India begin on winning note
India started their campaign at the under-21 Singapore International Hockey Challenge 2007 for men with a 11-0 win over Hong Kong, reports PTI from New Delhi.
In their next match in Pool ‘B’, India will take on arch-rivals Pakistan on Saturday. Hosts Singapore, Australia and Malaysia are in Pool ‘A’ of the six-nation tournament.
PCB to study IPL model
A Pakistan Cricket Board official will visit India to study the model of BCCI’s Indian Premier League (IPL), set to be launched next year, reports PTI from Karachi.
PCB Director, Marketing and Communications, Ehsan Hameed Malik will attend a couple of presentations to be made by the IPL organisers in a bid to help the PCB launch its own league.
“We are planning to launch our own league as soon as possible and believe that a lot could be learnt from the IPL project,” Malik was quoted as saying by ‘The News’ on Thursday.
Drogba set to leave Chelsea
Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba has said he wants to quit Chelsea, three years after joining the Premier League club, reports Reuters from Paris.
"I want to leave Chelsea. Something is broken with the club," Drogba told the France Football magazine.
The 29-year-old, who has scored 43 Premier League goals for the west London side, was one of the players most affected by Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho's departure last month.
The coach, who led Chelsea to back-to-back league titles in 2005 and 2006, has been replaced by Israel's Avram Grant.
UEFA to review ban on Dida
European soccer's governing body UEFA will review the two-match Champions League ban handed to AC Milan goalkeeper Dida at a special appeals hearing on Monday, reports Reuters from Zurich.
UEFA confirmed receipt of Milan's appeal against the ban on Thursday and said its independent appe-als body would consider the case ahead of next we-ek's action.
Dida was controversially punished after appearing to feign injury following a slap round the neck by a Celtic fan during Milan's 2-1 defeat by the Scottish champions at Celtic Park on October 3.
Tara crashes out of doubles
Tara Iyer’s title hopes were crushed as she lost a tough doubles semifinal match in the $25000 ITF women’s event at Gympie, Australia, on Thursday, reports PTI from New Delhi. Tara and Thailand’s Nungnadda Wannasuk, went down 7-6 (7-2), 6-7 (3-7), 5-10 to third seeds Monique Adamczak and Jade Curtis.
Karnataka take huge lead
Off-spinner Ryan Ninan took four for 27, and Gaurav Dhiman (55) and skipper Raju Bhatkal (50 struck half-centuries, as Karnataka took a massive first-innings lead over Kerala on day two of their South Zone U-22 league tie for the Col CK Nayudu Trophy at the Ukku stadium in Visakhapatnam, reports DHNS.
Put in, Kerala were dismissed for 120 and Karna-taka amassed 324 for a lead of 204. At close on Thursday, Kerala were nine for no loss in their second knock.
Brief scores: Kerala: 120 all out in 54.5 overs (Raju Bhatkal 2-22, Ryan Ninan 4-27, Nikhil Kashyap 3-19) and 9/0 in 2.1 overs vs Karnataka: 324 all out in 110 overs (V Cheluvaraj 28, Gaurav Dhiman 55, Amit Verma 34, Raju Bhatkal 50, Keshav Chitta 39, Nikhil Kashyap 43; Manu MP 2-38, Shiju VS 2-91, S Anish 4-80).
Henry sets new French record
Thierry Henry overtook Michel Platini to set a new French scoring record with both goals in his team’s 2-0 win over Lithuania in European Championship qualifying. Henry scored in the 79th and 80th minutes to increase his tally to 43 goals in 96 games, two more than Platini. The retired playmaker scored his goals in only 72 matches.
