CA declines to make fresh nomination, to support Kiwi Isaac

MELBOURNE: Refusing to nominate a candidate other than rejected John Howard, Cricket Australia on Friday decided to support New Zealand Cricket Chairman Alan Isaac for the post of ICC vice president.

An angry CA said it believed former Prime Minister Howard was the best candidate for them so instead of making a fresh nomination they would support Isaac, whose name has been proposed by the New Zealand Board.

Both the boards were asked by the ICC to re-nominate a person by July 31 after Howard's nomination was blocked by influential Afro-Asian bloc at its Executive Board meeting in Singapore.

"Cricket Australia's Board has today re-affirmed that former Australian Prime Minister John Howard is the best candidate available for nomination for the position of Vice President of the ICC and has decided it will not consider suggesting any other names for the role," a CA statement said.

"New Zealand Cricket has proposed its chairman, eminent businessman and corporate governance practitioner, Alan Isaac, for the role and CA will now support that nomination," the statement added.

The CA said its board is disappointed and most concerned by the ICC Executive Board's lack of support of Howard's nomination and regards it as completely unacceptable that no reason has been provided as to why he has not been accepted.

"We still have been given no official reason why a strongly-credentialed candidate of Howard's qualification's, skill and stature was not supported," CA Chairman Jack Clarke said.

"Our Directors were today very strongly of the view that Howard continues to be the best candidate CA could nominate. We are not prepared to suggest another candidate.

"Accordingly, we are pleased to support New Zealand Cricket's suggestion that Alan Isaac be nominated for the role," he added.

Howard, who describes himself as a 'cricket tragic', apparently paid the price for his political policies as six of the 10 voting nations refused to support his candidature.

He openly criticised the Robert Mugabe regime in Zimbabwe during his reign as Prime Minister and also earned the ire of Sri Lanka cricket by calling their off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan a 'chucker'.

Sorry for skipping CWG: Bolt to India

JAIPUR: Usain Bolt on Thursday apologised to Indian fans for his decision to skip the forthcoming Commonwealth Games. In an exclusive interview to TOI, world's best sprinter, and perhaps the greatest ever, also hoped that he would one day be able to make up for it.

"Sorry that I can't make it this time. Hope to see you in the future," Bolt said in a message to the Indian fans, in reply to a query from TOI.
Bolt, who holds the world record in 100m as well as 200m, was expected to be part of the Jamaican squad for the New Delhi Commonwealth Games set to be held in October.

His name was also included in the initial list of the Jamaican squad. However, his agent made it clear some days ago that Bolt would give Delhi Games a skip.

Bolt said in his latest interview to TOI on Thursday: "It would have been nice as I haven't competed in the Commonwealth Games before but the timing was wrong for me."

Excerpts from the interview:

What is the current status of your Achilles tendon injury?

It is much better now, almost healed. It is not bothering me at all at the moment and should be perfectly fine soon.

You weren't very happy with your recent race in Paris GP. Which aspect bothered you?

Actually I was quite happy with the fact that I had won it. However, I found that my strength was down due to missed training and that was a matter of concern. But then I am now trying to catch up and I hope by my next race, I would have corrected that.

Justin Gatlin is set to return next month. What do you expect from him?

To tell you the truth, I have no idea as I do not know how he has been training.

The Commonwealth Games in New Delhi was never in your focus, yet is there any disappointment in missing it?

It would have been really nice as I haven't competed in the Commonwealth Games before but the timing was all wrong for me as I need to get ready for the World Championships in 2011 and Olympic Games in 2012. Those two events are very important and all athletes focus on them. It is crucial that we remain in peak shape for them.

Was there any pressure on you to participate in the Commonwealth Games?

No, I wouldn't say there was any pressure. In fact, I wasn't thinking about it. It was up to my coach to make the decision based on what is best for my career. I am sure he made the right decision.

Indian fans are very disappointed that you won't be coming.

I am really sorry that I can't make it this time. As I said, it would have been really nice and I do hope to see you in the future.

What timings are you looking at before the season gets over?

I am confirmed in 3 races as of now - Stockholm, Zurich and Brussels. There will be good competition in all these races and I do hope to have some good timings.

Are you satisfied with the way the season has shaped up so far?

Yes, I think so. My aim before the season was to go through it unbeaten and so far I have managed to keep it that way. It has been good.

You are likely to face Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell in Stockholm. How important is that race?

It will be a good race. It will be the first time this year that all three of us will run together in the same race. The competition will be good and each one of us will be tested.

You are a passionate follower of cricket. How would you compare Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting and Brian Lara?

They each bring different styles to the game and each are masters of their specific craft. They have helped to keep cricket popular, especially in their respective regions.

Would you be willing to visit India for some competition at a later date?

Absolutely. I do hope I get to visit India one day in the near future.

BCCI accuses Modi of delaying tactics

MUMBAI: "These are all delaying tactics," said a senior BCCI official minutes after the disciplinary committee's second hearing in the Lalit Modi case concluded in New Delhi on Tuesday.

The official was clearly at pains when he said: "They just want this to go on for as long as possible and delay the proceedings which are imminent."

He was referring to the arguments that went on for close to four hours between the disciplinary committee members and the legal experts representing Modi.

In the end, another date - August 1 - was set for the hearing to resume. As reported by TOI, Modi was not present at the hearing but has given his consent to being available through a video conference at the next hearing.

Modi's constituted attorney Mehmood M Abdi, accompanied by lawyers Venkatesh Dhond and SS Hora, sat facing the disciplinary committee members Chirayu Amin, Arun Jaitley and Jyotiraditya Scindia and the meeting that began around 6.30 pm went on almost till 10 pm.

Once the hearing began, Modi's lawyers stuck to the same point that they've been making ever since the committee was set up, that an independent inquiry panel should be reconstituted.

On Tuesday, they only concentrated on Jaitley's presence in the committee, leaving Amin aside and said that the BCCI vice president, also a senior BJP leader, has already voiced his opinion against Modi in the IPL governing council meeting.

"They (Modi's lawyers) argued that since Jaitley has already spoken in the negative about Modi, he could have bias against them and therefore should seek recusal," a source in the know of developments, told TOI.

Interestingly, BCCI secretary N Srinivasan - who is not a member of the disciplinary committee - was also present in the room, an issue that the Modi camp is likely to raise in the next hearing, given their argument since the beginning that Srinivasan holds a bias against Modi.

Modi to be absent again in BCCI disciplinary meet

NEW DELHI: The BCCI's disciplinary committee meets on Tuesday to continue its probe into alleged financial irregularities by suspended IPL chief Lalit Modi, who would once again skip the proceedings.

Modi will be represented by his lawyers who are seeking the recusal of Chirayu Amin and Arun Jaitley from the disciplinary panel.

The three-member disciplinary panel, comprising Amin, Jaitley and Jyotiraditya Scindia, last met on July 16 and allowed Modi to be represented by his lawyers.

The exception was made after Modi's second counsel Venkatesh Dhond explained that the charges against the administrator were of a serious nature and complex legal issues were involved, particularly in relation to interpretation of contract documents.

The BCCI, too, has been allowed to send only its lawyers for the hearing.

Modi has been pressing for the recusal of Jaitley, a BCCI vice-President, and Amin, the interim IPL chief, contending that being Board office-bearers they would be biased against him during the proceedings.

However, he suffered a setback when the Bombay High Court rejected his petition for the reconstitution of the panel.

Later, Modi asked the disciplinary committee to provide him with minutes of meetings of the special general body of the board and the IPL governing council held after his suspension.

In an application to the disciplinary committee, Modi has also asked for a copy of the amended broadcast agreement between the board and Sony-MSM, they said.

"We have asked for some documents. These are crucial to the proceedings which are already underway as the disciplinary committee and the jurisdiction of the disciplinary committee flows from these documents," Modi's legal counsel Mehmood Abdi said.

"It is essential for us to have access to these documents since the contents we've asked will have far-reaching implications for us. BCCI should provide us these documents as the same have implications on the co-issue of recusal, which the disciplinary committee is scheduled to finally decide at its meeting on July 27, 2010 in Delhi," he added.

At tomorrow's meeting, Modi's lawyers are also expected to tell the panel when he would be available in person to attend the proceedings.

Defiant Diego Maradona wants to keep coaching Argentina

BUENOS AIRES: Diego Maradona said he wanted to continue coaching Argentina's national soccer team but only if he could keep absolute control over the choice of his assistants.

Maradona was due to meet the head of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), Julio Grondona, on Monday to determine whether he would stay on after Argentina suffered a bruising 4-0 loss to Germany in the World Cup quarter-finals.

"I want to continue. Whether I stay will be decided in the meeting I'll have with Grondona..., and the outcome of that will depend on what he wants and whether he accepts what I ask of him," Maradona told Argentine television on Sunday in his first comments to local reporters since the World Cup defeat.

"Continuing means taking charge and with the people I want," Maradona said, alluding to local media reports that the AFA would ask him to replace some members of his coaching team.

"There's no way I'll continue as coach of the national team if they want to take (Alejandro) Mancuso or (Hector) Enrique away from me...or if they want to impose someone or other on me."

Maradona gained world fame as a player in the 1980s but he has had a patchy performance as coach of Argentina.

He defended his team's performance in the World Cup, despite the painful exit from the tournament in South Africa earlier this month.

"We didn't deserve to finish that way, we had done good work," he said.

Gill to inaugurate Nehru stadium on Tuesday

NEW DELHI: After several missed deadlines, the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the main venue for the October 3-14 Commonwealth Games, is finally ready to be inaugurated by Sports Minister MS Gill on Tuesday.

Constructed during the 1982 Asian Games, the remodelling of the stadium started in January 2008 and was supposed to be complete early this year but the Rs 961 crore project got delayed umpteen times because of the construction of a tunnel.

The 150m tunnel, which connected the two ends of the stadium, is for the performers to enter into the ground during the opening and closing ceremonies.

The competitive venue for athletics, weightlifting and Lawn tennis, Nehru stadium spans over an area of 4,04,686 sqm and the oval shaped building has fabrication and erection of high strength steel work as per international standard.

The three independent structures of the main stadium building are the lower tier, main building and supporting structure for PTFE membrane roof.

The entire building is earthquake resistant and has two tier seating capacity for 60,000 spectator.

The Field of Play is divided into Competition, Training and Warm up area. The competition area is a 400x9 lane synthetic warm-up track with 10 sprint lane of Class-I certification.

The training area boasts of a synthetic track with nine sprint lane of Class-II certification, while the Warm-up for throwing and final warm-up synthetic track in side the main stadium.

Kaushik threatens to move court to clear name in sex scandal

NEW DELHI: Former coach MK Kaushik on Monday threatened to take legal action against Hockey India, accusing the sports body of trying to put him in the dock in the sexual harassment case through manipulation.

Kaushik, who is at the centre of the unsavoury episode, questioned Hockey India's authority to recommend police and government action against him and objected to HI holding that Ranjitha Devi's complaints against him were "credible" without verifying the allegations.

He said since the five-member inquiry committee's report had only factual matters and no recommendations, HI could not recommend action against him.

"I object to Hockey India deciding not to use my services and recommending Delhi Police to take action against me. The inquiry committee had not at all given any recommendations and how can HI do this," he told reporters at a hurriedly-convened press conference.

"I object to HI secretary general Narinder Batra saying that Ranjitha Devi's written reply were credible and had specific charges. The report itself said there were no verification of the allegations. So it is contradictory, on one hand you are saying that her version was credible and at the same time they are not proved. How can it be possible?" he asked.

"I am saying again that all these charges against me are baseless and fabricated. I have sent a reply to the letter sent by HI to the sports ministry recommending action on me," he said while presenting his lawyers Mandira Mitra and Praveen Aggarwal to the media.

Mitra said his client will see the situation for a while and if necessary will go to court.

"It is premature to say whether we will go to court or not. If necessary we will go to court but first we are replying to the letter sent by Hockey India to the government. We have given this reply to HI interim president Vidya Stokes," she said.

In his letter submitted to HI president, Kaushik accused the federation of conspiring to malign him in the sport fraternity.

"... the management of Hockey India is conspiring against me to malign my stature in the sports fraternity and the society in general. Further, it shows that Hockey India is conducting this whole affair with a bias against me and concluding that I am guilty and as such this against the principal of natural justice," he said.

Kaushik also accused Batra of releasing the letter to the media on Saturday and said the general secretary was "grossly abusing his power".

"I would like to record my protest at the gross abuse of power committed by the incumbent secretary general Narinder Batra, who is seeking re-election for the same post in the upcoming elections, in releasing the contents of the letter along with documents to the media prior to its receipt by me," he said in his reply.

Kaushik said the letter is highly manipulative and demanded Hockey India to withdraw it.

"The tone and tenor of this statement makes it clear that the management of Hockey India is acting in a vindictive manner.

"I demand Hockey India to withdraw this statement with immediate effect as it shows malafide intention and the presence of a larger conspiracy against me," he said in his letter.

Kaushik also said that he would not have used videographer Basavraj with the women's team had he known he would indulge in unwanted activities.

"SAI has three videographers, Rajinder had been attached at Patiala, the second Nehal had gone for his family marriage so we had to use Basavraj's services. He was not my priority," he said.

"Moreover there is no connection between Basavraj taking pictures (of prostitutes) and I am being punished. Why am I being dragged into it?" he asked.

Earlier in the day, Sports Ministry decided to launch its own probe into the allegations of sexual harassment against Kaushik by handing the task to its internal committee.

Sachin Tendulkar deserves World Cup win: Morrison

AUCKLAND: Sachin Tendulkar deserves a World Cup victory under his belt but to realise this dream the batting icon needs players like Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni to fire in 2011 home event, says former Kiwi fast bowler Danny Morrison.

"Sachin Tendulkar, the master, deserves to have some sort of winners' medal hanging round his neck but it's not all about him. Cricket is a tough game and it's also about whether Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and MS Dhoni can deliver for India. Can they do it for Sachin?," Morrison said at an ICC audio-cricket show.

The cricketer-turned-commentator also feels that India will be strong contenders to lift the World Cup.

"I think India has the best opportunity to lift the World Cup this time round. It has to be good for them playing on home turf. It adds pressure but that's part of hosting.

"You feel that India want something special to happen and this year I think you've got to go with the India team to emulate the 1983 side led by Kapil Dev," said Morrison, who claimed 126 ODI wickets and 160 in Tests.

India will co-host the 2011 edition along with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in February-March.

No tailor-made pitch for Muralitharan at Galle

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has planned a COLOMBO: Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has planned a grand farewell for Muttiah Muralitharan, who will play his swansong Test against India from Sunday, but will not prepare a tailor-made pitch to assist the spin wizard.

He is just eight wickets shy of touching the magical 800-wicket and SLC officials say Murali does not need a pitch suiting his style as he can strike on any pitch.

Curtains will fall on a dazzling international career which saw Murali becoming highest wicket-taker in Tests well as in one-dayers.

The cricket authorities have invited all former Test skippers to witness the Test and have even formulated a special Muralitharan farewell committee to organise the show.

"We are planning to give him a good send-off and we will ensure that the event is memorable," SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga said.

Murali is capable of striking in any pitch, Ranatunga said when asked if a pitch assisting Murali will be laid.

SLC will organise a brief event before the commencement of the first Test and a grand felicitation at the end of the match.

According to officials, the 38 year old bowler will be welcomed by the local bands from Galle District when he will enter the stadium on the first day.

All former chairmen and secretaries of the board have been invited to witness the farewell Test match and the Galle cricket ground is being spruced up for the occasion.

2010 Commonwealth Games: Cautiously Optimistic

It exceeded expectations. We had set out to achieve a reality check, to properly understand what lies ahead with just 80 plus days to go before India plays host to the biggest ever sports event on our soil.

Can we realistically continue to dream that CWG 2010 will be the best Commonwealth Games ever, a statement that has become synonymous with the chairman of the Organizing Committee, Suresh Kalmadi, or is it finally beginning to sound hollow with time fast catching up on us and substantial work still remaining underdone?

We wanted to restore the pride of place to the athlete, the ultimate stakeholder of the games, and also explore what the lasting legacies of the mega event will be like? Can we finally say that the games are a prudent investment that will leave infrastructure that will serve as well into the future or will the tax payer lament the use of his money in ways unacceptable as the games descend on us? All of this and more was achieved while also allowing us the opportunity to get together on one platform the best assemblage of persons to talk on the games from across the country.

The inaugural plenary panel, including Sheila Dikshit, chief minister of Delhi, Suresh Kalmadi, chairman CWG 2010, Abhijit Sarkar, head, corporate communications, Sahara India Pariwar, S. Sridhar, CMD, Central Bank, Rina Ray, MD, Delhi Tourism and V.K. Karthika, publisher and chief editor, Harper Collins, India helped set the stage.

While Suresh Kalmadi and Sheila Dikshit offered an objective update on the state of preparedness, Rina Ray articulated plans for 'empowering every tourist', from abroad and also from within the country, who visit Delhi during the games.

All speakers agreed on the need for community integration and emphasized upon the huge opportunity that Delhi 2010 offered in its wake. While Karthika suggested that much more could be done, the chief minister and the chairman of the CWG outlined the complexities involved in staging the games of this nature and urged for more patience and understanding. "We are moving with a definite plan to raise hype. We don't want to start too early wherein the hype can get diffused", suggested Dikshit. "It will all start with 60 days to go".

Kalmadi was his usual buoyant self, "I am convinced it will be a great games and it will set the stage for the evolution of a sports culture in India", he asserted. With Karthika and Sarkar at their provocative best, the packed Stein Auditorium at the India Habitat Center enjoyed every moment of the one and a half hour discussion.

Cameras clicked quick and fast when the panelists were joined by Arindam Sengupta, executive editor of the Times of India, to launch the Times Commonwealth Guide and when Roop Kishore Maheshwari, chairman of Imagesbazaare.com, the event's primary supporter, offered mementos to the speakers.

He was accompanied by his son Sandeep, whose contribution was essential in making sure that the audience enjoyed a truly engaging morning. With questions hurled at the speakers from almost all corners of the auditorium, the end of the panel on account of time constraints left the audience asking for more, a pleasant departure from the existing norm at conferences of this nature.

This was followed by a stimulating discussion on "Commonwealth 2010 as Investment" chaired by Paromita Chatterjee of ET Now. M.J. Akbar did not let the intensity dip and B.S. Lalli, chairman of Prasar Bharti, articulated the challenges that lay ahead for the host broadcaster.

With Manish Kumar offering an insider's view, the intensity not for once was lost, a fact proved by a packed Steyn auditorium enjoying the deliberations.

The post lunch panel saw the coming together of some of the best corporate brains, men and women, who deliberated on issues of 'legacy' that the games are expected to leave behind.

This panel, chaired by Latika Khaneja, saw Ram Tamara, Abhijit Sarkar, Navroz Dhondy, Sandeep Maheswari and the Joint DG of the CWG OC, T.S. Darbari, emphasize on the singular importance of a positive legacy that CWG 2010 can, if organized well, will leave behind.

Discussions veered on issues of tangible and intangible legacy and Khaneja, in her inimitable style, got the audience into the discussion to ensure the panel was entertaining and stimulating.

The day's last panel began with a reality check. All of the panelists, members of the sports media fraternity and sportsmen who have represented India at the world stage, emphasized the overpowering presence of the market and the TRP's. Cricket, it was repeatedly emphasized, garners eyeballs and despite efforts to promote and market other sports, we remain a nation that only follows stars.

At the same time Ayaz Memon, Charu Sharma, Akash Chopra, Deep Dasgupta and Hakimuddin Habibullah hoped that a successful CWG 2010 will ensure that Olympic sports get their rightful place in the Indian sporting pantheon. The panel highlighted the need for sport for all and emphasized the role of sport in promoting development and peace.

These concerns, going beyond the confines of the sports field, are key concepts enshrined in the legacy document for CWG 2010. All of the panelists drew attention to the close connection between sport and nationalism, a linkage that can only become stronger with a significant number of podium finishes at CWG 2010.

At the end of the day, Gautam Sen, one of the key movers of the summit, summed up the proceedings.