Sports

Pardew vows to take it out on Chelsea after his orange men play like lemons Apr 29 2012

Alan Pardew promised a shocked Toon Army that Champions League football is still within Newcastle's grasp after 4-0 hammering at Wigan.The Geordie boss insisted they would bounce back against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday with a big performance.Pardew was stunned as his men in orange were well and truly Tango-ed.Roberto Martinez's side were four up by half-time as they continued their battle for survival. A double from striker Victor Moses plus goals by Shaun Maloney and Franco Di Santo rocked Newcastle who were riding high after six straight wins.Pardew said: "I see no problem with any of my players - we failed as a team not as individuals and it will be important that we go to Chelsea with an away game mentality which I didn't think we had today."Sometimes, when you have won six on the trot you can come away from home and think 'we will win here' even if you guard against it."We just didn't match their intensity. In any Premier League game that is going to make you look bad but Wigan were brilliant in that first period. They are as good as we have played in the last seven games and I want to pay great credit to Roberto and his team."That result will put a shock into the players more so than the management and I am expecting to get a reaction out of them on Wednesday night."I don't think I have any worries that the season will tail away for us now, I really don't."Defeat here might be a good thing and I certainly know the intensity will be back in the team against Chelsea."That will be a tough game for them bearing in mind they have an FA Cup Final three days later. Champions League football is not away from us by any stretch of the imagination."Martinez was delighted with his stars, saying: "The difference today was that we took our chances. Since early February we had good levels of performance and played really well, but you need to take your chances. Today we had belief, arrogance, call it what you like."The first-half display was as good as against Manchester United - the team showed great maturity and it's a very strong clean sheet. At this stage of the season that's very important."This is the biggest month in the history of our club, playing against Manchester United, Arsenal and Newcastle."In every department of the club we know we need to work really hard to keep our dream alive and that comes with belief."It's great to beat these sides but that means nothing if we can't achieve our aim."Our aim is to stay in league and we haven't got enough points yet. The next game against Blackburn is huge, it will be phenomenal."ASTON VILLA are still in danger as their run of games without a win stretched to eight with a 0-0 draw at WEST BROM.Gabriel Agbonlahor spurned two clear-cut chances for Villa in the first half and the Baggies had a decent penalty shout turned down when Alan Hutton appeared to turn Liam Ridgewell's goalbound header away with his arm.Kevin Davies was BOLTON'S hero as his double strike secured a 2-2 draw at SUNDERLAND.Veteran Davies, 35, opened the scoring with a typically powerful header before Nicklas Bendner and James McClean turned the match around.Davies popped up 20 minutes from time with another header to secure a precious point for Owen Coyle's men who remain in the bottom three.A stunning Luis Suarez hat-trick, including an audacious lob from 45 yards, gave LIVERPOOL a 3-0 win at NORWICH. The Reds travelled to Carrow Road on the back of just one win in their last six league games and with boss Kenny Dalglish under pressure - despite an FA Cup Final against Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday.Read

Lose to City and we've Eti-HAD it, warns Fergie Apr 29 2012

Sir Alex Ferguson last night gave a grim reality check to his stars, warning: Lose at the Etihad and the title is City's.The Manchester United chief claims United will kiss goodbye to a 13th Premier League crown if they return empty-handed.Until last weekend's astonishing 4-4 draw with Everton the destiny of the title was in United's hands. Now, a City win would put Roberto Mancini's squad top on goal difference with just two games to go.City still have a tricky test at Newcastle to negotiate but Fergie believes that if they win tomorrow's Manchester derby, their title momentum will be unstoppable.And that's why the Old Trafford boss has spelled out the brutal consequences of defeat to his players."If City beat us I think they will probably win it from there, even though they've got to go to Newcastle," he said."But if we win, we'll be strong favourites. Even with just a draw we'd be favourites and I think we would go on to win it from there."We'd have to be happy with that but we will go there trying to win like we always do."Their crowd will be up for it, I'd expect them to be. But that's not unusual for us. My players thrive on that kind of atmosphere."Ferguson expects Mancini to be cautious rather than gung-ho."It's difficult to say what City's tactics will be," the Scot said. "He'll be cautious, I think, but whatever we come up against we know what we have to do."We're working on a couple of things regarding team selection. I've got two or three options and hopefully we'll get it right."The pattern of the game will depend on when the first goal is scored. If it's early then maybe it could be open but I would imagine it would be more cagey."A game of that nature can be decided by anything but you hope it's not going to be decided by a bad decision."With the worldwide focus on it, it's important that it's a good game. We're representing a city and it's being shown all over the world. That creates a certain occasion and we want to ROO represent ourselves in the right way."Ferguson is still seething over the way United threw away a two-goal lead against Everton last Sunday - and he blames himself for not making changes late in the game."We should have won it comfortably," he said. "Maybe I should have brought on a couple of defenders just to see it off."I mean there were only seven minutes to go and we were winning 4-2. Bloody hell, there we go - we always do things the hard way."Ferguson always knew it would come down to a straight fight between United and City - but he'd rather have any other game as a title decider."I don't think any manager would choose a derby as a title decider but I thought that City would be our big challenge this year, particularly when I saw the early-season programme they had."They didn't really play any tough games at the start of the season and they got off to a flyer because of it."We had Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham in the first four or five games which was a really difficult programme."People keep predicting this would be the best title chase of all time but I knew it would always come down to two."I thought Chelsea would benefit from the enthusiasm of a new young manager and having a lot of experienced players. I thought they would have been in the chase but it was Tottenham who put a good run together."Now it's just us and City - and it won't be the last time we go head to head for trophies."Read

Agony for booked Ivanovic as Chelsea face mega three weeks Apr 29 2012

The football world and a TV audience of millions felt Branislav Ivanovic's pain at the crazy booking that ruled him out of the Champions League final.His superhuman performance in the Nou Camp had been crucial to Chelsea's incredible triumph over Barcelona.And his appearance in front of the pitch-side Sky TV cameras afterwards seemed just as heroic.This was a man who had played his heart out - and been cruelly robbed of the greatest moment in his career.Everyone knew, as he stood there beaming alongside Ashley Cole, that he would miss the final.Everyone, that is, except Ivanovic himself - until the interviewer broke the news.Now the big Serb has revealed that keeping the Chelsea players in the dark about any possible ban was part of interim boss Roberto Di Matteo's winning strategy against the reigning champions.He said: "No one told us because they didn't want to disturb us or put more pressure on us by making us think about yellow cards.Protect"Of course, you have to be disappointed not to play the final, but if you tell a player before the game then maybe the player will be thinking about not going into certain challenges to protect himself."But this is done and we can't think any more about it."Chelsea - reduced to 10 men after skipper John Terry was sent off - came from 2-0 down in the Nou Camp to win the semi-final 3-2 on aggregate.They will now contest two major trophies in the last fortnight of the season, with the FA Cup Final on Saturday against Liverpool and the Champions League final against Bayern Munich in the German club's own Allianz Arena on May 19.But Ivanovic is suspended for Munich after the booking he picked up for scuffing his boot on the penalty spot as Lionel Messi prepared to take a spot-kick.Messi went on to blast the ball against the bar.Ivanovic was unaware that amassing three yellow cards throughout the course of a Champions League campaign automatically triggers a one-match ban.His actions even earned him a pat on the back from some of his teammates who thought he'd played his part in Messi smashing his penalty against the bar.He added: "A lot of guys congratulated me straight after the game - they didn't know I'd been booked. WIN "I did everything to try to make him lose a little bit of concentration - it is a small thing you can use in a moment, the same as the goalkeeper taking the ball and not giving it to the guy."I don't think it was why Messi missed, it was just something psychological. It was the first time I had done it - I don't think I'll do it again."The international players' union has lodged an appeal with UEFA to overturn the suspensions of the six Chelsea and Bayern Munich players who will miss the final because of the totting-up process.Ivanovic said: "It was my third yellow in 12 games, "I have not been dirty, and I hope they will try to do everything for our guys and for Bayern, but these are the rules."Chelsea have a tough game against QPR in the league today and another against Newcastle on Wednesday, but Ivanovic says the FA Cup Final is in the players' mindsAnd he believes the anguish of missing out in Munich will spur him on against Liverpool at Wembley.He said: "It will make the FA Cup Final that bit more special for me."But even if I was in the Champions League final, the FA Cup would still be very special."Read

Chelsea to tie up £10m wonder-kid Barkley... and loan him back Apr 29 2012

Chelsea are ready to push through a £10million bid for Everton wonder-kid Ross Barkley to kick-start a summer of spending at Stamford Bridge.And the Champions League finalists will try to tempt Everton to sell the youngster by offering to let him STAY at Goodison Park next season if they manage to negotiate a deal.Chelsea have had Barkley on their radar for months with People Sport revealing their interest in October.With German starlet Marko Marin already signed, Roman Abramovich is ready to move for the Everton kid who has been identified as the No.1 Englishborn candidate to replace Frank Lampard.Club chiefs are optimistic about doing a deal, especially as they are prepared to allow Barkley to remain at Everton next season.The 18-yearold would be unlikely to figure much in Chelsea's first team next season and the loan-back idea would suit both parties. Chelsea are keen to recruit young stars and have made Barkley a priority.That will alert Manchester United, who also have the Goodison youngster high on their wanted list.Sir Alex Ferguson believes Barkley is destined for stardom and the United boss would be at the forefront of any bidding if the Mersey club show any sign of cashing in on their crown jewel.Barkley signed a new four-and-a-halfyear contract last December, keeping him at Everton until the end of the 2016 season.Everton manager David Moyes, remembering how Wayne Rooney developed into one of the biggestst stars in the world after leaving Goodison as a teenager, will fight tooth and nail to keep Barkley. He wants Everton to build their team around him.But if Chelsea are successful in luring Barkley, Everton will step up their bid to land Caen's £4m-rated midfield star Romain Hamouma.The 25-yearold has shone in the French League and scouts have given Moyes rave reports. Newcastle are also interested.Read

Harry Redknapp fears Hodgson will get England job as Bale talks of leaving Apr 29 2012

Harry Redknapp fears he is not going to be the next England boss - as Roy Hodgson's stock rises within the FA hierarchy.Tottenham boss Redknapp has told close pals he has still had NO contact from the FA and believes time is running out to succeed Fabio Capello.To pile on the agony, Redknapp reckons Luka Modric could leave White Hart Lane this summer. And yesterday Gareth Bale warned that he will consider his future if Spurs miss out on a Champions League slot. Despite being the popular public choice to become the Three Lions boss, Redknapp is increasingly concerned that with just two weeks of the season left he has had no call from the FA to even discuss whether he would be interested.That has sparked speculation that the FA are on the brink of springing a major surprise - with West Brom boss Hodgson the man most likely to benefit from Tottenham's end-of-season dip in form.Hodgson has all the credentials, having managed Switzerland and Finland at international level as well as Inter Milan, Malmo, Udinese and FC Copenhagen plus Blackburn, Fulham and Liverpool.The 64-year-old is well-respected at the FA and would take the England job for substantially less than the £6million a year Capello was earning.He is also out of contract this summer so the FA would not have to pay any compensation - with Redknapp they are looking at a whopping £15m clause in his Spurs deal.Unlike Redknapp, Hodgson would not look to bring in his own backroom staff - another factor which would attract the cash-strapped FA.That leaves Redknapp in limbo, and his week worsened yesterday when Bale delivered his Champions League threat.Bale, a target for Barcelona and Inter Milan, said: "I have to discuss what's best for myself. I had a taste of the competition last season and thoroughly enjoyed it."Redknapp thinks Bale will be at Spurs next season but he is not so confident about Croatian playmaker Modric.He said: "I don't see Gareth wanting to leave the club, it's different with Luka, though. I'd be lying if I said for sure he'd stay."

School Baseball: Tartans steal Bouck crown from Sabres, 9-7

Sunday, April 29, 2012

By Jim Schiltz (Contact)
Gazette Reporter

Photographer: Peter Barber

Schalmont 3rd baseman Jim Hamilton, makes an out against Scotia-Glenville with teammate short stop Dan Bergami Saturday.

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ROTTERDAM — Scotia-Glenville has used the stolen base as an offensive weapon throughout the baseball season. On Saturday, the Tartans’ speed game helped them win a championship.

“Usually, when we get a guy on, coach sends him,” junior Anthony Musto said after Scotia-Glenville beat host Schalmont, 9-7, for the Bruce Bouck Memorial Tournament

title. “We’ve got a lot of speed. We’ve got a lot of fast guys.”

The Tartans used a successful double steal to set up a pair of first-inning runs. They got another

run out of a double steal in a six-run sixth that carried them to their fourth straight win and eighth Bouck tourney crown.

The Tartans entered the sixth trailing, 7-3, and used four hits, four stolen bases, three walks, a hit batsman and a Schalmont error to regain the lead. The Tartans sent 11 batters to the plate.

“That was a wild inning. It was exciting,” said Musto, who kick-started the Tartans’ sixth with a single and later made it 9-7 with a two-run single. “It was a great thing to be a part of.”

Luke Mancini and Dan Zeglen pulled off both double steals, and Scotia-Glenville collected seven steals in all. Mancini had three of them to go with three runs scored, Zeglen smacked three singles to go with his two thefts and Musto also had three hits and swiped a bag.

“They say speed kills,” said Scotia-Glenville coach John Striffler. “Speed is a great thing to have. If your kids know how to run the bases and are smart out there, it can really help you.”

Scotia-Glenville filled the bases in the sixth when Musto singled, Chris Borden hit a one-out double and Mancini was struck by a two-out pitch, and Zeglen chased Schalmont starter Tyler Mattick with a two-run single.

A high throw to third on a

double steal allowed Mancini to come home, and after reliever Joe Wignot walked three consecutive batters to give Scotia-Glenville

another run, Musto connected for his two-run single.

“They put pressure on you,” said Schalmont coach Bob Anderson. “They put you back on your heels a little bit.”

Musto started on the mound for Scotia-Glenville and left after walking a batter to start the fifth with his team down, 6-3. Andy

Stuart got the win in relief after giving up an unearned run in the fifth and hurling shutout ball over the final two frames.

“I was a little nervous out there,” said Musto. “I figured I had to make it up to the team. I got a couple of hits in that inning.”

Dan Bergami was Schalmont’s hitting standout with an RBI double

in the first, an RBI single in the third and a two-run double in the fourth that gave the hosts a 6-2

advantage. Wignot belted a two-run double earlier in the fourth, and Jean Gomez’s RBI groundout made it 7-3 in the fifth.

“We played well all week. We played well today up until that [sixth] inning,” said Anderson. “We had a couple of mental lapses and lost the strike zone a little. They got some free runners, and they took advantage.”

Scotia-Glenville forced the issue right from the start, with Mancini drawing a first-inning walk, Zeglen beating out an infield single and the duo double stealing with one down. Nick Zeglen got Mancini home with a groundout, and Dan Zeglen scored soon after on a wild pitch.

“We’ve been scoring a lot of runs lately,” said Striffler. “The kids are believing in themselves and putting the ball in play.”

Scotia-Glenville (6-4) beat

Cobleskill-Richmondville in the first round, 7-3, before winning its second Bouck title in three years. Schalmont (8-3) topped Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons in the first round for its sixth straight win,

9-4, and was denied its eighth Bouck championship.

Greg Musk had a double, a single and three RBI, Kyle Lancto had a double, two singles and an RBI and Nick Pascarella had a double, a single and an RBI in Schalmont’s opener. Conor Goca had a double and a single for the Knights.

Chris Phelan went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI, and

Cobleskill-Richmondville (3-7) beat Bishop Gibbons for consolation honors, 10-8.

Kevin VanValkenburg got the win in relief and went 2-for-4 with three RBI and two stolen bases. Cameron Peterson had three hits and two RBI for the Knights, and Mike Mattice had two hits.

CHAMPIONSHIP

SCOTIA-GLENVILLE 9, SCHALMONT 7

Scotia-Glenville 200 016 0 — 9 8 4

Schalmont 101 410 0 —  7 7 3

Musto, Stuart (5) and Schoonmaker; Mattick, Wignot (6) and Cote.

CONSOLATION

COBLESKILL-RICHMONDVILLE 10,

NOTRE DAME-BISHOP GIBBONS 8

C-R 005 201 2 — 10 10 3

ND-BG 007 000 1 —  8 14 3

Farnsworth, VanValkenburgh (3) and Billington; McHugh and Mott.

FIRST ROUND

SCHALMONT 9,

NOTRE DAME-BISHOP GIBBONS 4

ND-BG 110 010 1 —  4  7 2

Schalmont 211 005 x — 9 13 0

Gambhir continues Kolkata's success

The Report by Siddhartha Talya

April 30, 2012

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Kolkata Knight Riders 140 for 5 (Gambhir 63, Ashwin 2-22) beat Chennai Super Kings 139 for 5 (Raina 44, Kallis 2-21) by five wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

	Gautam Gambhir scored a 52-ball 63 to lead the chase © AFP  Enlarge
Related Links Players/Officials: Gautam Gambhir | Jacques Kallis Matches: Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders at Chennai Series/Tournaments: Indian Premier League Teams: Chennai Super Kings | India | Kolkata Knight Riders

Kolkata Knight Riders continued their impressive run, picking up a hard-fought win over the defending champions with an all-round performance that included a disciplined effort with the ball and another Gautam Gambhir-anchored batting display. Each of his four half-centuries have contributed to wins for his team and yet again, on a slow track, Gambhir guided the chase with determination. With the ball keeping low and not coming on well enough, Chennai Super Kings managed a par score but it was to be insufficient, with their opponents, largely, ensuring the mistakes made by batsmen in the first innings were not repeated.

The game went in to the last over but the Knight Riders were on top for 18 overs in the chase. Gambhir approached the target positively, dispatching the bad balls with ease, not taking any undue risks, knowing that there was ammunition down the order even if some momentum was lost in the quest for stability. He lost Brendon McCullum early, but, after two boundaries through the off side, settled down to build a steady stand of 70 with Jacques Kallis.

While there was a regular flow of singles, Gambhir and Kallis did indulge in some power-play, keeping the required-rate well in control. Kallis slog-swept R Ashwin over square leg, Gambhir charged out and launched Shadab Jakati over long-on and the Super Kings bowlers didn't help their case with a spate of wides, eight of them in all. Extras aside, the pair ran 32 singles and two twos, using their feet well, playing the ball late, using the sweep, cuts and dabs in a period of busy accumulation. The required-rate rose when Kallis fell, and the equation was 48 off 36, but Dwayne Bravo gave width, and then dropped too short, to be punished for consecutive fours by Gambhir on either side of the pitch.

With 16 needed off 12, the Knight Riders were still in control but the fall of Gambhir, trapped in front while trying to swing Bravo over midwicket, caused a scare in the visitors' camp. Debabrata Das put that to temporary rest, flicking his first ball past short fine for four and then erased it completely following another failure from Yusuf Pathan, smashing Ashwin over midwicket for 4 to finish the game. That role in the finish prompted Gambhir to hand over his Man-of-the-Match award to Das.

Greater maturity in batting and a superior performance in the field were two significant factors that separated the teams. While Super Kings missed out on chances to run-out Gambhir and Kallis, Brett Lee was excellent in catching Michael Hussey short early after the hosts chose to bat. Suresh Raina and Dwayne Bravo had helped Super Kings recover with a 42-run stand, one that should have continued in its steady vein for a few more overs. But the two couldn't wait to infuse the innings with more urgency. Both fell to Kallis, who mixed up his pace well; a slower one was holed out to long-on by Bravo and, in Kallis' next over, Raina's slog only went as far as midwicket.

The spin pair of Iqbal Abdulla and Sunil Narine, together with Rajat Bhatia's dibbly-dobblies, kept further check on Super Kings, doing their bit to produce a boundary-drought of 47 deliveries. Stepping up proved a difficult job but even though Super Kings took 21 off the final two overs, it wasn't enough to withstand a controlled response from Knight Riders.

Gayle's West Indies return hits fresh roadblock

Nagraj Gollapudi

April 30, 2012

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	Will it be Somerset or West Indies after the IPL for Chris Gayle? © AFP  Enlarge
Related Links News : Gayle, WICB reach agreement on return News : Gayle signs agreement with WICB Players/Officials: Chris Gayle Series/Tournaments: West Indies tour of England Teams: West Indies

Chris Gayle's return to the West Indies squad is likely to be delayed after fresh doubts emerged over his availability for the ODI leg of the upcoming England tour, pouring cold water over the hard-earnedresolution reached between him and the West Indies Cricket Board by CARICOM (the Caribbean Community).

Earlier this month Gayle had sent a request to Ernest Hilaire, the WICB chief executive, asking the board if he would be selected for the ODI leg of the England tour in June; this was to help him clarify his availability for Somerset, with whom he had signed as an overseas player for the summer. Hilaire, in his response, has accused Gayle of "reneging" on the undertaking the player had given in the presence of St Vincent Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, stating he would make himself available to play for West Indies over Somerset.

"I write to you with respect to the upcoming West Indies tour of England scheduled for May 2 - June 25, 2012. As previously indicated, I am willing to make myself available to play for West Indies for this tour after my obligations to my IPL team are fulfilled," Gayle said in his e-mail, available to ESPNcricinfo, dated April 20.

Gayle, who last played for West Indies in the 2011 World Cup, told Hilaire that having signed a contract with Somerset, the county required him to "give an undertaking" of his availability for the entire duration of the contract, which clashed with West Indies' tour of England. Somerset have five Friends Life t20 games scheduled during the time West Indies play three ODIs and a T20I against England.

"I would appreciate if I could be informed whether I will be contracted for the West Indies Team for England Tour before I give my commitment to Somerset," Gayle said. "I only ask this so I would be in an informed position before I respond to Somerset, given the fact that I indicated my availability to the West Indies Team after the IPL," Gayle said, requesting an immediate reply.

In his response, sent on April 26, Hilaire said that "the Board has now considered your request and is extremely disappointed that, following the progress we had seemed to be making towards final agreement, you now seem unwilling to honour the commitment you made with respect to your Somerset contract."

According to Hilaire, Gayle had sent a "side letter" to Gonsalves on March 23, stating that he would "forego" his Somerset contract in order to make himself available to play for West Indies. "You reiterated this commitment in your April 1 letter, in response to WICB's request for clarification," Hilaire said. "Your most recent communication appears to suggest that you may be reneging on your availability as you now state that you are willing to make yourself available and not that you are making yourself available. A player cannot be considered for selection if he has not made himself available for selection."

According to Hilaire, during the meeting between Gonsalves, Gayle and the WICB, it was made clear to Gayle that selection matters did not come under the "purview" of the board. "The Board cannot give any commitment to any player with respect to his selection for a particular match or tour; but we will ask the Chairman of Selectors to have a discussion with you on issues relating to your selection at the earliest, in anticipation that you will meet all eligibility requirements," Hilaire told Gayle.

The ball is now once again in Gayle's court with Hilaire asking the player to come up with an instant reply.