'It's a lot easier playing for your country than for your state'

 A feisty, broadminded legspinner in the old-fashioned mould, Stuart MacGill might be thought unfortunate that his career coincided with that of Shane Warne. But he still made an impact for Australia's all-conquering side, including 27 wickets in four Tests of the 1998-99 Ashes. His career was ended abruptly by injury in the Caribbean in 2008.

You come from a famous cricketing family. What was it like following in the footsteps of your father and grandfather?
They had both played for Western Australia, my dad in the early 1970s and grandpa just after the war. My grandpa [Charlie MacGill] was a bit of a hero for us - he opened the batting and bowling for WA and he knocked over Bradman as well, which always looks good on your CV.

Because of that were you always destined to be a cricketer?
You know what, I think it was the opposite. When I was about 15 I said to my dad, "I don't think I can play cricket anymore. I'm going to play tennis." I'd hurt my shoulder, so I couldn't bowl. God knows how I worked out I could still serve a tennis ball. Anyway it turned out I wasn't much chop at tennis, so I decided to give cricket another go.

So you weren't a schoolboy prodigy?
I finished school in the 1st XI but I was a fringe player. A career in cricket was the furthest thing from my mind but the year I finished school I just started to do better and better in grade cricket and managed to work my way up fourth grade to second grade. Everything happened very quickly and I went from playing bits-and-pieces cricket at school to, within 12 months, being in the Western Australia squad.

You were one of the first players to go to the Australian cricket academy. How much did that help your game?
I had played a few games for WA 2nd XI and got picked to go to Sri Lanka with an Academy XI at the beginning of 1991. Unbeknown to me, my mum and dad had a meeting with Rod Marsh [who was going to take over the academy later that year] when I was away. The academy was an amazing time for me. You got access to amazing opportunities.

Why did it take you so long to break into State cricket?
I was 20 when I was at the academy, but it took until I was 26 to start playing regular first-class cricket, so you can imagine that was pretty frustrating. The one question that bounces around your head all the time is whether or not you're good enough. I performed well in club cricket over that period. I bowled to lots of touring teams and took wickets regularly. But the frustration kept increasing, to the point that by 1995 I decided that I needed to leave Western Australia to find out once and for all.

Is it true you were used by England to prepare them for facing Shane Warne?
It is. I bowled to the England tourists in 1994-95. I spent a lot of time with that side in Perth, bowling to them all day, every day. They were helping me out with a bit of pocket money on the side as they prepared to face Warney but I think he got a hat-trick in the first Test, so I didn't do much good!

How big a wrench was it to leave WA and head to New South Wales?
I figured that going to NSW, the home of spin bowling in Australia, that would give me some answers. There were five spin bowlers in the NSW squad and I wasn't even a member of the State squad when I came over. I caught the train from Perth to Sydney, put the car and my life on it and took a bit of a punt. I guess my feeling was that I would find out one way or the other because I needed to put it to bed at that stage - I needed to know if I could do the business. It proved to be a good decision. The first season I averaged around five wickets a match for my club and we won the Premiership, I was added to the State squad and I played the very first game of the following season.

Can you remember the moment you found out you had been picked for Australia?
Trent Johnston, who has since captained Ireland, was playing with me for North Sydney. He received a message and he came up to me when I was bowling. I don't like people talking to me when I'm bowling, so there was a bit of a sigh. I thought he wanted me to move my field but instead he said: "I just wanted to let you know that you're going to Adelaide this week and you've been picked to play for Australia." It's hard to explain but seriously every time I tell that story - and it just happened to me again now - I get very emotional. That's the moment for me, the moment that validates everything I've ever done.

You managed to pick up a decent first scalp too…
Jacques Kallis sweeps the ball very well and the boundaries at Adelaide are very short, square of the wicket. I thought, "Christ, what's going to happen here?" so I bowled my first variation - my slider or zooter - and he played all round it. It was a relief, not just because it was my first wicket but because there was a lot of pain coming my way if he had hung around. 

To get more info....http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/497005.html

Roy not happy with criticism

Roy Hodgson isn't happy with criticism from the fans. After another crap performance last night, fans were understandably furious at the final whistle and again there were chants for Kenny Dalglish to be given the manager's job. Hodgson had a bit of a dig at supporters when interviewed after the match. "I'm getting used to it, that's the way it is," he whinged to Sky Sports. "I don't like hearing those things of course because I want to do the best job I can do, I'm working as hard as I can, so I can't say it's something I really appreciate but at the same time I am not in control of those things and it's the Kop's way, the Anfield way, of showing that they are not happy at the moment with what the team is doing. "As the manager, you take responsibility for that, so I have to take that criticism on the chin as well. "All I can say is I think it's time for people to really try to help us along because it's not through want of trying that we're not winning matches or didn't win tonight's game, it's because, I'm afraid, we lacked a little bit of quality and lacked a little bit of confidence. "The negativity does affect confidence because players are a little bit anxious to get on the ball and do what they can do for fear they're going to make a mistake. "I have seen times like this before. My belief I can turn this around is that the belief I have in my own ability and I know the players are working hard and working hard to give success as well as the club, but at the moment they are not succeeding."
This news is taken from-  http://www.football.co.uk/liverpo/roy_not_happy_with_criticism_rss1547174.shtml

Somdev creates history with singles gold

Guangzhou: Somdev Devvarman today created history by becoming the first Indian to win a gold medal in the men's singles tennis event of the Asian Games after outplaying top seed and world number 44 Denis Istomin 6-1 6-2 in the lop-sided summit clash here.
With this win, Somdev won his second gold from the tennis competition, and seventh for India, having already captured yellow metal in the men's doubles with Sanam Singh.
Somdev-Sanam brighten India's mood on Day 10
No Indian player had played in the gold-medal match in the men's singles before Somdev, world number 106, and the country had three bronze medals to show so far at the Games.
Leander Paes (Hiroshima in 1994), Mahesh Bhupathi (Bangkok in 1998) and Prahlad Srinath (Bangkok in 1998) had won those three bronze medal in men's singles.
In total, Somdev won three medals at this edition of the Games as he had earlier won a bronze in team event as well.
Asian Games
India rounded off its tennis campaign with five medals, two more than what the country had got at the Doha Asian Games in 2006.
At Doha, Leander Paes had won two gold medals -- in men's doubles with Mahesh Bhupathi and in mixed doubles with Sania Mirza.
Sania had won a sliver in the women's singles.
The final match between Somdev and Istomin never rose to expected heights as the Uzbek was erratic and failed to curb his unforced errors, which helped Somdev's cause.
The Indian broke the Uzbek twice in the opening set to take a comfortable 5-0 and served it out in the seventh game, having dropped his own in the sixth.
The second set was no different as Somdev again rode on double break after initial resistance from Istomin to seal the gold medal. 
This article is taken from- http://sify.com/sports/somdev-creates-history-with-singles-gold-news-others-klxmnceciig.html 

Sports heroes, past and present, hailed City Swank

 The indomitable spirit that has driven the Indian community, since their arrival 150 years ago, shone brightly at the Night of the Sporting Legends banquet on Tuesday for a number of reasons.

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Chief among them was the reason for the banquet - the honouring and tribute paid to 85 sports heroes, both current and from as far back as the 1950s, whose achievements on the cricket pitches, soccer fields, golf greens, the tennis courts and in the swimming pools made a mockery of apartheid's oppressive clutches.
But it was equally important that the function to honour the legends was hosted by Muslim Vision 2020 - comprising a number of non-governmental organisations - in the absence of national or local recognition.
The event - which made me think of a school awards ceremony crossed with a young boy's birthday party thanks to the plastic balls, cricket bats, racquets as table décor - typified that irrepressible spirit of the Indian community of succeeding and getting something done for the good of the community when no one else was willing to do so.
Former sports MEC Amichand Rajbansi (who was conspicuously absent on the night), to give him his due, lauded 120 soccer players and administrators last year. His plans for a similar national roll-out and sporting hall of fame were thwarted when he lost his position after elections.
MR SPORTS: Sports columnist and commentator Robbie Naidoo provided a worthy introduction to the "hero to blacks" but "public enemy No1 to white South Africans", former teacher, sportsman and chief strategist in the fight against apartheid-sports Sam Ramsamy.
Ramsamy's messages were poignant: that youngsters needed to emulate the sports achievements of the stars of yesteryear, that parents should take heed of the Latin maxim mens sana in corpore sano (a healthy mind in a healthy body), making reference to the community's preference to favour education over sport and that as the preamble of our country's constitution stated, Indians - and their achievements in the political and sports arena - were part of the diversity of the country.
CARRYING THE TORCH: Given Ramsamy's position as executive board member of the International Olympic Committee and Durban's bid to host the 2020 games, it was inevitable that one of the speakers urged him not to "forget your roots and make sure Durban is the host". Ramsamy just grinned widely, pointed to eThekwini's mayor Obed Mlaba (who made a rare public appearance) and said "there's the man".
OOPS: The first batch of awards were handed to recipients accompanied by a short, witty description of their achievements. However, on one occasion, the speaker twice referred to the "late" SK Chetty - a sprightly 90-something-year-old former sports administrator - who accepted the award in person.
OVERALL: The recognition - even coming years later - was a big deal for the sportsmen and the idea was the brainchild of Muslim Vision chairman Ebrahim Osman, or Ossie as Ramsamy referred to him. My only thought as I left the function, glancing at the reminiscing awardees, was that it was sad that youngsters who need to be inspired by their achievements were not around.
A SOUND mind and body was a common theme the following morning at the Southern Sun Elangeni's Lifestyle launch. Amid gorgeous décor that featured pink champagne, dozens of mink roses and pearls, the hotel introduced it's new card offering holders access to the hotel's gym, coffee from it's Starbucks franchise, an hour-long cycling trip and free parking to an intimate gathering of about 70 guests.
HEALTHY GLOW: In keeping with the theme, general manager Mike Jackson was the morning's suave programme director who introduced Elizabeth Arden's Ulrica Naidoo as the first speaker. Naidoo gave a short talk about the cosmetics house, which celebrates its centenary birthday, before a (too) long video presentation.
POSITIVE THOUGHTS: Derryn Campbell, one of the founders of Awesome South Africa, a private organisation that aims to motivate South Africans from passive spectators to active participants, was the morning's inspirational speaker.
Campbell, whose book of the same name as the organisation has just gone into second edition printing - the first batch of 10000 copies sold out in under five months - lamented that South Africans were like "manic depressives" and encouraged guests not to "run from the storm, but dance in the rain". Apt, as it was bucketing outside.
OVERALL: The event, which included a deliciously low GI breakfast consisting of a vanilla and yoghurt pannecotta with berries and a salmon potato cake with Midlands smoked trout, was like an espresso - short, effective and enjoyable. - YN
PROMISES of excessive family bickering, marriage, time travel with a serving of Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan made the premiere of Action Replayy on the eve of Diwali last Thursday the ideal outing for families and women on a night out.
AFRICAN TIME: The event was scheduled to start at 6pm for 6.30pm so I rushed to Fourways in the rain immediately after work. When I arrived, guests were milling around in the reception area.
FAMILIAR FACES: Keshnie Moodley, Nu Metro business manager for the Bollywood bouquet, was a gracious host - we often bump into each seeing that we share the same building - and she filled me in on some of the guests. One of them was Shoneez Kay, a former colleague, who is a film buyer for M-Net (and who also happens to be related to me), was doing some mingling of her own. Kay was very useful as she gave me the breakdown on Bollywood and Hollywood film trends.
MOVIE TREATS: The delicious aroma of potato and chicken samoosas, bhajias, spicy chicken strips and lamb and chicken rolls overpowered the popcorn smell. An oversight in providing side plates meant that guests had to juggle balancing their food on serviettes and eating at the same time.
A woman at the bar exclaimed that the budget must have been low because they had a cash bar. She whispered loudly that it was the first time she had to pay for a drink at a film premiere.
SHOW TIME: Sunday Times Extra columnist and TV presenter Shalandra Bunseelal was the host of the evening and did a quick give-away of tickets to the Monte Casino Bird Park and one-night stays at the hotel after Kumar Premjee performed two songs.
SONG AND DANCE: Action Replayy is a colourful movie with awesome costumes but I was grateful for the drink and popcorn to munch on in anticipa-tion of the three-hour-long feature. Guests hurried out as soon as the credits rolled, eager, I suppose, to get started on their Diwali celebrations. - NK
This article is taken from- http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/article760684.ece/Sports-heroes-past-and-present-hailed

Sri Lanka gears up for ICC WC 2011

CRICKET: Hot on the heels of events in Bangladesh and Dubai, marking the countdown to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, Sri Lanka, official co-host announced its readiness to play host to the world.

Tournament Director Suraj Dandeniya said “Sri Lanka will boast of three state-of-the-art world class cricketing venues. Constructed in accordance with ICC Standards, the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, with a capacity of 25,000 and the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota, with a capacity of 27,000 will serve in bringing the fruits of the tournament, to the provinces.
The R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo currently being refurbished will also have the ability to host 30,000 cricket fans.”
The establishment of the new venues and related facilities undertaken by the State Engineering Corporation and Ports Authority of Sri Lanka will result in creating platforms that will help unearth the next generation of Sri Lankan cricketer, in addition to adding new venues to the Sri Lankan Cricket calender. The legacy of the tournament will thus be a landmark investment in ensuring that Sri Lankan’ cricket continues to thrive into the future.
The opening ceremony of the World Cup will be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh on February 17. India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka jointly host the 10th World Cup from February 19 to April 2. The 43-day, 49-match tournament will be played under a new format with India hosting a majority of matches (29), including the final at the new-look Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on April 2. Games in Sri Lanka will commence on February 20.
Commenting at a ceremony held recently in Dubai, where the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 was on display, ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said the ICC had learnt lessons from the past World Cup, especially the problem of low turn outs due to the high prices of tickets in the last event held in the West Indies three years ago. “I hope lessons learnt from the 2007 event will help us and we have done everything to make this event in the sub-continent a special one.”

Reservations for the 12 games in Sri Lanka are now under way and the organisers urge the public to make sure of their place in history as tickets for the tournament are moving swiftly. Reservations can be made in Kandy at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium and in Hambantota, at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium. In Colombo, fans can ensure their places via the official ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Secretariat at the Sri Lanka Cricket Headquarters (35, Maitland Crescent). Tickets can also be purchased online via, www.icc.yahoo.com.
Ticket prices range from Rs. 30,00 to Rs. 2,500 with corporate enclosures available for Rs. 5,000 / Rs. 10,000 and an individual can purchase a maximum of four tickets. Sri Lanka Cricket is to embark on a series of islandwide activations to maximise the fan experience. There will be a ‘Cheerathon,’ campaign to an nationwide Trophy Tour, complemented by live musical extravaganzas and the ‘World Cup Glory Express’ - an around-the-island activity, involving celebrities, cricketers and member of the general public.
The ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 will bring the best of the international game to Sri Lanka, providing the cricket crazy island with a memorable spectacle as the greats of the game battle it out for the ‘Cup that Counts’.
Sri Lanka is an official Co-Host of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 alongside India and Bangladesh. Sri Lanka will host 12 matches in three venues, including ‘one quarter’ and semi-final.
This article is taken from- http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2010/11/14/spo02.asp