Bangladesh put Windies in to bat in final ODI

CHITTAGONG: Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim elected to field after winning the toss against the West Indies in the third and final one-day international on Tuesday.

The West Indies, who have already gained an unbeatable 2-0 lead, made three changes from the side that won the second one-dayer by eight wickets in Dhaka last week.

Kieran Powell, Anthony Martin and debutant Carlos Brathwaite came in place of Devendra Bishoo, Ravi Rampaul and Lendl Simmons.

Bangladesh replaced Mohammad Ashraful, Alok Kapali, Abdur Razzak and Rubel
Hossain with Suhrawadi Shuvo, Shuvagata Hom, Shahriar Nafees and Nazmul Hossain.

West Indies: Darren Sammy (captain), Kieran Powell, Darren Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Danza Hyatt, Denesh Ramdin, Kemar Roach, Carlos Brathwaite, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Anthony Martin.

Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Shahriar Nafees, Shakib Al Hasan, Shuvagata Hom, Naeem Islam, Nasir Hossain, Suhrawadi Shuvo, Shafiul Islam, Nazmul Hossain. (The News Pk)

South Africa level T20 series against Australia

JOHANNESBURG: Tailenders Wayne Parnell and Rusty Theron snatched an improbable three-wicket win for South Africa in the second Twenty20 international against Australia at the Wanderers Stadium on Sunday.

Parnell (29 not out) and Theron (31 not out) put on an unbeaten 64 for the eighth wicket off just 27 balls to level a series which Australia had looked almost certain to win.

Australia's youth brigade took their side to the brink of victory but in the end a lack of experience proved costly to the tourists.

Teenage debutant Mitchell Marsh hit four sixes in the last two overs to give Australia's innings a late boost, taking them to a total of 147 for eight, which seemed more than enough when fellow teenager, fast bowler Pat Cummins, sparked a South African collapse.

Marsh, 19, made 36 off 21 balls on the day he joined older brother Shaun and father Geoff as an international cricketer.read more

Australian squad named for Test series in South Africa

SYDNEY: Teenage quick Patrick Cummins could become Australia's youngest Test player in nearly 60 years after being called up Monday for their two-Test series in South Africa.

The explosive 18-year-old has played just three first-class matches for New South Wales, taking nine wickets, but has impressed for Australia against South Africa in the current Twenty20 series.

He replaces James Pattinson in the only change to the squad that defeated Sri Lanka 1-0 in their three-Test battle last month and if he makes his debut will become the youngest Australian to play a Test since Ian Craig in 1952-53.

Craig was 17 years and 293 days on debut, with Cummins to be 18 years and 185 days when the Test series against South Africa starts.

The next youngest was Tom Garrett, who was 18 years and 232 days when he played in Australia's first Test match in 1877.

Australia play two Tests in South Africa, the first on November 9 in Cape Town and the second in Johannesburg from November 17.

The explosive Cummins took 2-27 off four overs in Australia's second Twenty20 international against South Africa on Sunday, opening the bowling and taking two for three in a two-over burst.

For Hilditch, Monday's announcement is likely his last as chairman of selectors with Cricket Australia set to appoint a full-time selection chairman and new panel as part of a review earlier this year.

Squad: Michael Clarke (captain), Shane Watson (vice-capt), Michael Beer, Trent Copeland, Patrick Cummins, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris, Phil Hughes, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Ricky Ponting, Peter Siddle. (The News Pk)

Ferrer beats Roddick to reach Shanghai semis

SHANGHAI: Spain's David Ferrer battled back from a set down to reach the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters on Friday with a 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 7-6 (7/2) win over Andy Roddick.

After a first set that went with serve, Roddick drew first blood when he clinched the tie-break but the Spanish third seed hit back strongly in the second set to break the big-serving American twice.

Tenth seed Roddick was match point down in the 10th game of the third set but kept his nerve to level at 5-5 and force a tie-break.

The tie-break initially went with serve but Ferrer secured two crucial mini-breaks and sealed the win after more than two-and-a-half hours.

Ferrer, who hit 11 aces in the match and 49 winners compared with 37 unforced errors, was not broken once by his American opponent throughout the match.

The Spaniard, who produced a dramatic comeback against Juan Carlos Ferrero to reach the quarter-finals, this week became the fifth player to qualify for the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London. (The News Pk)

Wallaby Beale out of World Cup semi-final

AUCKLAND: Injured full-back Kurtley Beale said Saturday he will not be playing for Australia in their World Cup semi-final against the All Blacks in Auckland on Sunday.

Beale, who has failed to overcome a hamstring injury this week, said on Twitter Saturday: "Thanks everyone for their support. Unfortunately been ruled out (sic).

"I've got faith in the boys who have got the opportunity."

Beale's unavailability means that utility Adam Ashley-Cooper will move to the full-back position, with Anthony Fainga'a promoted from the bench to outside-centre alongside Pat McCabe.

Rob Horne, who fractured his cheekbone against the USA three weeks ago, joins the seven-man replacements bench. (AFP)

‘Pakistanis wanted to lose to damage Afridi’

LONDON: Pakistan cricketers were ready to throw One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20s in a bid to undermine then-captain Shahid Afridi and make ‘a hell of a lot of money’, heard the Southwark Crown Court on the fifth day of the spot-fixing hearing.

Undercover journalist Mazhar Mahmood continued to give testimony to the court, which revealed that Mazhar Majeed, an agent for several Pakistan players, had told him last year that the cricketers wanted Afridi replaced by then-Test captain Salman Butt and were prepared to fix matches to do it.

The court also heard how a shadowy Indian contact offered the agent $1 million to ensure Pakistan lost a Test against England.

The jury in the trial of Butt and fast-bowler Mohammad Asif saw video of meetings between Majeed and the News of the World journalist, who was posing as an Indian businessman.

The footage showed Mahmood handing over £140,000 and Majeed counting it out. Majeed also claimed that several players wanted Afridi to be relieved of the limited-overs captaincy as his presence at the helm hampered their plans.

“They all want Butt to be captain,” he said. “They want to lose anyway.”

Majeed told Mahmood he had appeared on the scene at the right time ahead of the ODIs and Twenty20s between Pakistan and England.

“We’re going to be making a hell of a lot of money in the Twenty20s and the ODIs.

“Say for example Twenty20. I’ll tell you the bowlers, how many minimum runs they’re going to concede.”

Shady Indian offers $1m

The jury also saw footage of an earlier meeting, where the journalist recorded the agent on the telephone with an unidentified man in India, discussing deliberately throwing the England-Pakistan Test at The Oval. Majeed called his Indian contact and told him, “What offer can you give me for today’s game? Tell me, just give me a figure now, we haven’t got long.

The Indian contact replied: “I give you one (million dollars).”

Cricketers were suspicious of Mehmood

The court also heard that the cricketers standing trial had warned the agent that they were suspicious of Mehmood.

According to a secretly-recorded phone call played in court, the agent said the players could not understand why he was reluctant to hand over the amount on trust for bowling the pre-determined no- balls.

“They’re saying if he’s worried about £150,000 then what’ll happen when it comes to the big money.”

CA lashes out at agent’s claims

Meanwhile, Cricket Australia (CA) chief James Sutherland said allegations made implicating Australian players in match-fixing were baseless claims made by a person of ‘dubious repute’.

“These comments or allegations would appear to be outlandish and were made by a person of dubious repute,” he said. “If there’s any issue we’ll investigate them. If we charge players and find them guilty we’ll have no qualms about issuing a life sentence on them. “Our long-standing formal view for well over a decade has been that any credible evidence needs to be pursued and investigated with vigour by the International Cricket Council.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 12th, 2011.

Cricket agent 'asked for $1.2m to fix match result'

BBC-A cricket agent asked for $1.2m (£768,000) to arrange for Pakistan to throw a Test match against England, a court has heard.

London's Southwark Crown Court was told Mazhar Majeed, 36, was recorded discussing deliberately losing last summer's game with a contact in India.

Pakistan eventually beat England by four wickets at the Oval in London.

Cricketers Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif are accused of fixing parts of a Lord's Test match, which they deny.

Prosecutors allege that Mr Majeed, from Croydon, south London, conspired with Mr Butt, 27, and Mr Asif, 28, to fix parts of the Lord's Test between England and Pakistan last August.

Meanwhile, testimony from earlier in the trial which suggested Australian cricketers were the world's biggest match-fixers has been rejected by Australian cricket's governing body.

London's Southwark Crown Court heard on Monday that Mr Majeed had said Australians were "the biggest" when it came to rigging games.

But Cricket Australia said the claims were "baseless and outlandish". (BBC)

Ponting happy to drop down batting order

PERTH: Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting says he is happy to drop down the Test batting order to accommodate Shaun Marsh at No. 3.

The 36-year-old, who has scored 12,487 runs in 154 Tests, has long come in to bat at first drop but slotted in as No. 4 during the second Test against Sri Lanka last month in which Marsh scored 141 at No.3 on his debut.

Marsh followed it up with scores of 81 and 18 in the third Test when again batting at No.3.

Test skipper Michael Clarke sees Marsh as a long-term fixture in the role and Ponting said he had no complaints.

"It was a long-term plan of Michael's to have Shaun move to No. 3 and me move to No. 4 and Michael (Clarke) move to five and (Mike) Hussey to six,"
Ponting told reporters.

"So that wasn't just ... a one-off for that game (in Sri Lanka).

"When I first came into the Australian side, batting at six was hard. Waiting that amount of time to bat for me was something that was very foreign to me," he added.

"But three to four I don't think is as big a change as three to six."

Ponting is playing for Tasmania in their Sheffield Shield clash with Western Australia at the WACA Ground in Perth starting Tuesday, ahead of Australia's Test tour of South Africa next month. (AFP)

Wasim, Waqar, Ijaz, Moin also fixed matches: Majeed

LONDON: Mazhar Majeed, a sports bookie, claimed that spot/match fixing was a 'centuries' old practice and named former Pakistan cricket stars Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Ijaz Ahmed and Moin Khan as alleged participants.

The sports agent accused of taking bribes to fix matches said Australian cricketers were "the biggest" culprits and that some of Pakistan's best-known former players were involved in betting scams, a London court heard on Monday.

Naming famous former Pakistan national cricketers, Mazhar Majeed said in the recording: "It's been happening for centuries. It's been happening for years. Wasim, Waqar, Ijaz Ahmed, Moin Khan - they all did it."

Prosecutors allege that Majeed conspired with Pakistan's former Test captain Salman Butt, 27, and fast bowlers Mohammad Asif, 28, and Mohammad Amir, 19, to fix parts of the Lord's Test between England and Pakistan last August.

Butt and Asif, who are standing trial, deny conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments.

The jury at Southwark Crown Court was played covert recordings of meetings between the agent and former News of the World journalist Mazher Mahmood, who was posing as a rich Indian businessman organising a proposed cricket tournament in the United Arab Emirates.

Majeed met Mahmood at a west London restaurant on Aug. 18last year -- the first day of Pakistan's Oval Test against England -- and, after the meal, discussed match-fixing in the undercover reporter's car, the court was told. (Reuters)

Formula One: Vettel one point from title glory

SUZUKA: Sebastian Vettel needs just one point at this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix to be confirmed the 2011 world champion and youngest back-to-back double winner in Formula One history.

But instead of playing it safe by cruising towards 10th place, the 24-year-old German, who has dominated this year's racing from the off, and his powerful Red Bull team are intending on going at full pelt.

"We always race to win," warned Red Bull boss Christian Horner.

Vettel has won nine of the 14 races so far, taken 11 pole positions and amassed a staggering 309 points, a total that has left him with a lead of 124 ahead of his only remaining title rival, Briton Jenson Button of McLaren.

Only a Button victory, without Vettel scoring, can prevent the rapidly maturing German from lifting the crown again at one of F1's greatest venues and a circuit where many title battles of the past have been settled.

Button, who has made it clear he intends to make life as difficult as possible for the Red Bulls in Sunday's 53 laps at Suzuka, was boosted on Wednesday when it was announced that he had agreed a new contract with McLaren.

"I've never felt more at home at a team than I do," said Button. "I've won four of the greatest races of my life here, I'm currently lying second in the drivers' world championship and I feel that I'm driving better than ever."

He reiterated his determination to keep winning. "I've made no secret of my ambition to continue winning races and world championships and I fully believe this is the place where I can achieve those aims," he said. (AFP)

Serena set for US Fed Cup opener

NEW YORK: Serena Williams has committed herself to playing for the United States against Belarus in a 2012 Fed Cup match on February 4-5 at Worcester, Massachusetts, the US Tennis Association said Tuesday.

Williams, a 13-time Grand Slam singles champion, could face World No. 4 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in the World Group II matchup, in which the winner advances to world group playoffs for a chance to play for the trophy in 2013.

Neither Serena nor Venus Williams have competed in the Fed Cup since 2007. Both were injured and unable to play last November when the Americans lost to Italy in the 2010 Fed Cup Final.

The Americans, 35-4 all-time in Fed Cup ties on home soil, own a record 17 Fed Cup titles but have not lifted the trophy since 2000. They were relegated to second-tier status in 2012 after a 5-0 loss in April at Germany. (AFP)

Salman, Asif appear at court in trial for alleged 'spot-fixing'

LONDON: Two Pakistan Test players went on trial in London on Tuesday charged with spot-fixing during a match against England last year, in allegations which rocked the world of cricket.

Former captain Salman Butt, 26, and star bowler Mohammad Asif, 28, appeared at Southwark Crown Court charged with conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt
payments, and conspiracy to cheat.

The charges relate to allegations of deliberately bowling no-balls during England's fourth Test against Pakistan at Lord's cricket ground in London in August 2010.

The allegations were made by the Rupert Murdoch-owned News of the World tabloid, which was closed down in July this year when it became engulfed in the phone hacking scandal.

The pair deny the charges. The offences carry maximum sentences of seven years and two years in prison respectively.

Potential jurors in the trial were asked on Tuesday whether they or their families worked in the gambling industry or earned money from professional cricket or have ever been employed in journalism.

Judge Jeremy Cooke told the group of 30 men and women from whom the 12 jurors will eventually be chosen that the trial could last up to five weeks.

Butt stood in the dock wearing a grey pinstripe suit and white shirt while the taller Asif wore a black suit with white shirt. Neither wore a tie.

Two other people -- talented 19-year-old bowler Mohammad Aamer and the three players' agent Mazhar Majeed -- have also been charged with the same offences.

At the time of the alleged offences, Butt was captain of Pakistan's Test side and had won plaudits for his leadership of the team.

Asif was the team's senior pace bowler, while teenage left-arm swing bowler Aamer was regarded as one of the hottest properties in world cricket.

The allegations stem from a probe by Mazher Mahmood, former undercover reporter for the News of the World, known in Britain as the "fake sheikh" for wearing Arab dress during investigations.

Prior knowledge of when no-balls will occur could be exploited in what is known as 'spot-betting', hugely popular in South Asia, whereby gamblers bet on various possible incidents in a match rather than the final outcome.

Source: The news pk

World Snooker Championship shifted to India

KARACHI: International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) World Snooker Championship schedule to be held in Mahnama (Bahrain) has been shifted to India.

According to statement of Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) issued on Tuesday the event was shifted to Indian city of Banglore from Bahrain, due to crisis in parts of the Middle East.

The IBSF however have slashed the events of Masters plus 40 and the women competition due to unavoidable circumstances.

Duration of the event has also been cut to 6-days and the event will be held from November 28 to December 3.

All member countries of the IBSF have been invited to participate including Pakistan. The last date of entries is set as November 10, 2011.

The IBSF Annual General Meeting will be held on December one, PBSA said.

This Articel Orignaly Published at The News pk

Wozniacki survives Beijing scare

BEIJING: Holder Caroline Wozniacki survived a tough challenge to begin her title defence of the ATP-WTA China Open Monday, with the top seed stretched to the limit in a win over Lucie Hradecka 3-6, 6-0, 7-5.

Wozniacki, the top-ranked player on the WTA but without a Grand Slam crown, has had a patchy few months, winning a minor pre-US Open title, stalling in the semi-finals of the New York major and then crashing to a second-round loss last week in Tokyo.

Beijing has a special place for the Dane, winner of six titles this season, who first took over the top ranking in the Chinese capital a year ago.

Wary of the first-round upset loss of French Open winner Li Na of China, Wozniacki made sure she came through for victory over her 49th-ranked opponent from the Czech Republic, but not before dropping the first set.

However, the 21-year-old belatedly came good, ignoring nine aces from her opponent, who also sent over seven double-faults. Wozniacki broke six times on her way to victory and a meeting with Australian Jarmila Gajdosova.

In other first-round matches, Zheng Jie earned a welcome home win as she beat Italian Alberta Brianti 4-6, 6-1, 7-5, while Russian Maria Kirilenko, the 2005 winner, beat German Julia Goerges 7-6 (11/9), 6-3.

Virginie Razzano of France reached the second round by beating Argentine Gisela Dulko 6-2, 6-3.

Austrian Tamira Paszek booked the first of the third-round places with her defeat of Czech Petra Cetkovska 1-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Seventh seed and former Roland Garros champion Francesca Schiavone of Italy went out to Slovak Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-2.

This Articel Orignaly Published at The news pk

Barcelona top, Higuain fires Real hat-trick

MADRID: Defending champions Barcelona went top of La Liga on Sunday with a laboured 1-0 win at rock-bottom Sporting Gijon while Gonzalo Higuain blasted a hat-trick in Real Madrid's 4-0 cruise at Espanyol.

An injury-plagued Barcelona moved into first place with 14 points as Adriano gave them their first away win of the season.

Unfashionable Levante are tucked just behind on goal difference after a 1-0 win against Real Betis, while Real are a point further back in third spot ahead of Malaga and Valencia who also have 13 points.

After draws against Real Sociedad and Valencia, Barcelona went into their game at Sporting with a lengthy injury list.

Cesc Fabregas and Andres Iniesta were among the midfielders in the treatment room while neither Carlos Puyol nor Gerard Pique started in defence.

Adriano grabbed the only goal after 11 minutes, knocking in a rebound after a Xavi Hernandez shot came back off a post.

Eric Abidal went off injured after the break to add to Barca's defensive worries but they never looked likely to concede.

Real Madrid have had a stuttering start to the season but have now bounced back from one point in two games with back-to-back wins.

Cristiano Ronaldo hit the post after just three minutes at Espanyol but Real went ahead after 17 minutes with Ronaldo setting up Higuain.

Kaka should have added to their lead before keeper Iker Casillas also blocked shots from Thievy Bifouma and Sergio Garcia for Espanyol.

Midway through the second half Higuain hit a powerful drive into the top corner while Vladimir Weiss missed a good opportunity to reduce the deficit.

Substitute Jose Callejon slotted in a third against his former club and Higuain completed his hat-trick a minute from time as Real condemned Espanyol to their first defeat at home.

Levante had Juanlu Gomez to thank for their 1-0 win over former leaders Real Betis, their fourth successive victory. (The News Pk)

Pakistan players face 'spot-fixing' trial

LONDON: Three Pakistan Test players go on trial in London on Tuesday charged with spot-fixing during a match against England last year, allegations which rocked the world of cricket.

Former captain Salman Butt, prodigal talent Mohammad Aamer and star bowler Mohammad Asif are due to appear at Southwark Crown Court charged with conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments, and conspiracy to cheat.

The players' agent Mazhar Majeed will go on trial alongside them charged with the same offences, which carry maximum sentences of seven years and two years in prison respectively.

The charges relate to allegations of deliberately bowling no-balls during England's fourth Test against Pakistan at Lord's in London in August 2010.

The allegations were made by the Rupert Murdoch-owned News of the World tabloid, which was closed down in July this year when it became engulfed in the phone hacking scandal.

At the time of the alleged offences, Butt, 26, was captain of Pakistan's Test side and had won plaudits for his leadership.

Asif, 28, was the team's senior pace bowler, while teenage left-arm swing bowler Aamer, 19, was regarded as one of the hottest properties in world cricket.

Majeed, from south London, is a sports agent with a history of working with Pakistan players.

Detectives raided the Pakistan team hotel in London as part of their investigations following the News of the World story.

The cricketers were outside Britain when summons were issued and they returned voluntarily.

A separate and independent International Cricket Council anti-corruption tribunal, sitting in Doha in February, banned the three players for a minimum of five years each.

Butt was banned for 10 years, with five suspended. Asif was banned for seven years, two of which were suspended, with Aamer handed a five-year penalty.

All three have filed appeals against their bans at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.

This Articel Orignaly Published at AFP, The News Pk

Kapil blasts Tendulkar's 100th ton hype

NEW DELHI: Former India great Kapil Dev has slammed the media's obsession with Sachin Tendulkar achieving 100 international centuries, saying the focus should be on the team's performances.

During India's recent tour of England, speculation reached fever pitch about Tendulkar reaching the landmark figure.

But the star failed to fulfil his fans' hopes and was left stranded on 99 hundreds -- 51 in Tests and 48 in one-day internationals.

India were blanked 4-0 in the Test series, conceding their number-one ranking to the hosts, and also lost the one-dayers 3-0.

"You seem more keen about Sachin's 99 hundreds and not about how we are going to win the next series," Kapil said while delivering the Dilip Sardesai lecture in memory of the former Test batsman in Mumbai on Thursday.

"I am not saying don't give credit to individual performances, but the country should come first.

"Everyone knows Sachin has 99 centuries, but how many know which of those have ended in victories? Out of Sachin's 99 hundreds, 60 have ended in wins. If anyone reports that I'll be happy.

"We have to change our mindset. If we lose the match, what's the use of statistics? To hell with that!"

Kapil, 52, regarded as one of the best all-rounders of his era, claimed a then-world record 434 Test wickets, besides taking 253 one-day wickets, before quitting the game in 1994.

He also scored 5,248 runs in Tests and 3,783 in one-dayers.

Kapil, who became India's first World Cup-winning captain in 1983, also blamed tight scheduling for the team's disastrous show in England.

The Indian players figured in the lucrative Twenty20 Indian Premier League (IPL) a few days after winning the World Cup in April before leaving for the West Indies and England tours.

"The players did not get time to unwind and enjoy their World Cup victory. They had worked four years for it. But they just got four days before the IPL began," Kapil said.

"They should have got more time to enjoy the moment. If you don't give time to unwind, you lose the passion to play. That's what happened in England."

Kapil also wanted players to be paid more for representing the country than their IPL franchises.

"How can you give more money to play for a club and not for playing for the country?" he said.

Kapil, who played 131 Tests and 225 one-dayers over a 16-year career, wanted the burden on seamers to be reduced in order to avoid injuries, like the ones to current spearheads Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma and Munaf Patel.

"The cricket board should understand how much burden the fast bowlers can take," he said. "They can't bowl for 365 days." (The News Pk)

‘Tendulkar is a god for the Indian public, not for me’

NEW DELHI: Former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar answered Indian criticism over his autobiography and said he would not apologise to anyone adding that Sachin Tendulkar is a god for the Indian public and not him.

During an interview to an Indian channel, Akhtar said his statements relating to Tendulkar concerned a specific series in which the Indian batsman did not perform well. He further added that if India is a democracy then the people of the country should have the courage to listen to the truth.

This Articel Orignaly Published at The news pk

Santa Cruz fires 10-man Real Betis clear in Spain

MADRID: Manchester City reject Roque Santa Cruz scored twice as 10-man Real Betis maintained their 100 percent La Liga record with a 4-3 victory over Real Zaragoza on Thursday to open a two-point lead at the top.

Santa Cruz, on loan from English giants City, scored the first of a double after seven minutes and Salva Sevilla extended the lead from the penalty spot before Efrain Juarez pulled a goal back for Zaragoza.

Betis, promoted from the second division last season, never looked secure at the back but another penalty this time from Benat Etxebarria and Santa Cruz's second on 49 minutes gave them a comfortable cushion.

However, midway through the second half, Betis keeper Casto Espinosa rashly darted off his line and was red-carded for upending Luis Garcia despite having defenders behind him.

A double from Juan Carlos led to some anxious last minutes for Betis but they held on.

Super-sub Walter Pandiani scored an injury time winner as Espanyol beat Getafe 1-0 and condemned their rivals to their third successive defeat.

Getafe had not won away since January and their confidence was not high after a poor start to the season but they were up against an Espanyol team who had also suffered two defeats from three games.

There was plenty of toil but little flowing football in the first half.

However, after the break Espanyol took the game to the visitors.

Javi Marquez saw a deflected shot go just wide and Alberto Lopo blocked a Vladimir Weiss strike on the goal line but it was really keeper Miguel Moya who was keeping Espanyol at bay.

In particular he did well to stop a Thievy Bifouma shot from close range.

Getafe missed a glaring chance themselves when Juan Valera blazed wide late on but Espanyol got a deserved win a minute into injury time, when Pandiani coolly slotted home in the box.

Spain's top two continued to not have it their own way in midweek as Barcelona could only draw 2-2 at Valencia while Real Madrid came away with a 0-0 draw from their trip to Racing Santander.

Cesc Fabregas rescued a point for Barcelona and has now scored in the four league games so far to set a record for a new player, but the result means the champions have now already dropped four points from the opening fixtures.

It has been an even worse start for Real whose draw followed a defeat away to Levante at the weekend.

Coach Jose Mourinho rang the changes which included Jose Callejon and Lassana Diarra coming into the side but it was another ineffective performance.

This Articel Orignaly Published at The news pk

Tendulkar refuses to comment on Shoaib Akhtar’s claims

MUMBAI: Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar has refused to comment on statements made about him in Shoaib Akhtar’s new autobiography, Geo News reported.

Akhtar in his autobiography said that Tendulkar was intimidated by him and he was not a match winning player. Akhtar added that Rahul Dravid was a better player than Tendulkar.

Akhtar while speaking to an Indian news channel in Mumbai said that he had no personal problem with Tendulkar who had contributed immensely to cricket.

This Articel Orignaly Published at  The news pk