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Sport in brief
Pakistan tour 'impossible'
Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar says it is "impossible" that India will
tour Pakistan early next year due to strained political relations
following the Mumbai attacks.."
It will be difficult in any case for the Indian players to play
against Pakistan at the moment," the former India captain told the CNN-IBN
news channel on Thursday.."Diplomatically, there has been a fall out
between the two nations and I don't see why cricket won't follow suit.
So at the moment it is impossible to go ahead with the tour."
CHENNAI, India, Friday,
Ronaldo heads FIFA player of the year shortlist
Cristiano Ro-naldo is a step closer to add-ing the World Player of
the Year award to the European version he picked up last week after
making FIFA's five-man shortlist Friday.
The Portugal winger's 42 goals helped Manchester United win the
English Premier League and the Champions League last season.
Lionel Messi, who inspired Argentina to win the Olympic gold medal,
is also chasing football's most prized individual award along with
Spain's European Championship winners Fernando Torres and Xavi. Ronaldo
finished third in voting last year, while Barcelona's Messi was
runner-up to AC Milan playmaker Kaka, who made the shortlist despite
failing to impress with Brazil recently.
Brazilian players Cristiane and Marta, and Nadine Angerer and Birgit
Prinz, both of Germany, are on the women's shortlist, along with England
striker Kelly Smith.
ZURICH, Friday, AP
Play abandoned
Rain forced the abandonment of play on the second day of the first
cricket test between New Zealand and the West Indies at the University
Oval on Friday.Heavy overnight rain left the picturesque ground
waterlogged and continuing showers during the day forced umpires Mark
Benson of England and Amiesh Saheba of India to call off play for the
day midway through the afternoon.
By then, water had pooled in many places in the outfield and was
lying in large puddles on covers sheltering the wicket block.
Groundstaff had worked throughout the day to allay the effects of the
weather but as rain continued after lunch, the umpires ruled the ground
could not be made playable before stumps.
New Zealand will have to wait until Saturday to resume its first
innings at 226 for four with Jesse Ryder 54 not out, having reached his
maiden test half century shortly before stumps Thursday, and Brendon
McCullum 4 not out.
DUNEDIN, Friday, AP |
