Steven Finn and Joe Root support Andy Flower

Steven Finn and Joe Root support Andy Flower

England seamer Steven Finn says it would be "a great loss" if Andy Flower left his position as England coach.

Flower will not comment on his future beyond the end of the Ashes series, which England lost to Australia with two Tests still to play.

"He's been fantastic for the group," Finn told BBC Radio 5 live.

"He's always working extremely hard to make sure that we're as prepared as we can possibly be for Test matches. It would be a great loss if he goes."
Finn, who was given his Test debut by Flower on England's tour of Bangladesh in March 2010, added: "I've had a really good working relationship with him and a personal relationship."
England had won three successive Ashes series under Flower.
The 45-year-old Zimbabwean also guided the team to victory in the ICC W
orld Twenty20 competition in 2010 and led them to the top of the Test rankings a year later. But former England captain Geoffrey Boycott said the coach must decide on his future quickly so the side can plan ahead.
Batsman Joe Root has also offered his support for Flower.
"He has done a fantastic thing for English cricket over his career," said the 22-year-old. "He's been very good for my development as a player. It's been great working with him and hopefully that can continue."
Root also said the team should not look further ahead than the fourth Test in Melbourne, starting on Boxing Day.
"It's a massive game for us and we want to put a lot of things right," he said. "If we start looking too far ahead, things could slip away.

winger Nani ruled out for few weeks hamstring injury

 

Manchester United winger Nani has been ruled out for "a few weeks" with a hamstring injury.

The 27-year-old, who has made eight league appearances so far this season, has not featured since the 1-0 home defeat by Newcastle on 7 December.
"[It] is a little bit worse than we thought," said manager David Moyes.
Robin van Persie is already out for the next month with a thigh injury, while Wayne Rooney is doubtful for Saturday's game with West Ham.
Portugal international Nani has featured sporadically under Moyes, although he requires just three more league appearances to match last season's tally of 11.
The former Sporting Lisbon player signed a contract extension in September, which could keep him at Old Trafford until 2018.

Luis Suarez signs new Liverpool deal

Luis Suarez signs new  Liverpool deal

Luis Suarez has signed a new four-and-a-half-year contract with Liverpool.

The striker, 26, joined the Reds in January 2011 and has scored 17 goals in 11 Premier League starts this season.
Suarez, whose original deal was set to expire in 2016, will earn around £160,000 until the end of this season and then £200,000 per week over the final four years of the contract.
"I am delighted to have agreed a new deal with Liverpool and have my future secured for the long term," he said.

"I believe I can achieve the ambitions of winning trophies and playing at the very highest level with Liverpool. My aim is to help get us there as quickly as possible."

Suarez admitted his close bond with Liverpool's fans was an important factor in his decision, particularly their backing during his 10-match ban for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic earlier this year.
He told Liverpool TV: "I love the city and the supporters. They have helped me and I try my best on the pitch.
"It was a difficult time after the summer, but they helped me come back and play and I think when supporters help you off the pitch you try your best to make them happy on the pitch."
He also revealed that manager Brendan Rodgers played an influential role in persuading him to pledge his immediate future to Liverpool.
"He was very important. When you have confidence with the manager you can try your best," he said.
"When the team is together and you are happy in the dressing room, that makes me happy."
Suarez's relationship with leading figures at Anfield has improved significantly since he attempted to force a move to Arsenal in the summer.
The Gunners made two bids for the Uruguay international, including a club-record offer of £40m plus £1 in an attempt to trigger a release clause in his contract.
Both were rejected, with Liverpool boss Rodgers accusing Arsenal of "playing games".
Suarez was considering submitting a formal transfer request and also the possibility of court action if the dispute was not resolved as he believed the second bid triggered a clause in his contract that allowed him to leave the Anfield club.
Suarez was initially made to train alone during pre-season, but returned to the first-team fold on 16 August after talks with Rodgers.
"This is fantastic news for everyone associated with the club; the team, the owners and most importantly the supporters," Rodgers said on Liverpool's official website. 
"Luis is a world-class talent and securing his services is crucial for what we are trying to achieve here.
"What's most important and most exciting is that, at just 26 years old, his best years are still ahead of him and we now know we'll be seeing him reach that potential in a Liverpool shirt."
Suarez's time at Liverpool has often been controversial and he has previously been handed handed two long-term bans.
He was banned for eight games in December 2011 for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra before receiving his 10-match ban in April for the incident with Ivanovic.

Cheteshwar Pujara score unbeaten 135

JOHANNESBURG: Cheteshwar Pujara slammed a sparkling unbeaten 135 as India gained firm control of the first Test against South Africa with the top-order showing remarkable application to give the visitors a substantial overall lead of 320 on Friday.

Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri is AIFF Player of the Year 2013

NEW DELHI: Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri was named the 2013 AIFF Player of the Year by AIFF president Praful Patel during the Annual General Meeting on Friday.

Chhetri, who had earlier won the Award twice in 2007 and 2011, was chosen the winner after voting by I-League coaches at AIFF Headquarters.

"It feels great and I am very thankful to all the coaches for voting for me. But then I don't take it too seriously. It feels good for a while and then you ought to brush it off and move on," Chhetri said.

"Sometimes Awards can make you complacent and if you become so, then it doesn't take much time for your form to dip. All these years I have learnt to deal with adulations and criticism in a normal way. Honestly, I'm still learning."

Chhetri, who is presently India's highest-ever goal-scorer in international football with 43 goals, will be presented a prize of Rs. 2 lakh besides a trophy. The Indian captain thus became only the second player after IM Vijayan to have won the Award thrice.

"I have been very fortunate to have amazing lads as my Teammates -- my mates from Churchill Brothers and presently from Bengaluru FC. I also want to take this opportunity to thank all the Players that I have played with for my National Team as none of those 43 goals would have been possible without their support," Chhetri said.

"I also need to thank the Coaching staff of both the Clubs that I have played this year and obviously from the National Team."

Asked about his most pleasant moment of 2013, Chhetri said: "Winning the I-League crown with Churchill Brothers and joining an amazing Club like Bengaluru FC. Scoring the 43rd goal for my Country -- that too in front of my mom who watched the match from the stands at the Kanchenjunga Stadium in Siliguri was indeed special too!"

To his critics, Chhetri said: "People are free to speak whatever they want - lavish praise or criticise. But all of that wouldn't change the fact that I'll keep working hard and keep pushing myself to get better with every day. I love my Football and am very passionate about it.

"Injuries have hit me hard almost every season and I pray to the Almighty to keep me fit. This is the only season where I haven't yet succumbed to injuries (touch wood)."

All India Football Federation also instituted three more new Awards along with re-instituting the AIFF Women's Player of the Year.

Oinam Bembem Devi was adjudged the 2013 AIFF Women's Player of the Year. Bembem Devi was the only recipient of the Award, the sole time it was announced in 2001.

The 33-year old Bembem Devi will be presented a prize of Rs. 1 lakh besides a Trophy.

AIFF also declared Jeje Lalpekhlua as the 2013 Emerging Player of the Year. The 22-year striker from Mizoram has already donned the National jersey 43 times scoring 14 goals so far. Jeje will be presented a prize of Rs. 75000 besides a Trophy.

"My heartiest congratulations to Sunil, Bembem Devi and Jeje. All of them are worthy recipients of the Award," Patel said.

The last two Awards instituted on the day were the Award for the Best Grassroots Development Programme which was bagged by Mizoram FA, while the Award for long time contribution to Indian Football was awarded to Tata Football Academy.

"This is a token of appreciation to the good work they have been doing. We expect others to follow the path," Patel said.

All the Awards would be presented in an Awards Night in February organised by FICCI

 

Lionel Messi criticized a Barcelona vice president

BARCELONA: Lionel Messi criticized a Barcelona vice president on Friday for saying the Argentina forward didn't deserve a better contract.

Javier Faus, the vice president in charge of Barcelona's finances, said two weeks ago he didn't see a reason to further extend Messi's contract. Last year, the club extended the 26-year-old Messi's contract through 2018.

"Mr. Faus is a person that doesn't know anything about football and wants to run Barcelona like a business, which it isn't," Messi told Catalan radio RAC1. "Barcelona is the best team in the world and deserves to be represented by the best executives.

"I remind him that neither I nor any of my representatives have asked for a contract extension at any moment, and he knows that very well."

Messi is Barcelona's all-time leading scorer and a four-time FIFA world player of the year. He is in Argentina recovering from a hamstring injury and expected to return to Barcelona in January.

Messi rarely speaks about the business side of his career. This is the first time he has openly criticized an important board member of the club he joined when he was 13 years old.

Barcelona president Sandro Rosell said on Thursday that he had not spoken to Messi about his contract, while adding "but my door is always open. I have no doubt that the best player in the world deserves to be the highest paid."

South Africa score 213/6 second day against India in first Test

JOHANNESBURG: India's pace bowlers staged a dramatic turnaround with a devastating exhibition of swing bowling as South Africa suffered a stunning collapse to leave the first Test more or less on an even keel on Thursday.

Scorecard | Match in Pics

The Indians lost five wickets for just 25 runs to be bundled out for 280 in their first innings but clawed back brilliantly to leave the hosts at 213 for six at close in an action-packed second day.

The hosts were cruising along comfortably at 130 for one before the Indian pacers wreaked havoc to completely change the complexion of the game on a Wanderers track which gave assistance to the quick bowlers.

The lanky Ishant Sharma (3-64) triggered the shocking batting collapse by dismissing Hashim Amla (36) and Jaques Kallis (0) off consecutive deliveries before Zaheer Khan got rid of captain Graeme Smith (68) -- all three wickets falling without a single run being added.

Mohammed Shami then struck for his team by evicting JP Duminy (2) and AB de Villers (13) in the same over to bring the Indians back into the game.

From 130 for one, the Proteas were suddenly struggling at 146 for six, losing five wickets in the span of 16 runs in the eventful last session.

The Proteas, however, recovered some lost ground with Faf du Plessis and Vernon Philander stitching 67 runs for the unbroken seventh-wicket stand as Indian bowlers went wicketless for the last 21.3 overs.

Philander and du Plessis were batting on 48 and 17 respectively at stumps with South Africa still trailing by 67 runs.

The Indians were unlucky not to have the wicket of du Plessis as he was dropped on 17 by Rohit Sharma off Shami at the fag end of the day.

Smith and Hashim Amla started proceedings after tea, at 118/1, looking to further frustrate the Indians and increase their 81-run partnership for the second wicket. They could add only 12 runs though, before the drama began and wickets started falling in a heap.

Amla was the first to go. In the 37th over of the innings, he had cut Ishant over slips and it seemed like there might be some slow reverse swing available for the medium pacers.

In his next over, Ishant was on the money again, bringing the ball back into Amla sharply, as the batsman looked to leave and was bowled. Amla scored 36 runs off 74 balls, with six fours, as the floodgates opened.

Kallis walked in and walked out the very next minute, missing the line of another in-swinger and out plumb LBW. Ishant was on a hat-trick, but de Villiers had no problems facing up.

Buoyed by this revival, Zaheer got Smith trapped LBW in the very next over, as South Africa lost three wickets for no runs in nine deliveries.

The Proteas' captain made 68 runs off 119 balls, with eleven fours. This was the seventh time in 10 Tests that Zaheer dismissed him, and 14th overall across all formats, with 68 being the highest Smith has managed in those 14 innings.

Shami came on to bowl in the 45th over and the mayhem continued, as he struck on his first ball, removing Duminy caught at first slip by Murali Vijay. Two balls later, and it was de Villiers walking back, out LBW, as South Africa lost five wickets for 16 in just 39 balls.

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni had rotated his three quicker bowlers all day as R Ashwin (0-25) bowled only six overs in the South African innings.

Perhaps they were tired towards the end, as Du Plessis played with patience and Philander threw his bat around to put together 67 runs for the seventh wicket, taking them to stability.

Earlier, South Africa seemed to be in a solid position, scoring 118/1 at tea. Smith scored his 38th Test fifty -- and his eighth against India -- beginning the post-lunch session at 22 for no loss.

They only lost the wicket of opener Alviro Peterson (21), a sharp incoming delivery from Ishant trapping him LBW in the 14th over.

Amla and Smith then frustrated the Indian bowlers, who toiled hard and bowled better line and length as compared to the Proteas' attack on day one.

Smith was lucky as Zaheer induced an edge in 17th over of the innings, only for Ashwin to drop him at first slip. Smith was on 19 at that time. Thereafter they brought up their 50-run partnership in the 25th over, striking Ishant for two fours. The hundred for South Africa came up in the 31st over.

In the morning session, South Africa dismissed India for 280 runs in their first innings, their last five wickets falling for just 25 runs. India had begun the day at 255 for 5. Philander finished with 4 for 61 from 27 overs, while Morkel picked 3 for 34.

Dale Steyn bowled three overs on the second morning but he failed to add to his tally, finishing with 1 for 61. Kallis (1-37) took a wicket as well, while Imran Tahir (0-47) and Duminy (0-30) had gone wicket-less in their short spells on day one. For India, R Ashwin was the unbeaten batsman, 13 not out off 11 balls, with one four.

Starting at their overnight score, Dhoni and Ajinkya Rahane looked to build on the platform provided by Virat Kohli's hundred. The former was accounted by Morkel in the 99th over, out for 19 runs adding only two from Wednesday. He faced 72 balls and hit three fours.

In the very next over, Philander made the ball leave off-stump just a tad and Rahane was out caught behind. He made 47 runs, adding only five to his overnight score, as India's hopes for a 350-plus total were undone. He faced 137 balls and hit eight fours in his long stay at the wicket.

Philander then trapped Zaheer Khan (first-ball-duck) plumb off his next ball, and although Ishant denied him a hat-trick, he was bowled in the 102nd over for an 11-ball duck. Morkel then bowled Shami (0), finishing off the visitors' first innings.