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Welcome to The Trawler, your weekly submersion through the teeming waters of life in the Championship, League One and League Two. You might be surprised what you find down there.

Big Sam’s grand slam

In the end, Big Sam would not be denied his “told you so” moment. Ricardo Vaz Te’s late winner saw West Ham to play-off glory against Blackpool at Wembley, and delivered on Allardyce’s many promises to take the Hammers back to the Premier League at his first attempt.

For Allardyce, the success was a euphoric culmination of a trying first season at Upton Park, in which his tactics have frequently come under fire from both the media and the club’s fans. But there’s nothing like winning to put all that kind of talk on the backburner. And there’s nothing like winning the so-called “richest game on earth” to stick it to your detractors, and then some.

“You get criticised everywhere in this game,” Allardyce said. “It is only a small minority but they make themselves heard. I know the vast majority of West Ham fans have been behind us all season because we have been winning games.

“At the end of the day, we have lost one game in 2012. If you cannot celebrate that, I don’t know what you can celebrate.”

Meanwhile, Blackpool manager Ian Holloway channelled his frustrations at UK Anti-Doping officers, after they called for urine tests from Kevin Phillips and Barry Ferguson in the aftermath of his team’s defeat. According to reports, Holloway told them: ‘Don’t give me that bull****. Your rules are just so much bull****. Use your discretion. I want all my players in one room now.”

Luton lose again

Luton fans will be hard to console this week. Their team will spend another season in the non-league ranks after losing in the Conference play-off final, 2-1 to York City. It’s the third season in a row the Hatters have been jilted in the play-offs, and the fact York’s winner was scored from an offside position won’t make it easier to bear.

For York, the victory signalled a return to the Football League after eight years in the wilderness.

West Brom want Hughton

Reports suggest Birmingham manager Chris Hughton will be approached about taking over at Premier League side West Brom this week, following the elevation of Baggies boss Roy Hodgson to England manager.

Hughton was interviewed by West Brom last season, and while he was beaten to the job by Hodgson it appears he did enough to keep him in their thinking.

Di Canio corner

With Paolo Di Canio, there’s always something to write about. This week we’ve got the FA investigating a claim he racially abused on-loan striker Jonathan Tehoue – an allegation Di Canio emphatically denies.

Swindon are said to be backing their manager, but some reports suggest he’s ready to leave the club – perhaps even the country – if the matter isn’t cleared up swiftly.

All too predictably talk has begun as to where he might go next if he stays in England. The Daily Express suggest Brighton, Swansea and West Ham could all be interested, should they lose their current bosses over the summer.

All Rhodes

Jordan Rhodes’ goals have been the defining factor of Huddersfield’s run to the League One play-off final this Saturday (May 26). The big question now, is whether Rhodes can deliver in what is arguably the most important match of his career so far?

Sheffield United will be Huddersfield’s opponents at Wembley, with Rhodes looking to improve on his hugely impressive haul of 40 goals from 44 appearances in all competitions this season.

Meanwhile, United defender Nick Montgomery is desperate to avoid a third defeat in his third play-off final with the Blades. “We’re definitely due a victory in a play-off final,” Montgomery said. “Hopefully for me it’s going to be third time lucky but we know we haven’t won anything yet.”

Last call

The final game of the 2011-12 Football League season will see Crewe take on Cheltenham in the League Two play-off final on Sunday (May 27).

Crewe will go into the game unbeaten in 18 matches under Steve Davis, but with a young squad who could potentially be overawed by the occasion. “We might go to Wembley in midweek and acclimatise ourselves to the stadium rather than do that on the day,” Davis said. “Then we can get all the mouths wide open and thinking ‘Oh My God’ out of the way.”

If the occasion wasn’t big enough for the Davis family, Steve’s son Harry is set to line up in Crewe’s defence on Sunday.

New BBC deal

The BBC has announced its ‘Football League Show’ – showcasing highlights from the Championship, League One and League Two – will continue to air on Saturday nights for at least another three seasons.

Here’s a statement from the Football League’s Chief Commercial Officer, Richard Heaselgrave: “In a short period of time The Football League Show has become an institution amongst supporters of our 72 clubs, more than a million of whom tune in every week for the comprehensive coverage the show delivers. We are therefore delighted that it will be continuing for a further three seasons.”

By H Natarajan

There cannot be much debate about the fact that the Indian Premier League (IPL) attracts the finest cricketing talent in the world. Each and every team in the world’s premier T20 league has men who can dramatically alter the course of a game in a matter of few balls that creates spectacular finishes.

To select a Dream XI from such outrageous talent pool is like stepping into shark-infested waters!

The vast majority of the eleven that I picked comprises players turned out to be players of proven quality in Test cricket. It just goes to show that a good Test player can be good in the shorter versions of the game; the opposite may not necessarily be true as some of the champions in the abridged version have been totally lost in Test cricket.

Openers

If one goes through the top run-getters at the end of the league stage of the fifth edition of the IPL, the top five slots are all occupied by openers – Chris Gayle (733 runs @61.08), Shikhar Dhawan (569 runs @40.64), Ajinkya Rahane (560 runs @40.00), Gautam Gambhir (556 runs @ 39.71 and Virender Sehwag 484 runs @ 37.23). Sehwag played 14 matches – one less than the four above him in the runs tally table.

The dangerous David Warner could have been among the top run-getters, but he was available only for the last six games in which he scored 246 runs @ 49.20.

Selecting two from such dexterous destroyers was an onerous task. Gayle walks into the eleven as my first choice opener. There is no batsman in T20 cricket who is feared as much as the Jamaican who can turn around games in a matter of few overs with his inimitable hitting. His tally of 59 sixes in IPL 2012 is 30 more than the men sharing the No 2 spot – Kevin Pietersen and Craig White with 20 each! The fact that Gayle is a handy bowler and a brilliant fielder further supports his case.

I toyed with the idea of having someone who can also play the waiting game for a team fully of stroke-makers. I pondered over Gambhir and Rahane – for long the Orange Cap holder – for this role. But in the end, it was a difficult choice to opt between Warner and Sehwag. Clearly the two men closest – if one can dare to use that word – to Gayle’s furious intent with the bat. Sehwag was in awesome form in the league phase, slamming five half-centuries in a row – a T20 record. But Warner was also in imperious form, with his 54-ball unbeaten 109 (10 fours, 7 sixes, SR 201.85) against Deccan Chargers being the pick. His strike rate was 172.02 in the six matches he has played thus far this season. He hit 13 sixes in these six games is much higher than Sehwag’s 19 sixes from 13 games.

My choice of the two openers is thus Chris Gayle and David Warner.

The Middle-order

Yet again one had pick from a large field. It’s not easy to leave out men like Steve Smith, Rohit Sharma, JP Duminy, Owais Shah, Ambati Rayudu and Craig White, to name a few. But my choices for Numbers Three to Number Six were: Shane Watson, Kevin Pietersen, AB de Villiers and David Hussey.

Like Warner, Watson was available only after Australia’s tour of the West Indies. But like Warner, Watson was an instant hit. He averaged 42.50 from his seven games and had a fabulous strike-rate 151.78. He also gives the side the option of an additional all-rounder and back-up opener. But in this eleven he takes the pivotal No 3 slot.

Pietersen had a great IPL before he left home to do duty for England against the touring West Indies. He scored 305 runs @ 61.00. His strike rate was 147.34 and his best was an unbeaten 103 off 64 balls.

At No 5 would be AB de Villiers. If there is one player who has left a huge impression in this edition for turning the complexion of matches quite dramatically with innovative hitting, then it has to be de Villiers. His 17-ball unbeaten 47 against Deccan Chargers and his sensational assault against the world’s most feared fast bowler, Dale Steyn, will be part of IPL folklore. AB de Villiers scored 319 at the average of almost 40 and a strike rate of 161-plus. His presence also eliminates the need of a specialist keeper.

At No 6 would be Keiron Pollard, who scored over Azhar Mahmood, Dwayne Bravo, Kevon Cooper and Jacques Kallis as multi-utility players. Pollard would be the floater in the line-up. Like his fellow-West Indian Chris Gayle, Pollard has a reputation for tearing any attack. His 200-plus runs came at 145-plus. He was Mumbai Indians’s second highest wicket-taker (15) and enhanced his worth with his electric fielding. But it was a close call between him and Dwayne Bravo and Azhar.

At No 7 would be David Hussey – a quiet, unsung hero. Hussey has a reputation of being one of the finest T20 players in the world, but in this edition of the IPL he also showed why he should be rated among the best captains as well, by filling in brilliantly for the injured Adam Gilchrist while leading Kings XI Punjab. Hussey was an oasis of calm and brilliant in his execution of plans to make Punjab a force to reckon with. Coming late in the order he played many cameos to finish with almost 400 runs at the strike rate of 129.83.

The fast bowlers

The pacemen take the next three slots in the eleven. Morne Morkel, Lasith Malinga, Dale Steyn, Munaf Patel, Vinay Kumar, Parwinder Awana, Umesh Yadav, Ashok Dinda and Zaheer Khan came in the reckoning. In the end, it was Morne Morkel who took the first slot by topping the wicket-takers’ list at the end of the league phase – 25 at an average of 16.64 and a strike-rate of 14.1

Malinga, without doubt the most difficult T20 bowler to face and especially at the death, took the second slot. His 22 wickets put him just behind Morne Morkel. He struck once every 14 balls.

But if there was one fast bowler who left the biggest impression in this IPL, it was Steyn, who finished with 18 wickets at 15.83 and an economy rate of 6.10. Clearly, there was too much on his plate playing for a weak side like Deccan Chargers.

The spinner

The last slot will be for a spinner. In contention were Sunil Narine, Muttiah Muralitharan, Brad Hogg, Piyush Chawla, Amit Mishra and Shaikb al Hasan. Quite clearly, Sunil Narine towered over his rivals. He walks into the side. No batsman could claim to have read his mystery wares as he ended with 22 wickets – the second highest. His economy rate of 5.14 and strike rate of 13.9 speaks volumes for his prowess. Twice he took four wickets or more with a best of five for 19.

It’s only on finishing picking my eleven I realised that not a single Indian figures in the list. But that should not be a reflection of the Indian talent on display in the ongoing IPL as a number of players like Sehwag, Gambhir, Rohit, Dhawan, to name just a few, were strong contenders.

1. Chris Gayle (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

2. David Warner (Delhi Daredevils)

3. Shane Watson (Rajasthan Royals)

4. Kevin Pietersen (Delhi Daredevils)

5. AB de Villiers (Royal Challengers Bangalore – wicket-keeper)

6. Kieron Pollard (Mumbai Indians)

7. David Hussey (Kings XI Punjab – Captain)

8. Morne Morkel (Delhi Daredevils)

9. Dale Steyn (Deccan Chargers)

10. Lasith Malinga (Mumbai Indians)

11. Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders)

The above XI comprises three Australians, three South Africans, three West Indians, one Englishman and one Sri Lankan. The eleven comprises three from Delhi Daredevils, two from Royal Challengers Bangalore, two from Mumbai Indians, one each from Rajasthan Royals, Kings XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders and Deccan Chargers. The only team missing out is Pune Warriors, though Steve Smith lost very narrowly to Hussey, whose captaincy made the difference in the end.

The eleven I have picked gives tremendous options to the captain. There are three specialist fast bowlers – Steyn, Morkel and Malinga – and one spinner in Narine. There is quality support in the form of Pollard and Watson as the fifth and sixth bowlers. Besides, the likes of Pietersen, Gayle and Hussey are more than useful back-up bowlers.

This is the kind of team that could post a 250-plus total and restrict the opposition to a sub-100 total. And that’s why it’s called a Dream Team!

(H Natarajan, formerly All India Deputy Sports Editor of the Indian Express and Senior Editor with Cricinfo/Wisden, is the Executive Editor of CricketCountry.com. A prolific writer, he has written for many of the biggest newspapers, magazines and websites all over the world. A great believer in the power of social media, he can be followed on Facebook at facebook.com/H.Natarajan and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/hnatarajan)

Article source: http://www.cricketcountry.com/cricket-articles/Indian-Premier-League-2012-A-Dream-XI-from-a-vast-wealth-of-talent/14856

The Premier League enjoyed one of its more memorable seasons in 2011-2012. Selecting a league best starting eleven was not an easy task. Consistency and durability weighed heavier than reputation and flashes of brilliance. After much thought, here is my first team with subs:

GOALKEEPER

Wojciech Szczęsny, Arsenal – goalie is probably the toughest position to judge, but Szczęsny was outstanding all season, despite The Gunners up and down campaign. He was a major reason Arsenal recovered from a brutal start to finish in the top three. A brave and confident keeper at age 22, Szczęsny’s best days are surely ahead of him.

LEFT BACK

Leighton Baines, Everton – neither flashy nor emotional, Baines just goes about his business being a first class defender. Strong on the ball and a tireless worker, he is also deadly on set pieces. Rarely makes mistakes, and will only get better. A strong threat to unseat Ashley Cole for England at the European Championships next month.

CENTER BACK

Vincent Kompany, Man City – the heart and soul of The Blues’ title-winning campaign. The no-nonsense Belgian kept the club together through turmoil, and was the driving force behind the team conceding only 29 goals from 38 games. His match-winning header against Man Utd in April arguably was the most important goal in club history.

CENTER BACK

Fab Coloccini, Newcastle – the talented Magpie captain finally put it all together this year and had a fantastic season. He was the driving force behind Newcastle’s surprising 5th place finish, displaying classy ball skills and a steady nerve at the back. I expect the 30-year old Argentine on this list for at least a few more years.

RIGHT BACK

Kyle Walker, Tottenham – only just turned 22, Walker is the prototype modern-day right back. He is strong and quick, and his pace down the flank is a nightmare for EPL opponents. Only injuries will keep him from being England’s first-choice RB for the next ten years, and he hasn’t even reached his full potential yet.

LEFT WING

Juan Mata, Chelsea – the diminutive Spaniard has also played a bit up front, but I like his playmaking in the midfield. Like many of his fellow countrymen, his technical skill and vision set him apart. Second in the EPL in assists (13), Mata also scored 6 goals and should be at the heart of the attack at Stamford Bridge for years to come.

CENTRAL MIDFIELD

Scott Parker, Tottenham – his role in this team is one he is familiar with–holding midfielder. The Spurs hard man is tough on the tackle and has an incredible box-to-box work rate. Although he is limited technically and can be a bit too aggressive, Parker was consistently the best at his role in the EPL this year.

CENTRAL MIDFIELD

Clint Dempsey, Fulham – no longer just a good American footballer, Deuce has risen to a level on par with the elite midfielders in the EPL. Cottagers manager Martin Jol deployed Dempsey on both wings and up front this season, but for us he is the attacking midfielder. His combination of vision, creativity, and first-class finishing led to 17 goals and 6 assists in the EPL this season.

RIGHT WING

David Silva, Man City – can play anywhere in the midfield. A magician with the ball, and possesses the uncanny ability to make the impossible pass seem routine. A joy to watch, and probably the best midfielder in England this season. Led the EPL with 15 assists and chipped in with 6 goals.

CENTER FORWARD

Robin Van Persie, Arsenal – a dynamic season for RVP, as he finally stayed healthy and delivered stunning displays on what seemed like a weekly basis. Skilled on the ball, clever with a pass, and a clinical finisher in the box with both feet. He led the EPL with 30 goals, and had a goal or an assist in 28 of 38 matches. Arsenal would be wise to tie him up long-term immediately.

STRIKER

Wayne Rooney, Man Utd – it was another great season for Rooney, this time to the tune of 27 goals in 32 games started. His passing also seemed to reach another level this year, and his ability to create chances for others has never been better. Still only 26, Wazza has many more great years ahead of him.

BENCH

G – Tim Krul, Newcastle – the underrated Dutchman kept 15 clean sheets, and had several spectacular saves.

D – Branislav Ivanovic, Chelsea – he can play anywhere in the back effectively, and had several great crosses for goals. He even chipped in with a few important goals himself.

D – Ashley Cole, Chelsea – entering the twilight of his career, but was still dangerous going forward and tough on the tackle.

M – Yaya Touré, Man City – toughest omission from the first team. Outstanding all season and a commanding presence in midfield for the champions.

M – Gareth Bale, Tottenham – not the rampaging force that took the football world by storm in 2010-2011, but still solid enough of a season to make this team off the bench.

F – Sergio Agüero, Man City – any other season, he is a first-team choice. 23 goals and some sublime passes marked his EPL debut. That and a certain injury-time winner that stamped him as a City legend forever.

F – Grant Holt, Norwich City – this side needs a physical presence off the bench, and Holt fills that role. Fantastic in the air and strong on the ball, he scored 15 goals in only 24 starts for the Canaries.

Stats courtesy of espn soccernet.

Trevor Crovitz spent his middle childhood years living in England, where he fell in love with “The Beautiful Game”. He maintains his loyalty years later, and also enjoys basketball, football, and baseball. Follow him on his blog The Sports Cult, and on twitter: @tcrovitz.

More From This Contributor:

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Article source: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/english-premier-league-team-season-fans-opinion-033700752--sow.html

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Article source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1189584-west-ham-bold-predictions-for-their-return-to-the-premier-league

By
Sportsmail Reporter

PUBLISHED:

23:06, 20 May 2012

|

UPDATED:

23:56, 20 May 2012

Eden Hazard signed off for Lille by scoring a hat-trick on Sunday night – and then hinted he could be tempted by a move to Champions League winners Chelsea.

Hazard is wanted by the Blues, Manchester United and Premier League champions Manchester City, but despite admitting his agent has held talks with a number of clubs, he did not say which one he would move to.

The Belgian star was expected to choose between City and United, but Chelsea have made a late bid to sign the playmaker.

Three and easy: Eden Hazard celebrates a hat-trick for Lille

After his final game on Sunday night in which Lille beat Nancy 4-1, Hazard said about a possible move to Chelsea: ‘That’s possible. But until I pen to paper I won’t say where I’m going.

‘Of course it makes you think as Chelsea have won the Champions League.

‘They’re a big team and will be playing in the Champions League next season.’

He added: ‘They have great players and I always said I wanted to be playing. I think there is the possibility to play as well.’

Goodbye: Hazard signed off with a hat-trick

And ina post-match interview, he told Canal+: ‘My agent has met with Manchester, and with Chelsea, they both give good offers, and are both great clubs.

‘I don’t know. It’s not been finalised yet.’

Hazard’s agent was in London on Saturday according to reliable sources in France.

Chelsea expect a £30million fee for Lille’s 21-year-old attacking midfielder and the offer of a five-year deal will be successful.

Only City’s Yaya Toure is thought to earn more, at £270,000 a week.

Chelsea’s offer is one that even City’s Premier League title winning Roberto Mancini and his Abu Dhabi paymasters are reluctant to match as they try to reduce their losses to comply with UEFA’s financial fair play regulations.

Eden out: Which club will win the race to sign Hazard?

City are also in the hunt for Arsenal striker Robin van Persie and need to get stars like Carlos Tevez, Edin Dzeko and Emmanuel Adebayor off the wage bill before they can break the bank again.

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Article source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2147308/Eden-Hazard-keeps-Manchester-United-Manchester-City-Chelsea-guessing-future.html

Indian Premier League 5

Bangalore defeat puts Chennai into play-offs

HYDERABAD: Royal Challengers Bangalore faltered at the final hurdle, losing to Deccan Chargers by nine runs here on Sunday to leave them stranded on fifth and out of the Indian Premier League (IPL_ play-offs. Deccan, meanwhile, proved to be the saviours for Chennai Super Kings, winning their final two games against Rajasthan Royals and then Bangalore to help the defending champions sneak through by virtue of a better net run-rate.

Batting has been Bangalore’s strength throughout this tournament, but it failed them when it mattered the most. Instead it was an aggressive knock from JP Duminy that decided the match as he helped his side set a modest target of 133, which the bowlers, inspired by an unplayable Dale Steyn, managed to defend. In fact, Steyn, Amit Mishra and Ashish Reddy picked up key wickets at crucial moments, and Bangalore eventually managed only 123 for 9.

Still, it looked as if the chase would be an easy one for Bangalore when the in-form Chris Gayle (27) hammered Manpreet Gony for 24 runs in the second over. But Steyn provided the first turning point soon after, bowling a fiery bouncer to Gayle that evidently rattled the West Indian, because he was gone the next delivery, dragging the ball back on to his stumps trying to hit him over the park. Steyn then dismissed Tillakaratne Dilshan lbw in his next over, and when Saurabh Tiwary retired hurt in the sixth with a hamstring injury, Bangalore knew they had a game on their hands.

Tiwary had to return in the 10th over though, after Amit Mishra struck twice to put the home side on top. Duminy played his part by taking a leaping catch at cover to send back AB de Villiers (4), before Mayank Agarwal was bowled two balls later. At the halfway mark Bangalore were 57 for 4, and with a long tail to come, in big trouble.

Virat Kohli and Tiwary put on a brisk 46-run partnership to put their team back on track, and when Reddy conceded a four and a six in the 16th over, it looked as if Bangalore had turned a corner. However, Kohli was out at the end of that over, furious with himself as he was caught at long-on for 42. It proved to be a costly error as Steyn returned to bowl the 17th over, conceding just one run and picking up Zaheer Khan, to end with Man-of-the-Match figures of 3 for 8. And when Tiwary (30) crumbled under the pressure of the asking rate to fall to Veer Pratap Singh in the 19th over, the game was as good as over. Bangalore’s bowlers could not get the 14 runs they needed off the final over, Reddy finishing with 3 for 25, and Deccan took the eighth spot to leave Pune Warriors at the bottom of the table.

That they had a decent total to defend was largely possible only due to Duminy, who came to his team’s rescue after they were in doldrums for more than half the game. Having been put in to bat, Deccan lost Shikhar Dhawan – their topscorer in this campaign – to Zaheer at the end of the very first over. The umpires missed it and turned down the bowler’s appeal for an lbw, but the fielders pointed out that the ball had just dislodged a bail on its way through to send Dhawan on his way.

It got worse for the hosts after Vinay Kumar had Akshath Reddy caught behind in the fourth over, before Cameron White read Prasanth Parameswaran’s short-length delivery wrong and attempted a pull that only resulted in a simple catch for Agarwal at square leg. With the Bangalore bowlers keeping things tight and Deccan struggling on a pitch where the ball did not come on to the bat easily, runs were hard to come by and the score was a paltry 23 for 2 at the end of the Powerplay overs.

That became 53 for 4 at the end of 12 overs after skipper Kumar Sangakkara, attempting to up the run-rate, gave the charge to his fellow Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan and was caught at long-off for 15. However, Duminy remained steady at the other end, and with Parthiv Patel giving him company in a 71-run partnership, launched an attack on the otherwise disciplined Bangalore bowlers, to take his side to 132 for 7. His 53-ball 74 included 4 fours and 5 sixes, including three big ones off Muralitharan in an 18th over that cost 20 runs. Although he was out to a mistimed shot off a full toss off Zaheer in the next and Deccan managed only six runs off the final over, it proved to be enough in the end to help them avoid the wooden spoon and put a relieved Chennai through to the play-offs, while also confirming the third spot for Mumbai Indians. agencies

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Article source: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012%5C05%5C21%5Cstory_21-5-2012_pg2_8

They still hope to push through a deal for Ajax centre-back Jan Vertonghen but
Arsenal retain an interest and could now offer the certainty of Champions
League football next season.

The biggest danger for Tottenham, however, is with the existing squad amid the
threat of summer unrest and even an exodus among key players leaving White
Hart Lane.

Winger Gareth Bale remains of interest to Barcelona and has already said that
he would want to discuss his future if Spurs are not in the Champions
League.

Chelsea are likely to revive their interest in Luka Modric although Real
Madrid have also emerged as a plausible option for the midfielder.

Likewise, Benoit Assou-Ekotto has suggested that he would expect Tottenham to
consider an offer for him from a leading club.

Assou-Ekotto’s thoughts on the prospect of another season in the Europa League
were summed up by the defender’s recent description of the competition as
“useless”.

With his wage expectations in the absence of Champions League income, striker
Emmanuel Adebayor is another whose future could be influenced by Chelsea’s
penalty shootout win on Saturday.

Redknapp has repeatedly stated that Spurs must again improve the squad this
summer and, despite ultimately failing in the target of Champions League
qualification, is adamant that the season should be regarded as a success.

“I wanted to finish in the top four with Tottenham and I think it was a
fantastic achievement,” said Redknapp. “We couldn’t do any more.

“We finished above Chelsea, above Liverpool and getting in those top four
positions is getting more and more difficult.

“Chelsea are going to be there again next year, Liverpool are going to push as
will Newcastle. You have just got to improve and see if you can be up there.”

Staying still will now be an achievement in itself for Tottenham.

Article source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/tottenham-hotspur/9278484/Reality-bites-for-Tottenham-as-finishing-fourth-in-the-Premier-League-proves-futile.html

For Chelsea, winning its first Champions League title ever made Saturday the finest day in the club’s history.

But moving forward, it could have interesting implications for the team. And frankly, for the rest of the Premier League as well.

Will it affect the transfer window? Will jobs be kept or lost over the result?

Questions, so many questions. Let’s examine the possible answers.

Tottenham and Newcastle Are Left Behind

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

The most obvious result from Chelsea’s win is that Tottenham is now pushed out of Champions League qualification. Despite finishing fourth in the league, Chelsea’s victory gives them an automatic berth in next year’s tournament.

I guess you could consider the Spurs spurned in this case.

As for Newcastle, they’ve lost their automatic bid to play in the Europa League, as Tottenham earned that right. Neither side can be very pleased with Chelsea’s win yesterday.

Roberto Di Matteo Has Earned Another Season as Manager

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

But will he get it?

After taking over a floundering Chelsea team from Andre Villas-Boas in February, Di Matteo turned the tide and made this team into a Champions League winner. That should count for something, like another season at the helm.

Of course, the possibility remains that Di Matteo could actually remain as an interim skipper if Roman Abramovich has his eye on a bigger prize. From Rob Hughes of The New York Times:

Its grit and solidarity gave the boss what he paid for, even as he prepared to offload them. It is believed he is trying to persuade Pep Guardiola, champion of the Beautiful Game at Barcelona, to rebuild Chelsea.

One possible solution could be Guardiola’s embarking on the sabbatical he says he needs and Di Matteo’s staying with Chelsea, at least until next season is halfway through.

If that is a distinct possibility, it is worth pursuing for Chelsea. But if not, Di Matteo deserves another crack at leading Chelsea once more.

The Transfer Market

Handout/Getty Images

The core of Chelsea is rather old, with John Terry, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and Ashley Cole all on the wrong side of 30. Winning the Champions League title now gives the squad the opportunity to start shifting to the future now, its veteran players having reached the glory they sought.

Which means they should once again be major players in the transfer market.

They may have been regardless of the outcome—they are Chelsea, after all—but now they can boast the added incentive to transfer targets that they will once again be in Champions League play next season.

That gives them an added appeal over teams like Tottenham and Newcastle. And if Guardiola is destined for London, that’s just another selling point for a Chelsea team that needs to start looking to the future.

Don’t be surprised if the Blues look very different next season, and in the process, are major players in the transfer market.

Hit me up on Twitter—my tweets will gladly have another as well.

Article source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1189511-champions-league-final-2012-premier-league-implications-of-chelseas-win

Jaipur, May 21 — Dwayne Smith and Sachin Tendulkar shared the highest opening stand in the Indian Premier league (IPl) to propel Mumbai Indians to a 10-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals in the final league match of the T20 tournament here Sunday.

Smith smashed 87 off 58 balls while Tendulkar struck a fluent 58 off 51 as Mumbai overcame the target with 12 balls to spare. Medium pacer Dhawal Kulkarni (3/18) starred with the ball before his side cantered to a morale-boosting win ahead of its knock-out game against Chennai Super Kings in Bangalore Wednesday.

The 163-run partnership between the master blaster and Smith saw 16 fours besides three big ones coming from the bat of the West Indian. The memorable opening stand surpassed the effort of Chennai Super Kings’ Murali Vijay and Michael Hussey, who had made 159 against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 2011 edition.

While Mumbai had already qualified for the play-offs as the third-placed team, Royals were playing for pride after being eliminated from the competition.

Royals set-up a decent total to end their IPl-V campaign on a high but Tendulkar and Smith came up with a special performance to script Mumbai Indians’ victory.

Earlier, Royals blasted 56 off the last five overs to push the score beyond 150.

The in-form opening combination of Ajinkya Rahane (13) and Rahul Dravid (5) fell cheaply, leaving the team at 32 for two in 5.2 overs.

Star all-rounder Shane Watson (45) along with Stuart Binny (30) steadied the innings with a 53-run stand.

Watson was once again at his belligerent best, hitting fours and a couple of sixes in his 36-ball innings.

Binny too was impressive during his cameo. The highlight of his innings was hammering opposition skipper Harbhajan Singh for 22 runs in the 10th over.

Owais Shah chipped in with an unbeaten 28.

IANS

This article was distributed through the NewsCred Smartwire.

Original article © IANS / Daily News 2012

Article source: http://india.nydailynews.com/article/719a19432f846b4cc2cffdb712efa7e4/smith-tendulkar-shine-as-mumbai-indians-demolish-royals

By
Geetanjali Rai

PUBLISHED:

19:15, 20 May 2012

|

UPDATED:

19:15, 20 May 2012

BJP MP and former international cricketer Kirti Azad sat on a fast outside the Ferozeshah Kotla ground on Sunday, demanding that the popular but controversial Indian Premier League be scrapped.

‘I have a question. Shouldn’t there be transparency? There is too much politics in sports.

Ex-cricketer and MP Kirti Azad during a hunger strike outside the Kotla on Sunday

I only hope that there is some sportsmanship in politics,’ said the World Cup winning team member while addressing the gathering of cricket lovers outside the Kotla.

Azad said IPL should be closed as too many ‘illegalities’ were happening in it.

‘IPL I suppose is only entertainment, but we have money laundering, we have violation of foreign exchange, we have one player slapping another, there was a sting operation for spot fixing.

Now rape was left, that has also come in,’ he added.

‘As an MP, I have been demanding action against two senior DDCA (Delhi District Cricket Association) officials for committing forgery but the Delhi police is hesitant for some reasons to take action against the culprits for last one year,” he said.

‘Imagine the plight of the general public which is watching all these activities like betting and match-fixing helplessly.’

When asked to elaborate who these DDCA officials are, Azad said: “Even DDCA secretary Sneh Bansal has given Delhi police in writing that there is a clear cut case of forgery.

Now you go and ask Joint Commissioner Sandeep Goel about it.’ However, when Mail Today contacted Delhi Police (Economic Offences Wing) joint commission for his reaction, he said that ‘the investigation is at the final stage and action would be initiated if anyone is found guilty’.

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Article source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2147204/Azad-fasts-irregularities-Indian-Premier-League.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Enlarge Image

Deccan Chargers’ bowler Dale Steyn appeals for the wicket of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Tilakartne Dilshan during their Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match in Hyderabad, India, Sunday, May 20, 2012. The appeal was not allowed.(AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A)

HYDERABAD, India – South African Dale Steyn took three wickets for eight runs and led Deccan Chargers to a nine-run victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore, while Mumbai Indians warmed up for playoffs with a thumping 10-wicket win against Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League on Sunday.

The defeat knocked the Challengers out of the playoffs as defending champion Chennai Super Kings go through thanks to a superior run-rate after both teams finished with 17 points.

JP Duminy smashed 74 off 53 balls to lift the Chargers’ total to 132-7. Steyn removed the dangerous Chris Gayle (27) and Tillakaratne Dilshan in successive overs before clean bowling Zaheer Khan in his last over as the Challengers finished with 123-9.

Chargers ended up second from the bottom in the nine-team league with nine points from just four wins, 11 defeats and one no-result.

Gayle, who scored a century in the previous game against leaders Delhi Daredevils, gave his team another blistering start when he smashed three fours and two sixes in seamer Manpreet Singh’s first over of the innings.

However, Steyn struck twice in successive overs when first Gayle played onto a short pitched delivery and Tillakaratne Dilshan was out leg before wicket.

Legspinner Amit Mishra got two wickets in one over that reduced Challengers to 57-4 before stand-in captain Virat Kohli (42) and Saurabh Tiwari got the innings back on track with a 46-run stand.

Kohli hit seamer Ashish Reddy for a straight six but needlessly tried to repeat the shot off the next delivery and was caught at long on. Tiwari also came under pressure as the asking rate rose to more than 10 an over and the lefthander finally top edged Veer Pratap Singh in the 19th over to Kumar Sangakkara at midwicket.

“We could have played better shots, we did not play the right shots on that wicket,” Kohli said. “My wicket probably changed the game. We just need to learn from our mistakes and come back stronger next year.”

At Jaipur, Dwayne Smith and Sachin Tendulkar featured in a best ever IPL opening stand as Mumbai Indians raced to 163-0 in 18 overs after Royals made a decent 162-6.

Smith made unbeaten 87 off 58 balls with 10 fours and three sixes while Tendulkar scored 58 off 51 balls with six boundaries. However, both batsmen got some reprieve from sloppy Royals fielding, who dropped Smith twice and Shane Watson could not hold onto Tendulkar’s top edged sweep at backward square leg.

Mumbai Indians finished third with 20 points and will take on Chennai Super Kings in the eliminator on Wednesday.

Delhi Daredevils will meet Kolkata Knight Riders at Pune on Tuesday and the winner will qualify for the final. The loser will take on winner of Mumbai Indians-Chennai Super Kings game at Chennai on May 25 to qualify for May 27 final — also at Chennai.

___

Scores:

Deccan Chargers 132-7 (JP Duminy 74; Vinay Kumar 3-22) def. Royal Challengers Bangalore 123-9 (Virat Kohli 42, Saurabh Tiwari 30, Chris Gayle 27; Dale Steyn 3-8, Ashish Reddy 3-25, Amit Mishra 2-26).

Mumbai Indians 163-0 in 18 overs (Dwayne Smith 87 not out, Sachin Tendulkar 58 not out) def. Rajasthan Royals 162-6 (Shane Watson 45, Stuart Binny 30, Owais Shah 28 not out; Dhawal Kulkarni 3-18).

Article source: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/other/indian-premier-league-challengers-knocked-out-of-ipl-playoffs-after-loss-to-chargers-152202865.html

“It’s been an outstanding, thrilling season compared to where we came
from.

“This is a memory for life and we will enjoy it. You want to go up
automatically but if you don’t and you win the final then it’s a memory for
everyone for years and years to come.

“The delight you get out of winning at a venue like this, the trophy, the
medals, the celebrations, it’s an outstanding achievement.

“It’s bigger than anything else, other games played here are cup
competitions but this is everything, it’s about what’s happened over 10
months, not six or seven games.”

West Ham’s first victory at Wembley since 1980 was in the balance right up to
the final whistle as Blackpool, who were also hoping for a quick return to
the Premier League after last season’s relegation, dominated possession and
created a host of good chances.

After Blackpool winger Matt Phillips wasted two golden opportunities, Carlton
Cole put West Ham ahead in the 35th minute with a cool finish from Matt
Taylor’s superb pass.

But Allardyce was stunned shortly after the interval when Tom Ince showed he
has inherited his father Paul’s uncanny knack of irritating West Ham’s fans
when he equalised in the 48th minute.

The Blackpool winger, who was jeered by the Hammers supporters who never
forgave Ince senior for the manner in which he left the club some 23 years
ago, produced a fine finish from Phillips’ cross.

Alex Baptiste squandered a fine chance to win it for Blackpool and Vaz Te made
him pay in the 87th minute when he fired home from close-range to secure
West Ham a promotion worth between £45 million and £90 million.

“What a signing,” said Allardyce of Vaz Te, who arrived from
Barnsley in January.

“The goals he has scored are probably why I’m sat here now and back in
the Premier League. He deserves a lot of credit.”

Blackpool boss Ian Holloway, who rubbished reports linking him with Aston
Villa, claimed his side just didn’t get the rub of the green at the key
moments.

“The players certainly did me proud. Some things in life are harsh and it
certainly feels that way at the moment,” he said.

“They scored with their first chance and we had a couple better than
that.

“It was on a knife edge, it’s the spin of a coin and it’s dropped their
way so well done, good luck to them, we’ll dust ourselves down and start
again.”

Article source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/west-ham/9278162/West-Ham-securing-Premier-League-status-my-best-ever-achievement-says-Sam-Allardyce.html

The 2011-12 Premier League season has ended, but in several weeks many of the top Premier League sides will be playing friendly matches across North America on their pre-season tours, to help promote their clubs in the United States and Canada, as well as gaining much needed practice and training in the lead-up to the 2012-13 Premier League season that begins in August.

Here’s the latest list of Premier League clubs that will be touring the United States and Canada, including ticket information.

If you haven’t purchased your tickets yet, hurry and order them today before you’re disappointed. This is a golden opportunity to see these Premier League clubs in person.

Chelsea

Chelsea, 2012′s Champions of Europe, will be hitting the United States this summer with four high-profile friendlies, going from the far-flung corner of Washington State all the way down to Florida to finish their tour. This will not be one to miss.

• Wednesday, July 18, 2012 versus Seattle Sounders — CenturyLink Field, Seattle — 6:30pm PT — Order tickets.
• Sunday, July 22, 2012 versus Paris Saint-Germain — Yankee Stadium, New York — 7pm ET — Order tickets.
• Wednesday, July 25, 2012 versus MLS All-Star Team — PPL Park, Philadelphia — 8:30pm ET — Order tickets.
• Saturday, July 28, 2012 versus AC Milan — Sun Life Stadium, Miami — 6pm ET — Order tickets.

Liverpool

With a new manager and a new kit for next season, Liverpool supporters will be optimistic that next season will see more silverware being won by one of the most famous English football clubs in the world. This is the first time that Liverpool has played in North America since 2004. Don’t miss them this time!

• Saturday, July 21, 2012, versus Toronto FC — Rogers Centre, Toronto — 4pm ET — Order tickets.
• Wednesday, July 25, 2012, versus AS Roma – Fenway Park, Boston — 6:30pm ET — Order tickets.
• Saturday, July 28, 2012, versus Tottenham Hotspur — MT Bank Stadium, Baltimore — 1pm ET — Order tickets.

Tottenham Hotspur

After narrowly missing out on qualification for the Champions League, Tottenham will be very motivated to reach new heights next season. With a team of world-class players, the Lilywhites have the foundation to push on. Let’s see how they do in pre-season, in front of their very passionate and loyal supporters, to warm up for the new season.

• Tuesday, July 24, 2012, versus LA Galaxy — Home Depot Center, Carson, (CA) — 7:30pm PT — Order tickets.
• Saturday, July 28, 2012, versus Liverpool — MT Bank Stadium, Baltimore — 1pm ET — Order tickets.
• Tuesday, July 31, 2012, versus New York Red Bulls — Red Bull Arena, Harrison, (NJ) — 7pm ET — Order tickets.

Swansea City

One of the most entertaining teams of the 2011-12 Premier League season will be traveling from Wales to America for their first ever US tour. The attractive, free-flowing soccer from Swansea will be a delight to watch, as the Swans prepare for an important new season where the pundits will probably mention the sophomore curse about one hundred times!

• Tuesday, July 24, 2012, versus Colorado Rapids – Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City (CO) — 7pm MT — Order tickets.
• Tuesday, July 31, 2012, versus San Jose Earthquakes — Buck Shaw Stadium, San Jose — 7:30pm PT — Order tickets.

Stoke City

Stoke City has a lot of close ties to the United States including one of their board members owning a USL team in Florida, as well as an academy in the States. And now The Potters, who have one of the most vocal sets of supporters in the Premier League, will be touring the United States, coming soon to a city near you.

• Tuesday, July 24, 2012, versus Columbus Crew — Crew Stadium, Columbus — 7:30pm ET — Order tickets.
• Wednesday, August 1, 2012, versus Sporting Kansas City — Livestrong Park, Kansas City — 7:30pm CT — Order tickets.

Aston Villa

Aston Villa will have a new manager and probably a more attacking style of soccer by the time they come to the United States on tour in July. With American owner Randy Lerner in charge, it’ll be a good test for Villa to see how they do against three strong MLS sides especially given the poor season Villa had under Alex McLeish in 2011-12.

• Wednesday, July 18, 2012, versus Philadelphia Union — PPL Park, Philadelphia — 7:30pm ET — Order tickets.
• Saturday, July 21, 2012, versus Chicago Fire — Toyota Park, Chicago — 7:30pm CT — Order tickets.
• Tuesday, July 24, 2012, versus Portland Timbers — JELD-WEN Field, Portland — 7:30pm PT — Order tickets.

Article source: http://www.epltalk.com/2012-summer-tour-schedule-for-premier-league-clubs-visiting-usa-and-canada-42941

New Delhi: Australian captain Michael Clarke, who played for Pune Warriors in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League, believes the cash-rich tournament will sustain despite being marred by endless controversies.

The fifth edition of the league lost a bit of sheen with a television channel alleging that fixing of matches was rampant in the IPL.

If that was not enough Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner Shah Rukh Khan triggered a debate after being involved in a brawl with the Mumbai Cricket Association officials at the Wankhede stadium.

The dark spot got even bigger when Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Australian recruit Luke Pomersbach was charged of molesting an American national at the team hotel here.

However, Clarke termed these incidents as “unnecessary distractions” and said “it is cricket that will sustain the IPL going forward.”

“While what is happening isn’t very good for the tournament, I don’t think these things will have any lasting impact on the well-being of the tournament. As long as the standard of cricket played is of the highest standard, we will see the tournament gaining in strength in the years to come,” Clarke told a sports website

The 31-year-old, who recently got married to girlfriend and model Kyly Boldy, said the Twenty20 league will survive the onslaught because of the quality it provides.

“I am very clear that the IPL is what it is because of the cricket played for a month and a half. Fans just love to watch their cricket in India and with the very best in the world playing the IPL, they have come out in huge numbers to support the tournament.

“It is important that all of us realise this and get cricket back in focus as early as possible,” he insisted.

Clarke was also appreciative of the fact that IPL has strengthened the bond between the cricketers. “The best thing about the IPL is that it has helped improve relations between players a lot. It has done a great service to the game in this sense,” the cricketer said.

“Indian and Australian players now play with each other at the IPL and know each other really well. Even if there is a controversy when India and Australia are playing each other, the immediate thought is the adversary on the field isn’t a bad bloke for I have played with him in the IPL.”

“A Monkey-gate will never again happen in India-Australia cricket. I can guarantee you that and the IPL deserves a large part of the credit,” he added.

Asked why he stayed away from the tournament then, the top-order batter replied that their were a number of reasons to maintain distance from the tournament. But he insisted he will remain a part of the league in the near future.

“I stayed away from the IPL for a number of reasons. First, I thought I needed to stay away to improve my Test and one-day batting. The six weeks of the IPL was a window I wanted to use at the nets to improve as a Test and one-day batsman. In fact, I also retired from T-20 international cricket to concentrate on Test and one-day cricket.

“Second, my former fiancs’ dad was diagnosed of cancer during the IPL in 2010 and I needed to be with her at the time. But now I feel I have sufficiently improved my game and in fact, need to improve my T-20 game. The IPL is the best platform to do so. So here I am.”

“Talking about next year, yes, I am much looking forward to playing the IPL again. It is a fantastic tournament and it will help me improve my T-20 game a lot,” he said.

Clarke, who scored a total of 98 runs in the six outings for the Warriors this season, said he would like to make amends in the next season.

“I am not sure if I’d play the Big Bash because we have a packed summer in Australia end of the year but I should definitely be back next year to play the IPL.”

Article source: http://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/news/item/190343-controversies-aside-clarke-believes-ipl-will-sustain

Former Wales striker John Hartson believes it is only a matter of time before Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers manages a major Premier League club.

But Swansea-born Hartson is delighted that Rodgers chose to

turn down the chance to talk to Liverpool

about taking over from Kenny Dalglish.

“It’s brilliant Brendan turned down the chance to even speak to Liverpool, who are a massive club,” said Hartson.

“I would love to see Brendan Rodgers go to Liverpool, but not quite yet.”

Dalglish was sacked as Liverpool manager on Wednesday

, leaving the club looking for a fourth boss in two years.

Rodgers was reportedly on the Reds’ shortlist after guiding Swansea to 11th place in their first season in the Premier League and earning many plaudits for his team’s style of play.

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But the Northern Irishman rebuffed the opportunity to talk with Liverpool to stay with the club where he has been in charge for two years.

Hartson is realistic about Swansea’s chances of keeping hold of their talented young manager if the 39-year-old’s stock continues to rise.

“Three or four years, two or three even, Brendan will move on because he’s a very ambitious young manager, he will manage at a big, big club,” Hartson admitted.

“Maybe one day he may well have another opportunity to go to Liverpool, or other clubs of that stature.

“But at the moment I think it’s brilliant, he’s committed to Swansea. Swansea gave Brendan his opportunity when he didn’t have a great time at Reading and Watford.

“He’s done brilliant for us as a club but we’ve also been very good to him and it’s great that he’s shown a little bit of loyalty, and I’m sure the fans are absolutely delighted with the news.

“Swansea’s not a big place and where he’s taken us as a football club has been extraordinary in the last two years, it’s been some ride.

“To take us up from the Championship – many managers have tried – and to play like we did this season in the Premier League was an absolute joy to watch at times, and he takes a lot of credit for that.

“It’s great, it’s refreshing that he’s committed and the fans will love him even more than they do now.”

Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18134297

Bangalore, May 20: Another Australian cricketer has called it a day from the Indian Premier League. After Shane Warne last year, this time it is Adam Gilchrist.

If you look at Warne and Gilchrist’s IPL careers, they are almost similar. They are the only two overseas captains to have led their respective teams to titles.

When IPL began in 2008, Warne turned the fortunes of a little known bunch of players at Rajasthan Royals towards the trophy.

After a dismal first year, Deccan Chargers charged their way back to the top from the bottom, like a phoenix. From wooden spoon in 2008, Gilchrist inspired Deccan to the trophy in 2009 in South Africa.

The first two years of IPL certainly belonged to two Australians, who played a lot of matches together for their country in Tests and ODIs.

On Saturday night, Gilchrist revealed that he might have played his last game of cricket. At 40, the wicketkeeper-batsman will walk away from the game and concentrate on family life.

In 2011, Gilchrist was signed by Kings XI Punjab to take their team forward. However, he did not enjoy the same success as he was expected to.

This year, Punjab were far better, always in contention for a play-off spot till the last game. But Delhi Daredevils put paid to their chances, mainly it was due to another Australian, David Warner who sent Punjab packing in Dharamsala.

The loss meant that Gilchrist did not enjoy a winning farewell. A veteran of 96 Tests, Gilchrist is always lauded for playing the game in the right spirit.

He displayed his respect for the game again two games back when he refused to take a run after Chennai Super Kings fielder Srikkanth Anirudha was wincing in pain after hurting his shoulder while trying to stop the ball near the boundary. Gilchrist could have easily taken advantage of the situation, but he did not. He received a lot of plaudits for this.

The left-hander is also known as a “walker”. When most of the batsman wait for umpires to give them out even when they know that he have nicked a ball to the wicketkeeper, Gilchrist just walks when he is sure that he has played the ball.

He famously walked in 2003 World Cup semi-final against Sri Lanka even when umpire was not sure whether Gilchrist had edged the ball to the wicketkeeper.

In IPL 5, Gilchrist could feature in only 7 games after injuring his hamstring. He scored 172 runs at an average of 34.40. He has one half century and a highest score of 64 not out.

IPL will remember Gilchrist for his fearless batting at the top of the order. In all, he played 67 matches, accumulating 1,775 runs with two centuries and 10 fifties. He is in the top-10 of batsmen with most runs in IPL history. He hit 86 sixes and 198 fours and got his runs at an impressive strike rate of 140.20.

Gilly as he is fondly known as, was also Punjab’s coach and hinted that he might return as just a coach if the franchise wants him.

Deccan and Punjab will remember Gilchrist for give the teams a belief to win. Overall, IPL will certainly miss him.

Punjab fans will be hoping that he changes his mind for the next season. That would be great for the franchise. But if he has already made up his mind, he could be missing on the field but coach’s role would be welcome.

After Gilchrist, one wonders who are the other veteran cricketers who have played their last IPL games this year. In a week’s time, we will know the names of others who would have joined Gilchrist.

ThatsCricket

Article source: http://www.thatscricket.com/news/2012/05/20/indian-premier-league-will-miss-adam-gilchrist-063197.html

May 20 2012 at 01:30pm
By SAPA

Comment on this story

REUTERS

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp and his team will play in the Europa League next year.

London – Chelsea’s Champions League victory over Bayern Munich completed a miserable month for Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp, whose team will now be relegated to the Europa League next season.

Tottenham managed to secure a top four finish in the Premier League to gain access to world football’s most prestigious club competition.

However Chelsea’s win in Munich bumped Spurs out of the reckoning under Uefa rules which guarantee qualification for the defending champions.

Chelsea, who could only finish sixth in the Premier League after a disappointing domestic campaign, now take Tottenham’s place in the competition.

Uefa changed its rules after a controversy in 2005, when Liverpool won the title in Istanbul despite not qualifying for the following year’s competition after Everton finished ahead of them in the league.

Uefa eventually granted Liverpool a place in the qualifying rounds, which allowed five English teams into the tournament.

Since then however Uefa has ruled that if a side winning the Champions League has not already qualified for the following season’s competition, the club in question takes one of the berths allocated to its national association.

Chelsea’s qualification at the expense of Spurs has potentially wide-ranging ramifications for the club, with Tottenham likely to lose millions in revenue while facing a bigger challenge to retain and attract top talent.

Redknapp’s disappointment came just weeks after he was overlooked by the Football Association for the England manager’s job, with Roy Hodgson the surprise choice for the position. – Sapa-AFP

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Article source: http://www.iol.co.za/sport/soccer/premier-league/spurs-relegated-to-europa-league-1.1300235

Drogba sent goalkeeper Manuel Neuer the wrong way to clinch the 4-3 shootout win at Allianz Arena after Bayern’s Bastian Schweinsteiger missed the previous penalty.

“It was written, I think, a long time ago,” Drogba told Britain’s ITV of Chelsea’s turnaround since its turmoil in March. “This team is amazing. They never give up until the end.”

The shootout was needed after Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech saved Arjen Robben’s spot-kick early in extra time. That kick was awarded for a foul by Drogba, whose dramatic, perfect header in the 88th minute had earned an unlikely reprieve. After 83 minutes of Bayern domination and wasted chances, Thomas Mueller had broken dogged Chelsea resistance with a header past the outstanding Cech.

Chelsea’s first Champions League title came after losing the 2008 final in a shootout to Manchester United in Moscow.

Drogba succeeded where his captain John Terry, who was suspended for Saturday’s finale, failed in missing the fifth penalty in Moscow four years ago which would have given the club’s Russian owner Roman Abramovich the Champions League title he has most craved since buying the West London club in 2003.

The Champions League victory also sealed Chelsea’s last remaining route into next season’s competition – which is crucial to its elite status and finances – and sent fourth-place finisher Tottenham Hotspur into the less-prestigious Europa League.

Abramovich must now make a decision on the future of interim manager Roberto Di Matteo, the assistant who took over from the fired Andre Villas-Boas after a round of 16 first-leg defeat to Napoli in February, and inspired a team which then appeared sulky and fading.

Di Matteo responded by masterminding a stirring comeback against Napoli, defeat of Benfica and the epic rearguard action to eliminate Barcelona in the semifinals.

The interim declined to discuss his future after the big win. “The only thing I know is that I am capable of going on holiday,” he said. “It’s been a challenging three months. . . . whatever the club decides, I’ll respect it.”

Everything seemed stacked against Chelsea when Bayern won the toss to send the shootout to the home, south end of its stadium. Four-time champion Bayern had never lost a penalty shootout in European competition, including its 2001 title against Valencia and its semifinals defeat of Real Madrid last month.

After Bayern captain Philipp Lahm scored first, Juan Mata saw his kick saved by Neuer, who scored with Bayern’s third kick.

Cech then saved Ivica Olic’s fourth penalty for Bayern to put the otherwise excellent Schweinsteiger in the spotlight. He struck the post to Cech’s left and covered his face with his shirt.

Drogba stepped up and sealed the victory, then ran to the side and threw himself onto the ground, to be buried for minutes under a frenzied pile of blue-shirted teammates.

“He’s a hero. Without him we’re not here,” said Frank Lampard, who scored with Chelsea’s third penalty. “I’d love him to stay. What he did tonight he’s been doing all his career.”

Vaz Tê lifts West Ham. Striker Ricardo Vaz Tê scored with three minutes remaining to take West Ham back into the English Premier League after a yearlong absence with a 2-1 win over Blackpool in the promotion playoff final at London’s Wembley Stadium.

The victory guarantees West Ham more than $100 million in broadcast and other revenue.

West Ham was relegated from the Premier League at the end of last season and to get back hired former Bolton, Newcastle and Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce – known as “Big Sam” – who vowed to take the club back to what he calls the Promised Land.

The Hammers were challenging for automatic promotion for much of the season. But their form dipped late, allowing Reading and Southampton to pull away and fill the top two spots in the second-tier League Championship and put the East London club into the playoff series.

“It’s everything to me,” Allardyce said of the win. “I’ll look forward to the celebrations first before I start worrying about the Premier League.”

Carlton Cole had put West Ham ahead in the 35th minute, but Blackpool hit back two minutes after halftime with a goal from striker Thomas Ince.

Article source: http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/soccer/152181405.html

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited is one of India…s leading television, media and entertainment companies. It is amongst the largest producers and aggregators of Hindi programming in the world, with an extensive library housing over 80,000 hours of television content. With rights to more than 3,000 movie titles from foremost studios and of iconic film stars, Zee houses the world…s largest Hindi film library.

Through its strong presence worldwide, Zee entertains over 500 million viewers across 167 countries, including USA, Canada, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Pioneer of television entertainment industry in India, Zee…s well known brands include Zee TV, Zee Cinema, Zee Premier, Zee Action, Zee Classic, Ten Sports, Ten Cricket, Ten Action+, Zee Cafe, Zee Studio, Zee Trendz, Zee Khana Khazana, Zee Salaam, Zee Jagran, Zing, ETC Music and ETC Punjabi. The company also has a strong offering in the regional language domain with channels such as Zee Marathi, Zee Bangla, Zee Telugu, Zee Kannada, Zee Talkies and Zee Cinemalu.

The Zee stable owns an integrated range of businesses. All of these in singularity adhere to the content-to-consumer value chain model of media and entertainment business. Zee is a pioneer in every aspect of content aggregation and distribution through traditional media like satellite and cable and new media like the internet, in India.

Article source: http://www.cricketcountry.com/cricket-articles/IPL-2012-Rajasthan-Royals-Kings-XI-have-produced-sparkling-talent/14815

West Ham United secured a return to
English soccer’s Premier League next season with a 2-1 win
against Blackpool in the Championship playoff final.

Ricardo Vaz Te’s goal in the 87th minute gave the Hammers
the victory at Wembley Stadium in London today. Carlton Cole
also scored for West Ham, who were relegated to the second tier
with Blackpool a year ago after finishing last in the Premier
League.

“We’re absolutely delighted to be back in the Premier
League,” West Ham manager Sam Allardyce told Sky Sports. “It
was a magnificent game; end to end, and in the end we got one
more goal than Blackpool.”

The playoff final is the richest soccer match in the world.
Winning it is worth at least 90 million pounds ($142 million),
accountant Deloitte LLP estimates. Promoted teams benefit from
at least 40 million pounds in additional revenue and minimum
guaranteed payments of 48 million pounds in the following four
seasons if they drop straight back down.

“It’s a great team effort from the lads,” Vaz Te told
Sky. “We’re a Premier League side and we deserved to go up.”

Cole put West Ham on top in the 35th minute when he got
behind Ian Evatt and fired a shot by goalkeeper Matthew Gilks.
Blackpool drew even three minutes into the second half as Matt
Phillips sent a diagonal pass to Thomas Ince, who sent a shot
past Robert Green.

Vaz Te clinched victory with three minutes left with a shot
into the roof of the net following a scramble in the Blackpool
area.

West Ham return to the Premier League with Reading and
Southampton, which had already earned automatic promotion as the
champion and runner-up in the Championship.

Blackpool was in the playoff final for the second time in
three seasons. The Tangerines beat Cardiff 3-2 in 2010 to return
to the top division for the first time since 1971.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Bob Bensch in London at
bbensch@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Christopher Elser at
celser@bloomberg.net

Article source: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-05-19/west-ham-secures-premier-league-return-in-2-1-win-over-blackpool