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MONTE CARLO – Australia’s cricketers were named the best team in worldsport at sport’s Oscars here tonight while Ian Thorpe was beaten to theindividual gong by Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher.

Paul Mulvey14-May-2002MONTE CARLO – Australia’s cricketers were named the best team in worldsport at sport’s Oscars here tonight while Ian Thorpe was beaten to theindividual gong by Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher.Test captain Steve Waugh collected the trophy at a lavish Laureus WorldSports Awards ceremony in Monte Carlo in front of some of the world’sall-time great athletes as well as celebrities from film, fashion andmusic.Schumacher’s victory, however, was swathed in controversy two days afterhe was booed onto the podium at the Austrian grand prix.The German won the race and extended his lead in the drivers’championship when he passed Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello, who wasinstructed by team bosses metres from the chequered flag to slow downand hand the race to Schumacher.Voting for the award, which is based on sportsmanship as much asresults, however, was on performances in the 12 months until Februaryand had closed last month.Organisers were spared any further embarrassment when the Australiancricketers held out Ferrari in the teams category.”It’s a great thrill and tremendous honour to win this,” Waugh said.”It’s a great achievement, we’ve worked hard for it.”Being here tonight with all those sports legends and all these stars,well it has simply been a great honour and hopefully we can come backagain.”With the vast majority of the star studded crowd and even most of the 44members of the Laureus Sports Academy unfamiliar with cricket, Waughhoped tonight’s award would lift the game’s exposure internationally.”For cricket to prosper we need more countries playing,” he said.”And we need to spread the word out there and spread cricket to theworld.”Australia asserted its dominance of world cricket last year, taking theinaugural ICC world Test championship, extending its record winning runto 16 Tests and completing series wins over the West Indies and Englandwhile losing 2-1 to India and drawing 0-0 with New Zealand.Schumacher won nine grands prix on his way to last year’s worldchampionship and was rated by Thorpe, who won six world swimming titleslast year, as the best sportsman on the planet.The other finalists were triple Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong,world 100m champion Maurice Greene and world golf No.1 Tiger Woods, whowon the 2000 and 2001 awards.French and Australian Open tennis champion Jennifer Capriati was namedSportswoman of the Year following her Comeback of the Year crown lastyear.Capriati beat Wimbledon and US Open title holder Venus Williams, Dutchworld swimming champion Inge de Bruijn, world pole vault champion StacyDragila and golfer Annika Sorenstam.Pat Rafter’s conqueror in last year’s Wimbledon final, Goran Ivanisevic,was awarded Comeback of the Year for winning the title with a worldranking of 125 and a wildcard entry to the tournament.Colombian Formula One driver Juan Pablo Montoya was voted Best Newcomer,Brazilian skateboarder Bob Burnquist was Alternative Sportsperson of theYear and Dutch wheelchair tennis player Esther Vergeer the Sportspersonof the Year With a Disability.

Double wicket competitions are still a popular draw the world over

Staff Reporter13-Jun-2001Double wicket competitions are still a popular draw the world over.And the organisers of a double wicket tournament at Lincoln Park nearNew Jersey in the USA, have managed to rope in teams from India,Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. A synthetic surface has beeninstalled after having been imported from South Africa. Thecompetition is being organised by Sports World Inc and the matcheswill be played on July 12, 13 and 15.The leading Indian cricketers will be in between internationalengagements. The Zimbabwe tour ends on July 8 and the Sri Lankan tourcommences on July 20. In the absence of the stars, Sunil Joshi,Hrishikesh Kanitkar, Robin Singh and Vinod Kambli will representIndia. Although it is a private competition, the players had to takepermission from the Board of Control for Cricket in India.The list of participating players is expected to include ShahidAfridi, Aravinda de Silva and Aminul Islam. Besides the trophy, thewinning pair will receive $25,000 and the runners-up $12,000. Thelosing semi-finalists will get $4000 each. Depending on the success ofthe competition, the organisers hope to make this an annual event.

As an indication of the problem facing English county clubs with the hiring of overseas players, Warwickshire have come to an agreement with the United Cricket Board of South Africa that Shaun Pollock will not play in Norwich Union League matches for

Ralph Dellor03-Apr-2002As an indication of the problem facing English county clubs with the hiring of overseas players, Warwickshire have come to an agreement with the United Cricket Board of South Africa that Shaun Pollock will not play in Norwich Union League matches for the county this season.Originally, the UCB had favoured their captain taking the whole of the period of the English summer off so that he could conserve his energies for the World Cup, scheduled to be played in South Africa in 2003. However, Warwickshire have managed to arrive at a suitable compromise with the UCB that will satisfy everyone.Warwickshire coach, Bob Woolmer, who used to be in charge of the South African national side, had already resigned himself to losing Pollock for the end of the season, when he would be required for national duty during a limited-overs series in Morocco and then the ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka.The announcement that Australia will be playing against Pakistan in June with three one-day internationals in a week will cause additional concern to counties as international commitments encroach further into the English season.With the Tangier tournament likely to involve South Africa, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and Pakistan now going to Australia, several counties are likely to be without their overseas players for a significant period of the summer.Middlesex, for example, will be without Abdur Razzaq until after the re-arranged series in Pakistan against New Zealand until May 20th, and then will find him packing his bags early to go to Morocco and on to the Champions Trophy. However, they will not be losing him for the Australian trip.A spokesman said: “When we signed Razzaq we thought it was a real coup because Pakistan had nothing arranged at the time. Then, all of a sudden, we heard that he would not be arriving until May 20th.”But we have got him from then until the middle of August, because we understand from the Pakistan Cricket Board that he will not be required to go to Australia in June. We don’t know why that is, but we’re more than happy to go along with it.”In Razzaq’s absence until the end of May, Middlesex have signed Australian pace bowler Ashley Noffke, who toured England last summer as a replacement for the injured Nathan Bracken. Not surprisingly, Middlesex is fully behind the proposal to allow two overseas players to be signed by each county when the matter is discussed by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Former Sheffield United striker Brian Deane has told The Transfer Tavern in an exclusive interview that the Blades need a manager like Slavisa Jokanovic going into next season.

Sheffield United are looking for a new man for the dugout following Chris Wilder’s departure back in March and recent reports have suggested that they could be in for Jokanovic.

According to BBC Sport, the Yorkshire club have already spoken to the ex-Fulham and Watford boss about taking over. Meanwhile, current caretaker manager Paul Heckingbottom is also in contention for the job.

Speaking exclusively to TT about United’s reported interest in Jokanovic, Deane said:

“I’ve seen the headlines like everybody else. I think that in order to move forward, the club needs somebody who has that kind of presence out there. When you’re signing players and you’re trying to bring players into the club, they need to believe in what the project is.

“I think by bringing in somebody like him, it kind of says, ‘Ok, well, he’s got a couple of promotions on his CV,’ so they’ll buy into the hope that he’s the right person to move the club forward.”

While Jokanovic struggled during his time in the Premier League with Fulham before being sacked, he excelled during those two promotion-winning campaigns with the west London club and Watford.

Furthermore, he could be the man to take Sheffield United back to English football’s top flight – perhaps at the first time of asking.

The Sri Lankan cricket board has decided to reduce the number of PremierLeague teams to 16 next year, which means that at least two sides now facerelegation

Charlie Austin24-May-2001The Sri Lankan cricket board has decided to reduce the number of PremierLeague teams to 16 next year, which means that at least two sides now facerelegation.To prevent a repeat of this years fiasco when Matara SC and Singha CCsteadfastly refused to be demoted, meaning the competition swelled to 18sides, the board has decided to play a Premier Qualifying Round, which willstart in June.The four bottom teams in the Premier League – Police SC, Singha CC,Kurunegala, and Navy SC- will battle it out with the two topsides in theSara Trophy – Ragama CC and Chilaw Marians. Each team will play each otherin the five-week fifteen-match competition

Graham Roberts has told Football FanCast that Nuno Espirito Santo should not be considered for the Tottenham Hotspur job, after a report in The Express suggested he’s been identified as a possible replacement for Jose Mourinho.

The ex-Spurs captain does not believe that the Wolves manager plays the right way to be appointed as the successor to Mourinho following the Portuguese’s sacking.

Ryan Mason has been placed in interim charge of the team until the end of the season and there have been plenty of stories linking Spurs with various managers.

Santo was linked with the post too, but Roberts is not sold on the abilities of the Molineux boss.

Indeed, Wolves have endured an underwhelming season themselves and currently sit 12th in the table, having won just two of their last five games.

Roberts wants to see Spurs appoint a manager who can take the club back to their attacking roots, rather than another boss who is pragmatic, as Mourinho was during his reign in north London.

He told FFC: “I don’t think the Wolves manager will be good enough for us. They don’t play the most attacking style of football. I think the fans have had enough now, they want to go back to that exciting football that we used to play.”

The recently sacked Sri Lankan cricket board, headed by ThilangaSumathipala, received a set back in their fight to reinstate the Board ofControl for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) yesterday when the Court of Appealpostponed their case until 22nd May

CricInfo05-May-2001The recently sacked Sri Lankan cricket board, headed by ThilangaSumathipala, received a set back in their fight to reinstate the Board ofControl for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) yesterday when the Court of Appealpostponed their case until 22nd May.Mohan de Silva and Trevor Rajaratnam, the secretary and treasurer of theoutgoing board, filed a petition on the 4th April, which argued that thedissolution of the BCCSL by the Sports Minister and the subsequentappointment of an Interim Committee was unlawful according to the presentSports Law.The decision to postpone the case ensures that the uncertainty over thelegitimacy of the Interim Committee is to continue, but considering thewidespread political support for the dissolution, the Interim Committee isexpected to hold office until the 2003 World Cup.The Interim Committee unveiled it’s plans for the future at a recent pressgathering, which included a constitutional review, a corporate sector stylemanagement, the separation of financial management and policy making, andemployment of Barry Richards as a batting coach. Yesterday they revealed theappointment of several former players as committee members in the caretakeradministration.In a separate case, filed by Clifford Ratwatte, the uncle of the Sri LankanPresident and a former cricket board contestant, Sumathipala has been givenuntil the 12th June to file his objections. Ratwatte has argued thatSumathipala and eight other former members of the cricket board, violated aDistrict Court order, which had prevented them holding office.

Manchester City’s hopes of signing Lionel Messi this summer appear to have been dashed as the legendary Argentinian is seemingly on the brink of signing a new contract with Barcelona.

The Citizens have been regularly linked with a move for the 33-year-old, whose current contract at Barcelona is set to expire at the end of the season, which would have allowed the Premier League leaders to bring him to the Etihad Stadium on a free transfer.

Messi was hugely frustrated with former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu last summer when he wasn’t allowed to depart Camp Nou, even though he felt that a clause in his contract meant he could leave for nothing.

However, he was convinced to stay with the Catalan club and clearly hasn’t allowed his frustrations to show in his performances, as he has delivered yet another superb campaign for Barcelona.

In 29 league appearances, the Argentina international has contributed a remarkable 25 goals and nine assists, averaging an incredible 8.57/10 WhoScored rating for his performances, with 19 man of the match awards to his name.

Unsurprisingly, this comfortably ranks him as the best performer in La Liga so far this season, so it seems clear that he would have been an incredible addition to Pep Guardiola’s side had he made the move to Manchester.

However, the return of former Barcelona president Joan Laporta has seemingly boosted Messi’s mood and recent reports have suggested that he is edging closer to a new two-year deal at the club.

He also seems to have been convinced by the promise of Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero joining him at Barcelona this summer, with the Etihad legend set to depart on a free transfer at the end of the season.

The late, great Diego Maradona is just one of several footballing legends to have sung Messi’s praises during his illustrious career, saying: “I have seen the player who will inherit my place in Argentine football and his name is Messi. Messi is a genius.”

Therefore, it is a huge blow for Guardiola that he and Messi seemingly won’t be reunited at Manchester City next season, as the new contract will surely see him finish his career with the La Liga giants.

In other news… Mansour’s huge call is massive news for Pep, De Bruyne will be delighted

Everton tore into the Premier League’s ‘big six’ in a statement released on Tuesday morning.

Local rivals Liverpool, along with Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal have agreed in principle to join a European Super League, for which they would always qualify automatically.

The Blues have accused them of ‘tarnishing the reputation of our league and game’, ‘disrespecting’ every other Premier League club and ‘betraying’ the majority of football supporters in the country.

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville led the backlash when reports of the agreement first emerged on Sunday.

Neville dubbed the clubs a ‘disgrace’ and declared that they had committed a ‘criminal act against football fans’.

And the United legend was pleased by the furious response from Goodison Park.

“Go on Everton,” he wrote on Twitter in reaction to a section of the statement which called for the plans to be immediately scrapped and warned the clubs to ‘remember the privileged position they hold’.

Transfer Tavern verdict

You suspect that one of the motives behind the plan devised by the ‘big six’ is their fear of clubs like Everton.

Managed by Carlo Ancelotti and backed by Farhad Moshiri, the Blues are emerging as a force in the English game once again.

Win their game in hand, and they would only be three points off the Champions League qualifying places.

Based on this campaign, Everton, along with the likes of Aston Villa, West Ham, Leicester and Leeds are a long-term threat to the six’s participation in European competition.

In other news, Everton have been tipped to pursue this striker from one of the Super League clubs.

Crystal Palace head into the international break in fine fettle having moved 11 points clear of the drop zone with a slender 1-0 win against West Bromwich Albion.

The Eagles now look unlikely to be dragged into the relegation battle with that victory against the Baggies. Despite that, it had otherwise been a somewhat rollercoaster month for Roy Hodgson’s men. One man remained consistent throughout – that being Joel Ward – form that should see him scoop Palace’s Player of the Month gong for March.

In each of the three matches that the Eagles have played throughout the month – a 0-0 draw against Manchester United, a 4-1 defeat to Tottenham and the win against West Brom – the right-back has ranked right at the top of the team’s WhoScored ratings, playing every minute.

Whilst former Chelsea stalwart Gary Cahill has earned plenty of praise in that time, Ward has been a huge reason behind the team notching two clean sheets.

Over the matches in March, the £2.5m-rated 31-year-old has contributed six tackles, at an average of two per game. This was also added to with five interceptions as he was able to keeping the Red Devils and West Brom quiet.

Where Ward stood out specifically though was in his last-ditch defending having also contributed a huge 13 clearances throughout the three matches. Only Cahill beat that count with a monumental 21 of his own.

Whilst it could certainly be argued that the centre-back should be claiming the award, Ward was one of the rare players who actually came out of the heavy defeat against Tottenham with credit. Cahill, on the other hand, struggled on what was a tough afternoon for the majority of the Palace squad, being awarded a WhoScored rating of 5.64.

Having made his 250th appearance for the Eagles in September, Hodgson will hope that he can continue getting some excellent performances from the “very tough” Ward beyond the month of March following the international break.

AND in more news, Crystal Palace must sign Juventus defender Dragusin…