Djokovic
crashes out in Marseille Open
MARSEILLE
(France), Feb 15: Australian Open champion Novak
Djokovic, who suffered a crippling fever on Davis
Cup duty at the weekend, slumped to defeat at the
Marseille Open.
The Serbian top
seed, and world number three, playing his first
match since suffering from flu at the Davis Cup
world group clash against Russia in Moscow, fell
6-2, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3 to unseeded Frenchman Gilles
Simon yesterday.
Djokovic missed
three days of practice ahead of last week’s
tie and was forced to skip his opening singles
rubber in Moscow.
Despite opening up
a two-set lead over Nikolay Davydenko in
Sunday’s reverse singles, the 20-year-old
was forced to retire as his legs got heavier and
his body more weary.
Second-seeded
Frenchman Richard Gasquet also made an
unscheduled early exit losing to Sweden’s
world number 52 Robin Soderling 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Gasquet, the world
number seven, had been beaten by the Swede in the
quarter-finals of the tournament last year.
Soderling will now
take on Croatia’s Mario Ancic who put out
Australian Open runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in
the second round on Wednesday.
Simon, the world
number 30, broke Djokovic in the seventh game of
the first set which he took in 25 minutes. The
Serb led 4-1 in the second set tie-break before
having to save a match point on his way to
levelling the tie.
The Serbian star
was visibly weakening in the third set and at 4-1
down in the final set he was forced to call the
trainer to the court. (AGENCIES)
Akhtar
dropped from domestic competition
KARACHI,
Feb 15:
Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has been dropped
from a domestic tournament in Pakistan on
disciplinary grounds after being accused of
having a negative influence on the dressing room.
Shoaib’s
fitness was on trial when he led the Federal
Areas team against Punjab in the Pentangular Cup
match in Lahore this week. After going wicketless
in 18 overs on a batting pitch, he criticised the
Pakistan Cricket Board for the arrangements.
Shoaib described
the tie as a ‘B’ grade match and said
the board was doing no service to cricket by
providing sub-standard balls and preparing dead
pitches.
Already facing
disciplinary action for an earlier statement in
which he accused the board of having double
standards and a dual policy towards players,
Shoaib has now been dropped from the Federal
Areas team.
A team official
told pti that the decision to drop him and hand
over captaincy to test pacer Rao Iftikhar was
taken after much discussion.
"We felt he
had violated the code of conduct with his
comments after the match and also he failed to
gel with other players and inspire them. His
performance was also poor," the official
said.
Sources, however,
said that PCB Chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf had
specifically told the Federal Areas team
management to drop Shoaib at once after he lashed
out at the board once again.
"The PCB
chief exerted pressure on the team management
because the entire tournament and the teams are
funded by the board," sources said.
Since the board
had already issued a notice to Shoaib for breach
of conduct and had given him time until February
18 to submit an explanation, they could not have
taken more action against him. So they have got
it done through the Federal Areas team, sources
said.
But Shoaib said he
himself had decided to not play in the remaining
Pentangular matches as he was busy with a family
engagement.
"I might be
available for the last match but even that is
uncertain now," he said.
A board official
said Shoaib had until February 20, because of the
general elections on the February 18, to reply to
the notice.
Muneer Hafeez, who
heads the PCB disciplinary committee, said the
fast bowler would be given every chance to tell
his side of the story if and when a hearing is
held.
"So far, we
have not got any instructions from the board to
start disciplinary proceedings against
anyone," he said.(PTI)
PCB
mulls ODI series versus India if Australia pulls
out
KARACHI,
Feb 15: Apprehending
Australia may pull out of the forthcoming tour of
Pakistan on security grounds, the cricket board
is thinking of arranging a short-term one-day
series with India in the free period.
A source said
talks had been initiated with some boards whose
teams had free time in March-April.
"Yes, there
have been some discussions with the Indian board
to arrange a three or five match one-day series
before they host South Africa at home. But
nothing is concrete as yet," the source
said.
He said informal
talks had also been held with Bangladesh who are
free during that period.
Cricket Australia
has said that independent security advisors have
cautioned them against playing in Pakistan
because of the uncertain security situation.
The Australian
media has also been playing up the issue by
reporting that some players did not want to tour
Pakistan because of security fears.
A Pakistan Cricket
Board official said efforts were being made to
convince the Australians to come to Pakistan and
a meeting would be held in Kuala Lumpur this week
with CA officials.
"But we are
aware that they are finding excuses to back out
and we are studying all possible options,"
he added. (PTI)
ESPN
Star Sports to telecast ICC
U-19 Cricket World Cup
NEW
DELHI, Feb 15: ESPN Star Sports will
telecast selected matches from the ICC U/19
Cricket World Cup scheduled to be held at
Malaysia from February 17 to March 2.
The channel will
telecast 10 live matches including the
semi-finals and the final which will be seen in
more than 100 countries throughout the world.
The commentary
panel for the tournament includes eminent
personalities like Alan Wilkins, Alistair
Campbell, Colin Miller, Ranjit Fernando and Danny
Morrison.
In all, 16 teams
will be battling for a place in the final on
March 2 in Kuala Lumpur.
Besides the
ICC’s 10 full members and hosts Malaysia,
five qualifiers - Namibia, Nepal, Papua New
Guinea, Ireland, and Bermuda - will take part in
the two-week long tournament. (UNI)
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