Feeble England could lose 5-0 - Michael Vaughan in Ashes 2013-14

England are in grave danger of being whitewashed 5-0 in the Ashes after a "pathetic" batting display during the second Test match against Australia, says former captain Michael Vaughan.

The tourists crumbled to 172 all out in Adelaide as they finished day three 530 runs behind their dominant hosts.
"England look as if they are petrified of the ball and that is a real worry," said Vaughan on Test Match Special.
"I can't see any other result than 5-0 the way this England team are playing."
England, trailing 1-0 in the series after a heavy defeat in Brisbane, lost their last six wickets for 55 runs as Mitchell Johnson (7-40) ran through their middle and lower order. Australia then reached 132-3 by the close.
Vaughan was alarmed by the lack of fight from England's players in the face of a high-class spell of fast bowling.
"It's been pathetic, feeble - there is no way you can protect this batting today," he said. "England would have been blown away on day one if they'd batted like this. They are mentally shot.
"Even when England lost 5-0 in 2006-07, I don't remember them folding like this. This is as bad as I have seen from an England side."
Vaughan, who captained England to their first Ashes triumph in 18 years in 2005, believes there were signs their standards were slipping during the 3-0 victory over Australia in July and August.
"The last three Test matches of the summer were the warning signs for this England team," added Vaughan.
"They weren't playing great. Their brand of cricket was poor - attritional and very negative. If you can't go out and express your game when you are 2-0 up in an Ashes series on home soil, when you've doctored your own decks, there's a real problem.

Mitchell Johnson take England on back foot

Johnson took 7-40, including a wonderful spell of 5-16 in five overs after lunch, as England were rattled out for a feeble 172 to concede a first-innings deficit of 398 runs.

Only Ian Bell, with an unbeaten 72, and Michael Carberry (60) offered any resistance as their team-mates either tossed their wickets away or were simply unable to cope with Johnson's fearsome pace.
Twice the left-armer was on hat-tricks after both Stuart Broad and James Anderson were bowled first ball, while Matt Prior's dismal run of form continued with his fifth duck in nine Tests.
With time on their side, Australia then opted to bat again, and had extended their lead to 530 with seven wickets still in hand by the close.
But with two full days to come, England need a miracle in the city of churches to prevent themselves going 2-0 down in this Ashes series.
So abject was this display, and so one-sided has been the series thus far, that Australia are now unarguable favourites to win back the urn for the first time since 2009.
Needing 371 to avoid the follow-on after Australia's runaway 570-9 declared, England had begun with determination and discipline, only for all that to rapidly evaporate into the warm south Australian air in the hour before lunch.
Joe Root set the tone, slog-sweeping the first ball he faced from Nathan Lyon to Chris Rogers at deep square leg to throw away his wicket for 15 after 79 previously patient deliveries.

The Analyst: England's batting collapse

If that was wasteful, Kevin Pietersen - scorer of 158 and 227 in his previous two Tests on this ground - was then guilty of a crass misjudgement when, with two men in catching on the leg side, he attempted to flick Peter Siddle over them and instead picked out George Bailey at mid-wicket for just four.
Carberry and Bell briefly arrested the descent, Carberry going to his maiden Test half century, before David Warner clung on to a diving one-handed catch at mid-wicket to see off the opener.
But the real horror began after lunch, when Johnson tore in from the Cathedral End like some fast-bowling banshee to blow the
England middle order away.
In the space of one extraordinary over he had debutant Ben Stokes trapped lbw on review for one, Prior caught behind after being roughed up with two short ones and Broad bowled behind his legs the very next ball.
Graeme Swann survived the hat-trick ball at the start of Johnson's next over but then swiped at a wide one to be brilliantly caught by Michael Clarke at second slip for seven.

Next into the mincing machine was Anderson, bowled for a golden duck and given a fierce send-off by the close fielders as he departed, head bowed.

In five and a half overs Johnson had taken six wickets, England losing six for 24 either side of lunch. Johnson leaves England in disarray

Alone amid the wreckage stood Bell, who went on the attack with only Monty Panesar for company and raced past his half century as Johnson was rested.
But when the fast bowler was recalled to the attack, he bowled the brave Panesar to leave England adrift in a sea of scorn.
As Australia looked for quick runs, Anderson had Rogers caught behind for two and Shane Watson taken in the gully for a duck before Panesar bowled Clarke with a beauty that drifted and turned.
But the pugnacious Warner (83 not out) and Steve Smith (23 not out) saw them to the close at 132-3 to leave their side in total control.

India could be kicked out of Olympics

LAUSANNE: India faces the ultimate sanction of being kicked out of the Olympic movement unless it keeps corruption-tainted officials out of its ranks, IOC president Thomas Bach said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Bach said the IOC is prepared to withdraw recognition of the Indian Olympic Association if it fails to comply with "rules of good governance" by Tuesday, a punishment that would leave the world's second most populous nation out of all Olympic competitions.

"It's about the principles," Bach said. "Good governance for the IOC is a key issue. We need to be strict and to make sure the rules of good governance are being applied."

If India is thrown out, it would be the first time a country has been kicked out of the Olympic movement since South Africa was expelled for its racial segregation policies more than 40 years ago.

The Indian Olympic body is scheduled to meet Sunday in New Delhi to consider amending its constitution to meet the IOC's directive. If there is no breakthrough, the International Olympic Committee executive board is set to recommend "de-recognition" of the Indian committee at its meeting on Tuesday in Lausanne.

"`We will see if there is any last-moment movement," Bach said. "If not, then we have to consider to take the next step."

The IOC suspended the Indian body a year ago because of government interference in its election process. While many of the issues have been resolved since then, the Indians have yet to agree to the IOC demand to bar officials who have been charged with a criminal offense - an impasse which has led to the final ultimatum.

"The (Olympic) charter is clear," Bach said. "If the suspension leads to no solution, then further steps could be withdrawal of recognition."

It would be the first major ruling of the IOC board under Bach, who was elected president on Sept. 10, succeeding Jacques Rogge. Bach is the former president of Germany's national Olympic committee.

The IOC executive board could take a preliminary decision on withdrawing recognition of India. A final ruling would go to the full IOC, which next meets in Sochi, Russia, in early February on the eve of the 2014 Winter Olympics.

"Withdrawal of recognition would mean there is no NOC (National Olympic Committee) any more in India," Bach said. " That means no participation, no subsidies."

Under the current suspension, the Indian body has stopped receiving IOC funding and its officials have been banned from attending Olympic meetings and events. India's athletes are barred from competing in Olympic events under their national flag.

Stripping India completely of IOC recognition would leave the country without any Olympic involvement. It would keep Indian athletes out of the Olympics and related events such as the Asian Games. Other international federations could also follow suit.

The IOC has given athletes from suspended nations the chance to compete as individuals under the Olympic flag. It's unclear what options could be open to Indian athletes if their Olympic body is expelled.

"In the Olympics we would have to see whether we would find individual solutions, but they could in no way represent India," Bach said. "We always want to protect the interest of the athletes. We have to consider a way. I cannot tell you what the result will be."

The IOC said India has three athletes, including two skiers and a luger, who have qualified for the Sochi Games. Sanctions would hurt more for the Summer Olympics, which will next be held in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. India's participation could also be affected for the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, from Sept. 19-Oct. 4.

The IOC has been involved in back-and-forth discussions with India for months. The main issue stems from last year's election of IOA secretary-general Lalit Bhanot, who had been jailed for 10 months in a corruption case related to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

The IOC has told the Indian body that anyone charged with an offense by Indian police should be barred from holding office. The Indians have proposed that the directive be limited to barring only those found guilty and sentenced to a jail term of two or more years by a court.

"This is the only remaining point." Bach said. "It's about good governance and nothing else at this moment. All the other issues have been solved in cooperation with the NOC, with the government."

The IOC formally expelled South Africa from the Olympics in 1970. The country, which had last competed at the 1960 Olympics, returned to the fold at the 1992 Barcelona Games.

In recent years, the IOC suspended the national Olympic bodies of Kuwait, Ghana and Panama for political interference, but all were later reinstated.

Imran Khan says sachin is lucky

NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan on Saturday said recently-retired Indian batting icon Sachin Tendulkar was lucky to have never faced the ferocious West Indies pace attack of '70 and '80s.

While delivering a lecture on leadership at an All India Management Association function here, Imran said facing the likes of Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Joel Garner, Malcolm Marshall and Colin Croft was a huge task.

In fact, Imran pointed out that some fine talent was forced to be on the bench because the frontliners were irreplaceable.

"There was Sylvester Clark, who used to be on the bench mostly but on a rebel tour of South Africa, he demolished the opposition single-handedly," Imran said.

"My friend, the poor guy, Sunny Gavaskar bore the brunt of the West Indian fast-bowling attack. Sachin is very lucky that he didn't face them," he added.

Tendulkar retired recently after playing international cricket for nearly a quarter of century, notching up most of the batting records to be rated as the greatest of modern era.

India vs South Africa ODI series 2013

JOHANNESBURG: India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said that "getting used to the pace and bounce" in South African conditions will be the biggest challenge for his young team, which is here to play three ODIs and two Tests.

"One of the big challenges is to get used to the pace and bounce. If you are just new to the international circuit, then it becomes more of a challenge. The reason being, in India even on the best of wickets you don't get the same pace, or even bowlers who can generate similar pace and bounce.

"So it makes slightly more difficult for the players who have just made their debut in the international arena," Dhoni told reporters at the pre-match press conference on Wednesday.

He, though, also believed that there are some players who have had international experience.

"But at the same time there are few players (in the side) who have been playing for the last few seasons and have had a decent outing all over the world. When you come to the same venue, you know how the situation or condition will be, and it gives an edge to adapt quickly. At the end of the day experience always counts."

Young they may be, but this Indian lot is also very enthusiastic about their cricket. And now, they will be raring to take on the challenge of facing against some of the best fast bowlers in world cricket.

The battle then essentially will be between Indian batsmen and South Africa bowlers, and how they cope up with the likes of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander will be intriguing to say the least.

"Strategies have always been formed against batsmen. Batsmen form their own strategies to counter bowlers' plans. The real challenge is how you are able to change your game and adapt as per different conditions. More important than strategies is who scores more runs and takes more wickets," said Dhoni.

That, again, brings up the topic of the Indian bowling, the same deemed 'weak' by his counterpart.

"It is important how you exploit conditions," he replied, when pointed out.

"It's not important if you have the best bowlers. I think we have done pretty well. There have been ups and downs. We have really struggled when there is dew on the field or the wickets are really flat surfaces. That's an area where our bowlers haven't done outstandingly well," Dhoni said.

"But if there is help for them, fast bowlers or spinners, they have made use of it and done well. So we are happy with how they have done, quite happy with both ups and downs."

Although Dhoni admitted that he hadn't seen the pitch, early on A B de Villiers had talked about the amount of grass on it. If some of it stays there come tomorrow, even the hosts will be wary of the threat Indian bowlers can pose. Both captains have candidly agreed that saving wickets early on, for an attack in the death overs, is the safest bet.

"Irrespective of where you are playing, wickets in hand always get you good runs in last 8-10 overs. In subcontinents, the wickets slow down and sometimes it is difficult to for the new batsmen to come in and play shots. In those circumstances, we have not been able to get par-plus scores.

"If there is good pace and bounce, we have seen that generally batsmen can get runs in the last 8-10 overs, and they add on to the par-plus score," said Dhoni.

"South Africa is one place where I believe a lot depends on how the conditions are, how the wickets are prepared, and whether it is overcast or a bright sunny day when wickets can be very good for batting. A lot will depend on what the circumstances are on that day," he added.

It is a fact that India go into this ODI rubber as the world's number one side. It is also a fact that they have never won a bilateral series in South Africa, and their record in the ODIs is poor as well.

"It is not about favourites. The poor record wasn't on my mind, but there have been instances, where we had an opportunity to win the series, but we didn't cash in on it. So, what is important is how you play cricket on that particular day. We have seen that in ODIs, you need to get off to a good start. With two new ball rule and especially if conditions favour the fast bowlers, it is important how you play the first ten overs. Having wickets in hand, cashing in on the last 15 overs to get par plus score and then how you defend it. It all depends on how you play and the kind of impact individuals have on that day."

Dhoni's words seemed to suggest that India weren't too flustered about batting first or second. South Africa's recent chase-record, losing seven of their last eight matches, could be tempting. Or, they could instead bowl first and chase themselves, something the Indian batsmen have done with great aplomb recently.

"We are working on our strengths in batting and bowling, and accordingly we will try to make the most of it. If we don't have bowlers who don't bowl at 145 or 150 km/h then there is no point thinking about pace and bounce.

"But if you have someone who can swing the ball, then we will make the most of conditions here with two new balls, try to get wickets in first ten overs and that can have an impact on the game."

"We have won a few games where we haven't scored a lot of runs. At the same time we have won quite a few games where we have scored 350 while chasing.

"In the past one year if you see, we have equal instances of players chasing down over 300 runs and at the same time defending something close to 150 (number of overs were reduced). So, to say which a better pick is, I cannot say," Dhoni opined.

All in all, this has all the makings of a tasty, keenly contested affair, although a shortened one.

"Whenever we have played South Africa, it has been a tough series and you hardly see any individuals crossing the line. We have a lot of love and respect for them. We hope they continue with their same (poor) form, but it is their home conditions, so they will definitely be ready.

"Only thing in a three match series is that it becomes difficult if a team lags behind and loses the first game. Then there is extra pressure on the team that loses the first game," Dhoni signed off.

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has won this year's ICC People's Choice Award 2013

MUMBAI: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has won this year's ICC People's Choice Award, thus becoming only the second Indian cricketer to win the coveted prize after just-retired Sachin Tendulkar.

Dhoni has now become only the third cricketer to win this award after Tendulkar, who was the first-ever recipient in 2010, and Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, who won it in 2011 and 2012.

Other nominees for this year's ICC People's Choice Award were Australia's Michael Clarke, England's Alastair Cook, India's Virat Kohli, and South Africa's AB de Villiers.

BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel received the award from Howard Lee, Director Home Entertainment, LG Electronics India Pvt Ltd, on behalf of Dhoni, who is currently in South Africa with the India cricket team.

The award, which was introduced at the 2010 ICC Awards in Bengaluru, was voted upon by close to 188,000 cricket fans around the world. The voting opened on November 2 and closed at midnight on November 23, an ICC statement said.

The short list was nominated by an elite panel of cricket experts, which is headed by ICC Cricket Committee Chairman and former India captain Anil Kumble. Other members of the panel are England's Alec Stewart, New Zealand's Catherine Campbell, Pakistan's Waqar Younis and South Africa's Graeme Pollock.

The five players were nominated by the panel using the criteria set out by LG and the ICC.

This dictated that the nominees should have displayed some of the attributes regarded by LG as being in line with its corporate qualities such as innovation, dynamism, strength in decision-making, performing well under pressure and executing a plan to distinction, the statement read.

On winning the People's Choice award, Dhoni said: "This is one of the awards that has given me tremendous satisfaction, since it comes from the key stakeholders of the game - the fans.

"Recognition from the people who support and encourage us day in and day out, only inspires me to put in that much more, and go the extra mile for them. I would like to thank all those people who have voted in my favour," he added.

Cristiano Ronaldo to open museum

Lisbon:  Footballing legend Cristiano Ronaldo said on Tuesday he is opening a museum dedicated to himself on the Portuguese island where he was born.

The 28-year-old Real Madrid player will use the museum to showcase memorabilia from his hugely successful career, which began in the 1990s on the island of Madeira.

Ronaldo said he would be there in person on December 15 for the opening of the museum in Madeira's capital Funchal, which will showcase memorabilia including footballs, photographs and trophies.

He was speaking in Madeira, where he had travelled with his mother and young son, Cristiano Ronaldo Jr, to finalise plans for the opening.

One of the world's footballing greats, Ronaldo began his career with the small tourist island's local club FC Andorinha, where his father worked.

He moved to Lisbon aged 12 and was picked up by Sporting Portugal, launching his international career when he signed with Manchester United at the age of just 18.

Asked by local media in Madeira about his chances of picking up the Ballon D'Or 2013, which he is tipped to win, he would only say that a space has been reserved in case of success.

Ronaldo took the Ballon D'Or in 2008, but has since lost out three times to his arch-rival, the Argentinian Lionel Messi.