this.
     Shetty, who has served MCA in various capacities over the last three decades, was banned by the association for alleging that some office-bearers of the MCA might be involved in black marketing of the tickets of an India-Pakistan T20 international played at Ahmedabad on December 28 last year.
     MCA imposed the ban on June 3 after giving Shetty an opportunity to hear the voice recording of his allegations levelled at the association's AGM of March 22. Shetty replied to its showcause notice, but it was rejected.
     Shetty then approached the civil court challenging the ban on the ground that it was arbitrary ..

MCA challenges stay order on ban on Shetty in HC

Hoping that he will recover from his back problem in time, Australia today named Michael Clarke as captain for the One-day series against India but made it clear that his selection in the playing XI would be subject to fitness.
     Australia, who beat Ashes rival England 3-2 in a recent ODI series, will play seven one-dayers during the tour, beginning October 10 with a one-off Twenty20 in Rajkot.
     Clarke, on his part, remained confident of getting fit for the series.
     "No doubt it's quite stiff and sore. But I'll be guided by the experts on what I need to do now to try and get myself as fit as I can be," Clarke told reporters in Sydney.
     "I would certainly like to go and continue to play. I'm enjoying my cricket at the moment."
     Australia named a 14-man squad, dropping an out-of-form Mathew Wade, paceman Josh Hazlewood and spinner Fawad Ahmed.
     Ahmed, a cricketer of Pakistani origins, made his Australia debut after getting citizenship recently. He has been dropped 

Clarke named captain for India series but fitness a concern

Yuki Bhambri avenged his two previous defeats against Yuichi Sugita as the Indian pipped the Japanese in straight sets to move to the singles quarter-finals of the ATP Challenger event, here today.
     Yuki, who had qualified for the singles main draw, edged past his seventh seed rival 7-6 (5) 7-5 in the second round of the USD 125,000 hard court event.
     Yuki had lost both his previous matches against Sugita - in USA last year and in Japan in 2011.
     It was battle of attrition between the players but Yuki overcame an early break in the second set to emerge winner after one hour 57 minutes.
     After trading breaks, the first set was decided through tie breaker, in which Yuki prevailed when he converted his first set point on his rival's serve.
     Yuki dropped his serve at love in the third game of the second set to hand Sugita advantage but made it even-steven when he converted his fourth break chance in the 10th game for a 5-5 scoreline.
     Confident after getting back ..

Yuki knocks out 7th seed Sugita, moves to singles quarters

McLaren's Jenson Button said Ferrari may have inadvertently given a boost to their rivals by re-hiring former world champion Kimi Raikkonen to join current lead driver Fernando Alonso.
     Button, speaking ahead of Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix, said the decision was "great for us" and predicted difficulties at Ferrari as next season progresses.
     The 33-year-old Briton said rather than being a dream pairing, two-time world champion Alonso and "Iceman" Raikkonen, who won the 2007 title with Ferrari, may find it difficult to cooperate.
     "We'll definitely be watching their situation," Button told AFP.
     "Ferrari for many years has had two drivers in the team that have been very quick but when it gets to a point in the season, it seems one driver helps the other driver.
     "I don't think that will be the case with Kimi and Fernando -- I don't think they'll be trying to help the other driver. A guy that's achieved what they've achieved will not want to be helping out his ...

Button says Ferrari signing may backfire

Former boxing champion Ken Norton, considered one of the greatest heavyweights of his era, died Wednesday at an Arizona care facility, the LA Times reported. He was 70.
     The fighter was best known for beating Muhammad Ali in 1973, breaking the Hall of Famer's jaw in the process.
     Norton, who suffered a stroke last year, ended his brilliant career with a record of 42 wins, seven losses, one draw and 33 knockouts.
     He fought in the 1970s era of magnificent heavyweights -- a group that also included Ali, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Leon Spinks and Jimmy Young.
     "They called us handsome. Muhammad they called pretty. But the fairest of them all Ken Norton," Foreman wrote on his Twitter page Wednesday. "What a loss to all of us."
     Other tributes also quickly poured in for Norton, who was once given the title of the "Father of the Year" by the Los Angeles Times in 1977.
     "My heart has been heavy since hearing the news earlier today," boxer Larry Holmes wrote on ...

Ex-boxing champ Norton dead

Wayne Rooney spoke of his pride after becoming only the fourth player to score 200 goals for Manchester United.
     The 27-year-old striker reached the milestone in United's 4-2 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday, when he scored twice and also laid on a goal for Antonio Valencia.
     Rooney joins Bobby Charlton (249), Denis Law (237) and Jack Rowley (211) in reaching a double-century of goals for the club, and now trails Charlton by 49 goals in United's all-time scoring chart.
     "It's a great honour for me to have scored 200 goals for a club like Manchester United," Rooney said in an article on his website, www.Officialwaynerooney.Com.
     "When you look at the list of top scorers, I think I'm only the fourth player in the club's history to have reached this number after Sir Bobby Charlton, Denis Law and Jack Rowley.
     "It's certainly something I'm very proud of. My main aim is always to help the team win games and if I score, that's a bonus. ...

Rooney 'very proud' of United goal milestone

Former heavyweight champion Ken Norton, who beat Muhammad Ali and then lost a controversial decision to him in Yankee Stadium,  has died at a local care facility, his son said. He was 70.
	Norton had been in poor health for the last several years after suffering a series of strokes, a friend of the fighter said yesterday.
	"He's been fighting the battle for two years," said Gene Kilroy, Ali's former business manager. "I'm sure he's in heaven now with all the great fighters. I'd like to hear that conversation."
	Norton broke Ali's jaw in their first bout, beating him by split decision in 1973 in a non-title fight in San Diego. They fought six months later, and Ali narrowly won a split decision.
	They met for a third time on September 28, 1976, at Yankee Stadium in New York and Ali narrowly won to keep his heavyweight title.
	Norton won a heavyweight title eliminator the following year and was declared champion by the World Boxing Council.
	But on June 9, 1978, he lost a bruising ...

Former heavyweight champion Norton dies

Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Shikhar Dhawan admitted that he wanted to use man-of-the-match Amit Mishra better in the second match after giving him only one over in the first match.
     Mishra, who had figures of one for 13 against Faisalabad Warriors, was given only one over by Dhawan against Kandurata Maroons.
     "Steyn got back nicely. Our spinners, Karan (Sharma) and Mishra (Amit) bowled beautifully. Especially, Mishra who bowled very well. I knew I had to use him better this time and he responded very well," Dhawan said at the post-match press conference when asked about the reason for giving Mishra a solitary over yesterday.
     Even Mishra didn't hide his surprise at being underbowled in the last match.
     "I was also a bit surprised but then he is the captain."
     While Dhawan scored 59, his counterpart Misbah Ul Haq scored 56 and the Sunrisers skipper attributed it to smart cricket.
     "We (himself and Misbah) both are in good form and playing smartly, that's the ...

I knew I had to use Mishra better this time: Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan continued his blazing form as he lead Sunrisers Hyderabad to the main round of Champions League T20 as they crushed Pakistan's Faisalabad Wolves by seven wickets in their second qualifying round match here today.
     Indian cricket's latest batting sensation's love affair with Mohali continued as he smashed 59 off 50 balls to help Sunrisers cruise to the modest victory target of 128 in only 17.3 overs.
     Dhawan hit six fours and a six during his match-winning knock.
     With back to back victories, Sunrisers Hyderabad joined New Zealand's Otago Volts in the main draw while Faisalabad Wolves and Kandurata Maroons of Sri Lanka bowed out of the tournament. The last of the double headers in the qualifying round has thus been rendered inconsequential
     Dhawan, who has been in dream form, repeatedly pierced the off-side cordon starting with a cracking square cut. He also hit a frontfoot cover drive off pacer Samiullah Khan and a backfoot punch off Saeed Ajmal. A ...

Sunrisers Hyderabad cruise to main round with crushing win

Sunrisers Hyderabad qualified for the main draw of Champions League T20 beating Pakistan's Faisalabad Wolves by seven wickets in a qualifying round match here today.
     Chasing a target of 128, Shikhar Dhawan scored 59 off 50 balls to set up a successful chase.
     Brief Scores: Faisalabad Wolves 127/5 (Misbah ul-Haq 56, Amit Mishra 1/13).
     Sunrisers Hyderabad 131/3 in 17.3 overs(Shikhar Dhawan 59, Parthiv Patel 23). Sunrisers won by 7 wkts.

Sunrisers beat Wolves by 7 wickets to qualify for main draw

India captain M S Dhoni, who gave Jharkhand police tense moments for a couple of days riding bike without security, today said he did not want to disturb the policemen so early in the morning when the roads are empty.
     "Security was not necessary as the roads were empty," Dhoni said while adding he did not want to bother the security personnel early in the morning.
     Replying to a query on the security issue during a pre-CLT20 tournament media conference here, Dhoni, however, clarified that he took security whenever he visited public places.
     Dhoni's reaction was sought in the wake of the police requesting Dhoni's family to inform them whenever he ventured out, purely on security grounds.

Dhoni plays down riding bike sans security

Fourteen people believed to be members of an organised crime ring involved in football match-fixing activities have been arrested in police raids across Singapore, authorities said today.
     The Singapore Police Force and the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau said in a joint statement the 12 men and two women were nabbed in a 12-hour operation that ended in the early hours of Tuesday.
     They were suspected of "being part of an organised crime group involved with match-fixing activities," the statement said.
     The European police agency Europol in February said it had smashed a network rigging hundreds of games, including in the Champions League and World Cup qualifiers.
     Europol said at that time that a five-country probe had identified 380 suspicious matches targeted by a Singapore-based betting cartel, whose illegal activities stretched to players, referees and officials across the world.
     "Police confirm that the suspected leader and several other individuals ..

Singapore arrests 14 people in football match-fixing bust

Telecom major Airtel has decided against renewing the title sponsorship contract with the BCCI for India's international matches at home leading to BCCI calling a marketing committee meeting here tomorrow.
     The BCCI marketing committee headed by Union Minister Farooq Abdullah will meet here tomorrow to decide on the new title sponsors  and will be inviting new tender bid documents from corporate houses who are willing to become series sponsor for India's next round of home fixtures.
     Airtel had won the rights as series sponsors for all international and domestic matches played in India from September 1, 2010 to March 31, 2013 for a consideration of Rs 3.33 crore per match.
     As existing sponsors, BCCI gave Airtel three months' grace period to renew its contract. With the company opting not to renew its contract, a 23-member BCCI panel under chairmanship of Abdullah will now decide on the modalities of the tender invitation process.
     Airtel bid for series sponsorship ...

Airtel not to renew sponsorship contract with BCCI

The Brisbane Heat are raring to go in the Championship League T20 with its Captain James Hopes saying there would be less pressure on him compared to his outing in the IPL with Kings XI Punjab.
     "The pressure will be a lot less (playing for Brisbane Heats)," Hopes told reporters at a pre-tournament conference when asked how he would feel playing for Brisbane Heats after being a part of the Kings XI in the Indian Premier League.
     Expressing confidence over his side's campaign which gets underway on September 22, Hopes said he was looking forward for a pretty good cricket in the tournament.
     Pooled in Group B with Chennai Super Kings, Trinidad & Tobago and Titans and a qualifier team, coach Stuart Law said Brisbane Heat has come with its "own agenda" to dish out good cricket.
     "We have our own agenda (strategies). The team has prepared reasonably well," Law said.
     On what sort of total his side would be looking to achieve at the newly built stadium here, Law ...

Hopes backs Brisbane Heat to doing well

Disciplined effort from Sunrisers Hyderabad bowlers saw them restrict Pakistan's Faisalabad Wolves to a modest 127 for five in a qualifying match of the Champions League Twenty20 here today.
     Skipper Misbah ul-Haq again top-scored for his side with an unbeaten knock of 56 off 40 balls. He hit a four and five sixes in the process.
     India leg-spinner Amit Mishra was easily the best bowler on view with economical figures of one for 13 from four overs. He bowled as many as 17 dot balls in his 24 legal deliveries.
     Darren Sammy (1/14 from 2 overs), Ishant Sharma (1/26 in 4 overs), Karan Sharma (1/11 in 2 overs), Thisara Perera (1/33 in four overs) all got a wicket apiece.
     Put into bat, the Wolves openers Ammar Mahmood (31) and Ali Waqas (16) added 48 runs for the first wicket but they consumed seven overs in the process. While Mahmood played 38 balls hitting four boundaries, Waqas faced 21 balls.
     It was Mishra who drew the first blood for the Sunrisers when he forced .

Sunrisers restrict Faisalabad Wolves to 127 for five

Put in to bat, Faisalabad Wolves scored 127 for five in their Champions League Twenty20 Qualifiers against Sunrisers Hyderabad here today.
     Brief Scores:
     Faisalabad Wolves: 127 for 5 in 20 overs (	Misbah-ul-Haq 56 not out; Karan Sharma 1/11).

Faisalabad Wolves post 127/5 against Sunrisers Hyderabad

Having pulled off two convincing wins in the Champions League Twenty20 Qualifiers, Otago Volts coach Vaughn Johnson today said that the team had come here with a lot of belief and "flew under the radar" to surprise a couple of teams.
     "We came here with a lot of belief and a side that had prepared very very well both here in India prior to the tournament and also in Sri Lanka. And quietly we just flew under the radar and I think we surprised a couple of teams," Johnson told reporters at the post-match conference.
     Volts registered a convincing six-wicket victory over Kandurata Maroons here today.
     Chasing 155 for victory, allrounder Ryan ten Doeschate struck 32-ball 64 and also impressed with the ball, taking two wickets.
     In their first qualifier played yesterday, the Brendon McCullum-led side thrashed Faisalabad Wolves from Pakistan by eight wickets.
     "You can see the class that he is out there tonight, both with ball and bat. Even if we hadn't got him tonight, ..

We quietly flew under the radar: Otago Volts coach Johnson

India's Nirmala Devi (48kg) and Vinesh (51kg) failed to impress in the women's section of the World Wrestling Championships even as men's freestyle grappler Narsingh Yadav entered the repechages after his conquerer made it to the finals of the 74kg section here today.
     Yadav ran into the reigning champion Jordan Burroughs of USA in the second round where he was summarily matted 0-7, halting the Commonwealth Games gold medallist's run in the competition.
     Earlier, Yadav made a resounding start as he overcame Russia's Kakhaber Khubezhty 10-2 in the opening bout.
     2011 World champion Burroughs proved his might over the 24-year-old Indian by decimating him 0-7.
     While Asian games bronze medallist Vinesh lost in the second round to Isabelle Sambou of Senegal, her compatriot Nirmala was overwhelmed by world no one Alyssa Lampe from USA 0-7 in the opening contest of the 48kg category.
     Vinesh has an easy first bout and defeated Mexico's Wendy Martinez 7-0 but failed to ...

Women grapplers disappoint, Narsingh in repechages

The BCCI marketing committee headed by Union Minister Farooq Abdullah will meet here tomorrow to decide on the new title sponsors for the international matches in India after telecom major Airtel decided against renewing their contract.
     The BCCI will be inviting new tender bid documents from corporate houses who are willing to become series sponsor for India's home fixtures.
     Airtel had won the rights as series sponsors for all international and domestic matches played in India from September 1, 2010 to March 31, 2013 for a consideration of Rs 3.33 crore per match.
     As existing sponsors, BCCI gave Airtel three months' grace period to renew its contract. With the company opting not to renew its contract, a 23-member BCCI panel under chairmanship of Abdullah will now decide on the modalities of the tender invitation process.
     Airtel bid for series sponsorship after they lost out on the team's title sponsorship in July 2010. When the bid documents for the team's title ...

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