Column: Breaking down the Nadal era

What makes Rafa, Rafa?

What makes a tennis player a tennis champion to the degree that Rafael Nadal has already obtained at the age of 24, and barring injury, should continue to do for many years to come?

Born to an athletic family on the island of Mallorca on June 3 of 1986 to Sebastian and Ana Maria Nadal, Rafael Nadal grew up playing as much soccer as he did tennis.

He father a business partner with two brothers of a restaurant as well as owner of a glass and window company hired one of his brothers, Toni, who was a Spanish tennis professional, to help train his son.

So from the age of four, Uncle Toni has been Rafael's coach, mentor, support system, strategist and emotional anchor - continuing in that vein even today.

At the age of 12 Rafa's father said he had to make the choice of playing tennis or playing soccer because both were taking too much of his time from his studies.

So with his uncle's advice of feeling he could achieve much more playing tennis, that's the direction he went.

At the age of 14 the Spanish Tennis Federation wanted Nadal to train with it in Barcelona, but his father decided otherwise, and took on the full financial obligation to help Rafa reach his potential.

In an exhibition match with Pat Cash that same year, he showed how much promise he had defeating the former Wimbledon champion.

Before his 16th birthday, Rafa won his first ATP match. By 2004 he gained his first win against the No. 1 one player in the world, Roger Federer in straight sets, the beginning of a great rivalry.

By 2005 Rafa was ranked within the top five players in the world. In his first appearance at the French Open he won his first major title, reached the No. 2 position on the ATP tour and captured 11 titles for the year.

Not bad for a teenager.

Fast-forward to 2010, Rafael Nadal has won nine major singles titles at the age of 24, while Federer owns 16 and he's 29.

The latest came this past Monday with his first U.S. Open win, which added the one major he hadn't won. That gave him wins at all four majors an unbelievable accomplishment that few have achieved.

Only seven players have won what's known as a career slam, and only Agassi and Nadal have done that and won Olympic gold medals too.

So back to the original thought: why has Rafael Nadal excelled so well?

Uncle Toni and his family has played a major part in Rafa's development, there can be no mistake in that. Toni has helped teach his student and nephew modesty, how to stay down-to-earth while instilling values and qualities that show with hard work you can achieve your goals, realizing there's always room for improvement.

It's about attitude, discipline and perspective, that help define results and improve motivation.

There is also the question of staying healthy, physically and mentally.

You can put this whole package together and have a bout of severe tendonitis in your knees, a stress fracture affect your ankle, or the divorce of your parents hit your core, all of these things have happened to Nadal, yet he's returned to what could become known as the Nadal Era.

If you've noticed, even though not together as husband and wife, his parents were both in the stands together cheering their son on with his team of coaches, sister, girlfriend and uncle at the Open finals.

In 2007 in a finals defeat at the Australian Open Toni said he cried like an animal in the locker room, yet we've all seen him console Federer with sympathy, respect and sensitivity- playing down the lime light he rightly deserved in major wins against the master.

His game continues to improve.

He has a better serve, with more speed, spin and location.

His number of aces have more than doubled this year from 3.2 per match to 7.5

Federer hits topspin balls that average 2,700 revolutions per minute, while Rafa's are 3,200. The speedy footwork and great court coverage is above reproach, but continually trained on.

Nadal's goal for the rest of the year is simple, to keep improving.

Uncle Toni was asked if he thought Rafa might become the greatest player of all time, his response, "Ask me in five or six years."

Major League Soccer expands to a 34-game schedule in 2011

Major League Soccer will now feature a 34-game season in 2011.

Photo: Photo: Getty Images/Mike Stobe

Major League Soccer has announced that they will expand the regular season from 30 games to 34 games in 2011. MLS is expanding the size of the league from 16 teams to 18 teams with the addition of the Portland Timbers, coached by John Spencer, and the Vancouver Whitecaps.

The season will run for 32 straight weeks with no stoppage in play for any tournaments like they did in 2010 for the World Cup. The season will begin on March 19th and run until October 22nd. An MLS committee will meet in October to decide upon the scheduling details.

Hopefully, the home-and-away balanced schedule will continue in 2011. More or less, it makes the league into a single table. This year with a balanced schedule will be the first year where undoubtedly the most deserving eight teams make the MLS Cup playoffs. If the season ended today, six teams from the Western Conference would make the playoffs joining just New York and Columbus from the East. With the addition of two more Western teams in 2011, it may be time that Major League Soccer finally switches to a single table format

Nadal's US Open win gives Spain yet another triumph in amazing sporting year

MADRID — Spain's golden year of sporting success just keeps getting sweeter and sweeter.

Rafael Nadal's victory at the U.S. Open is the latest coup for Spain in a season-long fiesta on the international stage.

Spain won soccer's World Cup in South Africa, Alberto Contador captured his third Tour de France and now Nadal has completed a career Grand Slam.

Nadal followed up his victories at the French Open and Wimbledon this summer by beating Novak Djokovic 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 in the U.S. Open final on Monday for his ninth Grand Slam title. At age 24, the Mallorca native is already being talked about as one of the greatest players of all time.

"He's already a legend," sports daily Marca said of Nadal, describing him as "the best in history" by this stage of his career.

Many newspapers are asking if Nadal could be the greatest Spanish athlete of all-time. Nadal also won Olympic gold in Beijing two years ago and has helped Spain to three of its four Davis Cup titles since 2004.

"History is at his feet," Marca said.

El Pais wrote: "The Spaniard leaves the city that never sleeps with the most pleasant dream possible: champion, myth and, now, a legend."

A quick, unscientific poll done Monday on the website of radio station Cadena Ser said that of roughly 1,700 people who took part, 80 per cent said Nadal could become the best tennis player in history.

Davis Cup teammate Fernando Verdasco, who lost to Nadal beat in the U.S. Open quarter-finals, was also full of praise.

"Congratulations from here to Rafa Nadal for winning the us.open, for the way he played and unbelievable (fourth) set with only 2 errors!" Verdasco wrote on his official Twitter page. "So BIG!"

There was no immediate public reaction from Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero or King Juan Carlos but Spanish opposition leader Mariano Rajoy paid tribute to Nadal.

"He really is something. We have to thank him because he makes us happy without asking for anything in exchange. No one gives as much as he does," Rajoy said.

Nadal's victory also raised the nation's spirits following the only real disappointment this year: Spain's national team failed to defend its world basketball championship title in Turkey, losing to Serbia in the quarter-finals.

But there could be more celebrations to come.

Spanish racing driver Fernando Alonso won the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday and remains in the hunt for his third Formula One title, which could cap a truly unforgettable year.

Tiger Woods' former mistress Rachel Uchitel buys luxury pad on Park Ave., TMZ reports

LaVeris/FilmMagic

Rachel Uchitel has reportedly shelled out $2 million for a swanky home on Park Avenue.

out $2 million for a Park Ave. pad.

Rachel Uchitel, said to have collected $10 million in hush money from the links legend, bought a luxury three-bedroom pad, TMZ.com reported.

Despite her notoriety as the "other woman," the tenants at the building offered no resistance, and Uchitel wrangled a "pretty sweet deal," the site said.

Uchitel, 35, a former nightclub hostess, did not return calls.

She recently returned to Manhattan from Los Angeles with Dr. Drew Pinsky of "Celebrity Rehab" to visit Ground Zero for the first time since an emotional breakdown over the loss of her banker fiancé on 9/11.

"(The show) has given me an opportunity to deal with some major trauma I've held on to for years," she told The News at the time.

Next three IPL seasons to comprise 74 matches each

The next three seasons of the IPL will have 74 matches each and have been designed to reward the most consistent team during the league phase of the tournament. Apart from changing the tournament's format at a meeting in Mumbai, the league's governing council also decided that the franchises would be able to retain four players in their squads, while the rest would go into the auction scheduled for November.

The franchises' spending power has been capped at $9 million. The tournament will begin five days after the 2011 World Cup final on April 2.

Format

The IPL will comprise 70 league matches and four playoffs for the next three seasons. The ten teams will be split into two groups of five each, but will be ranked together in one composite league table. The change was necessary due to the addition of two new teams, Pune and Kochi, from the next season.

League phase
Every team will play the same number of league games (14, 7 home and 7 away) as in previous seasons in the following manner: Each team will play the other four in its group both home and away (eight matches), it will play four of the teams in the other group once (four matches, either home or away) and it will play the remaining team in the other group twice, both home and away. A random draw will decide the composition of the groups as well as who plays whom across the groups once and twice.

Playoffs
The teams that finish first and second in the league table will contest the first playoff, which is effectively a semi-final (Game A). The teams that finish third and fourth will play each other in a knockout that is effectively a quarterfinal (Game B). The loser of Game A will play the winner of Game B in a match (Game C) that will decide the second finalist that will play the winner of Game A in the grand final.

Player retention

Each of the eight franchises that participated in 2010 can retain up to four players but a maximum of only three Indians. The retained players must have been part of the franchise's registered squads for the 2010 season and will not be part of November's auction.

The franchise and the player it wishes to retain must come to a mutual agreement regarding the retention and the fee for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. However, irrespective of the actual fee agreed upon by the franchise and the player, the franchise's salary cap will be reduced by the following for each player retained:

• $1.8 million per year for the first player retained
• $1.3 million per year for the second player retained
• $900,000 per year for the third player retained
• $500,000 per year for the fourth player retained

Therefore, if a franchise decides to retain four players, it will be charged $4.5 million per year and will have only $4.5 million to spend on other players, compared to the $9 million available to a franchise that retains no one. The size of the squad is capped at 30 players.

Ahead of the auction in November, the two new franchises, Pune and Kochi, will also be allowed to sign up to four players from a list of players who were not part of any of the other eight franchises in the first three IPL seasons. However, if either Pune or Kochi sign players ahead of the auction, their salary cap will also be reduced by the same amount as the salary cap for existing franchises retaining players.

All the other international capped players, as well as IPL players who have played 75% of their team's matches in 2010, will be part of the player auction.

Player regulation

A franchise can have up to ten overseas players in their squad but only four can be on the field during a game. The player contracts that will be signed ahead of the 2011 season will be valid for two years, with a right of extension for the third year.

All players who are part of a franchise's squad will come under the salary cap. The Indian cricketers who have not yet played an international game will have their salaries fixed as follows:

• Rupees 10,00,000 per year for players who have not played first-class or List A cricket between 2009-10 and 2010-11 and for those who made their debuts during this period.
• Rupees 20,00,000 per year for players who first played first-class or List A cricket in the 2006-07, 2007-08 or 2008-09 seasons.
• Rupees 30,00,000 per year for players who first played first-class or List A in the 2005-06 season or earlier.

Revised catchment areas

The IPL has changed the catchment areas for the existing franchises because of the addition of two new teams from the 2011 season. Teams have to include four players from their catchment area in the squad of 30.

• Mumbai Indians: Mumbai, Baroda
• Royal Challengers Bangalore: Karnataka, Goa
• Deccan Chargers: Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa
• Chennai Super Kings: Tamil Nadu, Railways
• Delhi Daredevils: Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal
• Kings XI Punjab: Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir
• Kolkata Knight Riders: West Bengal, Jharkhand, Assam, Tripura, Sikkim, Manipur
• Rajasthan Royals: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Saurashtra
• Pune Warriors: Maharashtra, Vidarbha
• Kochi: Kerala, Services, Madhya Pradesh

Wozniacki, Sharapova cruise into hot showdown

Caroline Wozniacki breezed into the fourth round yesterday, dominating Young-Jan Chang 6-1, 6-0, in an hour and 13 minutes.

Her next match likely will be tougher.

The U.S. Open’s top seed will face Maria Sharapova, the 2006 Open champion, tomorrow in a battle of bombshells.

Wozniacki, who lost to Kim Clijsters in the finals last year has dropped three games in her first three matches. Sharapova, seeded 14th, demolished American teen Beatrice Capra 6-0, 6-0 yesterday.

“We still have one-and-a-half days before we have to play, so I’m going to relax, but I need to be ready,” Wozniacki said. “She will try to attack from the first ball, and I need to be fast.”

REUTERS

BEAUTIFUL MATCHUP: Top seed Caroline Wozniacki (above) and Maria Sharapova cruised into a fourth-round showdown tomorrow.

With Serena Williams out of the tournament with a foot injury, Wozniacki, No. 2 in the world could claim the top women’s ranking if she wins the title. And a win against Sharapova would help her cause.

“I think I’ve shown I belong where I am,” Wozniacki said. “I’m just happy to be through to the fourth round, but it’s up to everyone else to judge what I’ve shown or not shown.”

Though Wozniacki and Sharapova breezed through to the fourth round, both agreed it would be a very difficult match tomorrow.

Sharapova said “uh-oh” when told she would be playing the No. 1 seed.

“She can run all day and get a lot of balls back and make you hit tons of balls,” Sharapova said. “She gets her opponents off balance and does many things well. It’s why she is at the top of the game.”

Sharapova, who lost in the third round last year to Melanie Oudin, is known for a more aggressive style of play, and will try to take that with her into the match. But Wozniacki said she was confident she could keep up with the former champ.

“I never give up, and I fight for every point,” Wozniacki said. “This is just another match for me, and I don’t care who is on the other side. Hopefully, I can just keep on my roll.”

'I thought I could get away with murder'

It was 2007. They said he didn't look fit. They said he had been reduced to two shots - a paddle scoop and a desperate walk down the track. They said he was arrogant, that he had got ahead of himself. That Robin Uthappa was over. Aged 21.

Uthappa grew up with such accusations directed at him: unfit, over-confident, arrogant, a front-foot thumper. The stories were familiar. Everyone had heard the one about his mother suggesting he ask Rahul Dravid for an autograph, only to have her son reply, "I want to give, not take autographs."

The one about his weight, however, is not so well known. At the age of 10, an attack of epilepsy meant he had to take steroid medication for three-and-a-half years. It slowed his metabolism and made him susceptible to putting on weight, leading to a life-long battle against the bulge.

Things haven't changed much. Uthappa is still battling the same perceptions.

"I need not only to be fit but also to look fit," he says. "If I don't train for a week, I put on four kilos. You can imagine what happens if I don't train for a month. Post-IPL I was 85kgs. I went into surgery [for a shoulder injury] at 89 kilos." After surgery he didn't train for 21 days. He started rehab at 95 kilos.

It has to be depressing. "It's like hitting a wall," he says. "Day in, day out you hit the gym and work really hard but you feel like you are not getting any results." After the surgery Uthappa checked his weight every week. No movement on the scale. Still the after-effects of the old battle with epilepsy. Uthappa looks fit now, but he knows it's a never-ending struggle.

Arrogance, the second sin, shadowed him for long and he admits as much. When he played the first IPL, just on the heels of a World Twenty20 triumph, the familiar traps followed: money, fame and narcissism. "I was 21-22, we had just won the World Cup, and I thought I could get away with murder, man," Uthappa says.

It's the burden of his generation, and it looks like Uthappa's story is repeated in a dozen youngsters around. The system and its "benefits" can leave a young cricketer vulnerable to temptation and unaware of how to handle fame and fortune.

He says it wasn't the usual distractions like parties and late nights that had bothered him. "I stopped working as hard as I used to. My work ethics definitely suffered. I would rather stay in the room rather than get some work done in the gym. I would rather hit 20 balls less than 40 more, like I used to do in the past."

"Fame does funny things," Sadanand Viswanath, an eighties star who burnt out early, once said. "The adoration from fans is indescribable. You have to be there to understand it." Uthappa does. "Money, certainly, is a factor," he says. "When you are suddenly earning so much, you get ahead of yourself."

An entourage mushrooms around you, of the kind of people a young athlete ends up attracting. "You get people who tell you what you want to hear, you slack off," Uthappa adds, "Worse, you don't even know you are slacking. It happens more and more, especially with the kind of money that's come into the game now."

	I can't be a Rahul Dravid. I can't be a grafter. I don't have the flexibility of Sachin. I am someone whose strength is aggression. I am more in the mould of Hayden, Sehwag or Dhoni. I have decided that's how I am going to play from now on

Some cricketers never realise they have derailed. It struck Uthappa just before the CB Series in Australia two years ago. "We were playing Pakistan in India and I realised I had already done a lot of damage to my career," he says. "I realised I had to make changes and do it quickly. I tried to do it in the CB Series, but after the new selection committee came in. The Asia Cup in 2008 was the last game I played. I had no real role in that tournament, and Suresh Raina came really good, and they had to leave me out.

"It took a while for me to adjust, but I am really happy that I realised by myself that I was going off track and realised pretty quickly. I remember thinking, 'S**t, I'm getting ahead of myself and should hold back.' Even then I guess it was a little late to realise."

He is 24 now. He reflects on that phase of his life and talks about what youngsters need in times like the ones he went through. "I think one has to have a guide, a mentor they can talk to, trust, and blindly believe what they say," he says. "It could be a fellow player, a coach or parents. If that other person says you are crap right now, you close your eyes and believe that is so. Thankfully due to my education and upbringing, I realised soon that I was heading the wrong way. I have understood that there are lines a player can and cannot cross and I have mended my ways."

If that indeed is true - and there is no reason not to believe him - it's only the beginning of the battle. Uthappa started his campaign to return to the Indian team on the domestic circuit. He had a reasonable 2009 season, but flopped in that year's IPL. The domestic season that followed wasn't great, but the IPL 2010 was. His power-packed cameos put him back on the map. It also helped him understand the path ahead.

"I can't be a Rahul Dravid. I can't be a grafter," Uthappa says. "I don't have the flexibility of Sachin, who can graft and attack at his own will. I am someone whose strength is aggression. I am more in the mould of Hayden, Sehwag or Dhoni. I have decided that's how I am going to play from now on."

The Champions League is the first step in his attempt to return to international cricket. Since the 2009 World Twenty20, many young Indian batsmen have floundered against short-pitched deliveries. Uthappa sees the Champions League as an opportunity to showcase his skill. "I grew up on matting wickets, and pull shots come naturally to me. The South African pitches will offer bounce and should be ideal for such shots."

He has said he will concentrate on his keeping, and now aims to fill that role for India in the limited-overs formats. He also says he has relinquished the opening slot, and will seek a role in the middle order. It's not going to be easy. He still has a long way to go. The good news is, Uthappa knows it and is ready for the long haul.

Jonathan Broxton can't save the day for Dodgers

Reliever gives up a two-run home run to Juan Uribe as the Giants wipe out a four-run deficit for a 5-4 victory.

Giants infielder Juan Uribe is celebrates with teammate Cody Ross after hitting a two-run home run in the ninth inning to help defeat the Dodgers, 5-4. (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

The Dodgers' ambitions of a miracle run to the postseason were dealt a crushing blow on Saturday night — specifically a two-run home run Jonathan Broxton served up to Juan Uribe in the ninth inning that turned a one-run lead into a 5-4 defeat to the San Francisco Giants.

Of Broxton's memorable late-game meltdowns, the one Saturday night might have been the most devastating, if only because the Dodgers have 26 games remaining on their regular-season schedule.

They trail the free-falling first-place San Diego Padres by eight games in the National League West. They are back of the wild-card-leading Philadelphia Phillies by the same margin.

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The Padres' incredible nosedive, which was about as improbable as the low-budget club's ascent to the top of the division, made the Dodgers' latest defeat particularly tough to take. Earlier in the day, the Padres dropped their ninth in a row, practically inviting the Dodgers back into postseason contention. As recently as last week, the Dodgers trailed by the Padres by 12 games.

"It certainly hurts, we just couldn't get it done with our bullpen," Manager Joe Torre said.

The way the game started, a late-season charge looked well within the realm of possibility, particularly with the Dodgers set to start three-game series in San Diego on Monday.

Ted Lilly held the Giants to a pair of solo home runs over seven-plus innings, the second to Edgar Renteria in the eighth inning. That blast was immediately followed by another, one by pinch-hitter Pat Burrell against reliever Octavio Dotel.

With the Dodgers suddenly ahead only 4-3, Torre strayed from his practice of refraining from using Hong-Chih Kuo on back-to-back days.

Kuo, who has survived four elbow operations, recorded the final two outs of the eighth inning to preserve the one-run edge.

The game was in the hands of Broxton, who had saved only one game since Aug. 3.

He struck out Jose Guillen to start the ninth, but gave up an infield single to Cody Ross that was nearly prevented by a spectacular spinning throw by Rafael Furcal. Then came the home run.

"I knew it was gone. I hung a breaking ball," Broxton said. "He capitalized on the mistake. It was right down the middle."

Broxton was booed as he retreated to the dugout.

The Dodgers scored all of their runs in the fourth inning, the last three on a home run by Jay Gibbons, making a rare start in the outfield.

Short hops

James Loney set a career high with 36 doubles in the sixth inning but embarrassed himself in doing so. Loney hit a ball sharply into the right-field corner and was on his way to third base when he stumbled, fell and was thrown out. … Torre has stopped taking questions pertaining to whether he will return next season. "I answered a very innocent question here last week and all of a sudden it got that snowball going down the hill and never stopped," Torre said. … Center fielder Matt Kemp and second baseman Ryan Theriot were out of the lineup. Torre explained that he sat Kemp because he wanted to get Gibbons a start. Theriot is a career .176 hitter against Giants starter Matt Cain. Theriot's replacement, Jamey Carroll, went into Saturday hitting .308 against Cain. … Vicente Padilla remains on track to start Monday. Padilla, who was activated Thursday, was struck by a line drive in his pitching arm in a minor league game Monday.

Hughes recalled for Australia's Test tour to India; Haddin ruled out

MELBOURNE, Australia — Opener Phillip Hughes and offspinner Nathan Hauritz were recalled for Australia's tour to India next month, but wicketkeeper Brad Haddin didn't recover in time to make the 15-man squad announced Thursday.

Australia will play Tests in Mohali (Oct. 1-5) and Bangalore (Oct. 9-13) and three limited-overs internationals against India immediately before returning to home and trying to regain the Ashes in a five-Test series against England.

Young pacemen Peter George and Josh Hazlewood were selected to reinforce the fast bowling stocks spearheaded by Mitchell Johnson, while 21-year-old legspinner Steven Smith was retained as the slow bowling understudy to Hauritz.

"India is ranked No. 1 in Test cricket and there is no harder assignment in Test cricket at the moment than playing India on their home soil," Australia's chief selector Andrew Hilditch said.

Hauritz missed Australia's drawn series against Pakistan in England with an injured foot, while 21-year-old Hughes hasn't been a regular in the Test squad since he was dropped midway through the last Ashes series when his form slumped in England.

Hughes, who is returning after dislocating his left shoulder in May, scored twin centuries in his second Test in South Africa earlier in 2009 and has an average above 50 from seven Tests but is likely to be a backup batsman due to the established opening partnership between Simon Katich and allrounder Shane Watson.

"While it was disappointing to draw the series against Pakistan, the squad reflects the good performances of the team over the last 12 months as we continue to prepare for the Ashes," Hilditch said.

Tim Paine will continue as Australia's gloveman, at least for the Test component of the tour.

Alex Kountouris, the Australian team's physiotherapist, said Haddin was making good progress with his rehabilitation from an elbow tendon injury but was not yet ready to return to Test cricket.

Haddin "is due to commence restricted batting in the next few weeks ... with the possibility of being available for selection in the one-day international series," he said.

The 19-year-old Hazlewood has played one limited-overs international, bowling seven overs against England at Southampton earlier this year, and three Twenty20 internationals for Australia.

George, a tall 23-year-old fast bowler, is yet to make his international debut but has 67 wickets at an average of 28.46 in 18 first-class matches for South Australia.

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Test squad: Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Clarke (vice-captain), Doug Bollinger, Peter George, Nathan Hauritz, Josh Hazlewood, Ben Hilfenhaus, Phillip Hughes, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Marcus North, Tim Paine, Steven Smith and Shane Watson.

I was out of line with online outburst, says Pietersen

LONDON (Reuters) - Kevin Pietersen has apologised for his online outburst after being dropped by England for the first time in his career.

The 30-year-old batsman announced on Tuesday he had been left out of the Twenty20 and one-day squads for this month's series against Pakistan in a Twitter message that also included an expletive.

"It came out in a way I didn't want it to come out," Pietersen told Surrey TV on Wednesday.

"It wasn't meant for the public domain. I apologise for it entering the public domain and I also want to apologise for the language I used."

Former England captain Michael Vaughan criticised Pietersen for the 'Tweet' that was quickly deleted.

"What he did on his Twitter account was totally wrong," Vaughan told BBC radio. "I think that's something Kevin will regret for a long time."

The England and Wales Cricket Board said they omitted Pietersen, a member of the Twenty20 World Cup-winning side this year and voted player of that tournament, so he could try to regain lost form in county cricket.

The right-hander hit 38 in 33 balls on his debut for new county Surrey in a 40-over match against Worcestershire on Wednesday.

Cricket's ugly turn-around

Is Cricket, the so called gentleman's game, losing its serenity? Over the last few days, the ugly side of cricket has been exposed. It's been a frenetic week for sports journalists from across the globe as spot-fixing allegations have engulfed the world of cricket.

Those who have followed the game need no reminding that such instances have occurred in the past too, though admittedly rarely. The ICC has enforced stringent measures to keep corruption away from the game, but the bottom-line is that they have proved to be just not good enough. The world of cricket witnessed a major shock when the then big guns of cricket - Hansie Cronje, Mohammad Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja - all faced the heat of the ICC for being involved in making the game look dirty, and we are almost certain to see a few additions to that list as the spot-fixing saga continues.

Aamer and Asif have been accused of bowling deliberate no-balls, but the question is, will they face a life-ban or get away with just a hefty fine if the allegations prove to be true? Pakistan's greatest ever player, Imran Khan, says those deliberate no-balls could not have changed the course of the game and this may prevent the ICC or the PCB from banning the stars for life. In other words, does spot-fixing deserve the same punishment that one gets for match-fixing?

Sending down deliberate no-balls, dropping catches and intentional mis-fields are indeed those little things that eventually do change the result of the game. And if you are being paid huge bundles for doing so - which is also illegal - you surely deserve equivalent punishment.

With investigations still on, many more hidden truths may spring up in the next couple of weeks which will have to be investigated. Already we have seen Aussie cricketers coming out and speaking to the media about their encounters with bookies from India. There is also a cloud of doubt over the Sydney Test between Pakistan and Australia, where we witnessed several dropped catches from the Pakistani cricketers. The question that still remains is - Are they making a mockery of the die-hard cricket fan?

The advent of Twenty20 cricket, the amount of cricket being played, the addition of club cricket and its increasing popularity, have all without a doubt resulted in more money being involved. With money, comes greed and with greed, we make hasty decisions. Remember, the Pakistani cricketers were not involved in the last two editions of the IPL, which is rapidly turning into a tournament that gives you as much money as you would have earned in five years of playing for your country as you do in playing two seasons of it. It is a sad thing that youngsters who have not yet cemented their place in the side succumb to the short-cut methods of making money.

In the past couple of months, we have seen many legends of the game praising the 18 year old Aamer for the abundance of talent that he's blessed with. But, with the wrong attitude, your talent is of no use whatsoever, and this episode is a perfect example. It's high time youngsters realise the value of sporting their national colours and the pride involved in playing for their country. You can frame new rules, impose further restrictions and make statements that there is zero tolerance for corruption in the game, but unless the attitude of the players changes, we will continue to keep seeing this dirty side time and again. But, eventually, cricket must prevail and as a die-hard supporter of the game, I believe that the right measures must be taken and we should move on, putting an end to the controversy sooner than later.

Afridi turns focus to cricket

Shahid Afridi was set to lead the charm offensive in Taunton this morning, as Pakistan tried to keep the pressures of the 'spot-fixing' crisis off the field.

Afridi faces a difficult task to keep his team-mates focused on today's limited-overs warm-up match against Somerset - while Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer face a Pakistan Cricket Board inquiry at the High Commission in London.

"We are definitely looking forward to getting back to cricket. We did a very good practice session on Tuesday," Afridi said. "The coach (Waqar Younis) and I are trying to keep morale high. It's always very difficult in these conditions against a good team, but they are all really focused."

Test captain Butt, Asif and Aamer all left Taunton yesterday - shortly after their team-mates undertook the considerably shorter journey to nets at the County Ground. They are scheduled to be interviewed this morning about the allegations which appeared in newspapers last weekend and have been followed, so far, by four arrests of people outside the Pakistan squad.

Butt, Asif and Aamer were also interviewed by police during the Lord's Test and had their mobile phones confiscated as Scotland Yard tried to get to the bottom of claims the Pakistanis bowled no-balls to order as part of a plot to defraud illegal bookmakers.

Eighteen-year-old Aamer is already counting the cost of his part in the controversy - after Pakistan team sponsors BoomBoom suspended him from the deal.

BoomBoom managing director Ali Ehsan explained on Wednesday that his company are also considering whether to continue their contract as the Pakistan team's official kit supplier.

Somerset chief executive Richard Gould, meanwhile, believes the presence of Afridi and fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar today will make up for the absence of the three players summoned to London.

"You've got 'Boom Boom' Afridi and Shoaib Akhtar, we're delighted to see those two play," he said.

"We all tend to be quite Somerset-centric down here too, so there would be a fair few who've come to watch Jos Buttler pit his wits against an international attack. (Craig) Kieswetter will play, and Peter Trego will play. It will be a strong team."

Ferrari recalls 1,250 sports cars after some catch fire

ROME — Italian automaker Ferrari announced Wednesday it had recalled all versions of its model 458 Italia sports car produced before July 2010 after four of them caught fire.

"Our dealers are going to call clients and tell them to bring back their cars so that the necessary modifications can be carried out," a spokesman told AFP. The recall involves 1,248 vehicles worldwide, the official said.

Ferrari last week opened an enquiry after four of its vehicles caught fire spontaneously in California, China, France and Switzerland.

The investigation had shown problems with the mounting, adhesive, heat shields and wheel arch assembly, the spokesman said.

"High outside temperatures and intensive use of the vehicle cause a distortion and the vehicle catches fire," he said, adding that the modification will include replacing the heat shields.

Watson, Haddin confirm approach of bookie-linked gangster

MELBOURNE: Australian cricketers Shane Watson and Brad Haddin have confirmed they were approached by a suspected Mumbai gangster, linked with bookmakers in India, during the tour of England last year.

Watson's admission came after the Sydney Morning Herald reported that the all-rounder was approached in the bar of the team's West London hotel, the Royal Kensington Garden, after the Lord's Test, while wicketkeeper Haddin was confronted during the World Twenty20 tournament last year.

"Both players had immediately reported the approaches to the authorities and neither is suspected of any wrongdoing," the newspaper said.

Watson also confirmed that he was approached twice by the illegal bookmaker and he had reported the matter to Australian team management.

"I didn't think too much more of it until I found out a bit more information and that he was actually one of the illegal bookmakers," he said.

"It was just a little bit different to what normal fans are," he said.

Watson's admission came after spot-fixing allegations against several Pakistani cricketers, including captain Salman Butt, rocks the world cricket.

Mazhar Majeed, an alleged bookie, claimed in a sting operation by British tabloid 'News of the World' that several Pakistani cricketers were involved in spot as well as match-fixing.

Watson was in "complete shock" when he first learned of the match-fixing allegations and said if found true the accused players face the risk of life ban.

"When I first heard about it I was in complete shock, there's no doubt about that. If the allegations are true then they will unfortunately get a lifetime ban," he said.

The 29-year-old Australian all-rounder said he was upset about young Mohammad Aamer's involvement in the match-fixing scandal.

"I probably feel for him (Aamer) more than anyone because he's only a young, naive and innocent guy," Watson said.

"Unfortunately he's caught up with something (and) whether it's in their culture I don't know, I don't know how deep it runs but it's unfortunate that someone of his skill has got tied up with something that is damaging to cricket and to the individuals.

"I found him to be a brilliant competitor on the field. He always gave everything he got every single time that I competed against him and I found him to be an extremely skillful bowler for a 19-year-old," he said.

Cricket Kenya award contracts to players

After settling the on going crisis, Cricket Kenya has agreed to hand a one-year contract to 14 players.

The players have accepted and signed the deal which runs up till May 31, 2011. The development has come after a two month dispute which put Kenyan cricket in serious jeopardy.

The crisis has already cost Kenyan cricket dearly with England tour being scrapped during mid June this year. However, as the African nation prepares to host the Intercontinental Cup leader Afghanistan in October for a ODI tournament, the officials and players have held a series of meetings to resolve the issues.

Cricket Kenya has expressed satisfaction at the outcome of the effort.

CK Chief Executive Tom Sears said on Monday, "It is fair to say some good has come out of the initial dispute in the fact that after a series of meetings and presentations the players now have a better understanding of Cricket Kenya's plan for the future, the constraints we as an organisation face and their responsibilities as members of the national squad.

"All the players have now agreed to new contracts with our original budget for the year which was crucial," he added.

Cricket scandal could hit flood aid for Pakistan

The match fixing scandal could hit aid for victims of floods that have ravaged Pakistan, feared a British MP who added that it was 'absolutely the worst thing that could have happened now'.

Khalid Mahmood, a Labour MP from Perry Barr in Birmingham, said: 'It's very damaging to Pakistan, especially to the relief effort.'

'It's very negative and absolutely the worst thing that could have happened now. A lot of people of Pakistani origin are hugely disappointed to the extent that they don't want to have any association with the cricket team any more. They feel hugely let down and disgraced,' Daily Express Tuesday quoted him as saying.

Mazhar Majeed, a 35-year-old agent, was caught on videotape accepting 150,000 pounds in a sting operation conducted by The News of the World (NOTW) tabloid.

Three Pakistani players - captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir - are charged with under-performing in the fourth Test match between England and Pakistan.

The MP said that people will think twice before giving cash.

'It will have a knock-on effect.

'The people (of Pakistan) will have many more troubles heading their way because of the flooding, through disease and famine, so they are in desperate need of help. But such a disgraceful, negative story will cancel out an awful lot of good work that has been done.'

Pakistan match-fixing scandal: Alleged fixer's tangled web of businesses

Dirty business: secretly-filmed footage appears to show Mazhar Majeed discussing a bribe to fix the fourth Test Photo: SKY NEWS/NOTW

Two of the firms formerly run by Mazhar Majeed, who was questioned by police over an alleged betting scam that has stunned the world of cricket, had assets worth more than £1million seized by receivers after running into financial difficulties.

He is still a property developer in Croydon, South London, with a bookmakers and two bank branches in his portfolio, but is owed more than £160,000 by his own company.

Mr Majeed, 35, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers after being caught by a Sunday newspaper allegedly agreeing to take £150,000 in cash in return for guaranteeing that Pakistani bowlers would deliver no-balls in the Test at Lord’s.

Although he claimed to act for several members of the team, he is not registered as an agent and almost all of his business interests relate to property development.

Analysis of Companies House records shows that he has been registered as a director of 26 companies over the past decade, 20 of which were set up on the same day in April 2008 and all called Capital Investments.

Of these companies, just three are still trading – an ice cream parlour called Afters Tooting Ltd and two development vehicles called Capital Investments No 2 and Capital Investments No 17.

Capital Investments No 17 owes Mr Majeed £161,666 in an “interest free loan” while the other firm owes him £1,429.

His sister-in-law, Jenna Manji, was listed as a director of five of the other Capital Investments companies, now dissolved.

His wife, Sheliza Manji, was a director of one of his other dissolved firms, Newdelta Developments.

Two of the companies Mr Majeed was involved with had to call in the receivers.

Valeco Ltd, set up three years ago, has been in receivership since April having taken out an £800,000 NatWest loan on a property in Croydon.

Able Trading Ltd, a property rental firm set up in 1997, was liquated owing £586,732 because “the company cannot, by reason of its liabilities, continue its business”.

Almost all of the companies were registered at an office in Croydon called Bluesky House, where his main company Bluesky Developments was based.

Mr Majeed was not listed as a director of Bluesky and its accounts are not available although Companies House files show it owes £74,163 in five outstanding County Court Judgements.

His former business partner says they closed the property renovation business down when the recession hit.

The website for his Capital Developments company states that it owns several retail buildings in South London, including a branch of William Hill in Brixton and two branches of Barclays Bank in Croydon.

He also owns a £1.8m six-bedroom mansion, which was searched by police and tax officials on Sunday, as well as an Aston Martin sports car.

Mr Majeed became “co-owner” of Croydon Athletic FC in summer 2008, and at the same time was director of a short-lived company called Metrocroft (CAFC) Ltd. Another firm of his called Metrocroft Consultants Ltd was said to have made unspecified investments of £1,024,104.

A YouTube video shows Mr Majeed appearing in a spoof documentary about a fictional Croydon football club called the Terriers, who share a ground with the real Croydon Athletic.

One scene in the trailer for Road to FA Cup shows Mr Majeed telling a player: “I want the keys back for my Aston. Until this rent’s paid, I want the keys back.”

Man, 21, posed as middle-schooler for football

TAMPA - A 21-year-old man impersonated a 14-year-old by playing in a youth football league and attempted to enroll at a Hillsborough County Middle School, according to league and school district officials.

Julious Threatts, 21, used the name Chad Jordan to register and play for the Town N' Country Packers on Aug. 21, said Packers athletic director Ray McCloud. The Packers are made up of 13- and 14-year-olds and play in the Tampa Bay Youth Football League on Aug. 21.

On Tuesday, he attempted to enroll at Webb Middle School at 6305 Hanley Road, again under the alias, Chad Jordan.

Steve Hegarty, Hillsborough County School District spokesman, said Threatts showed up alone and without the proper paperwork at Webb. Threatts told administrators he was homeless.

Hegarty said the Department of Child and Families was called in, while Threatts waited in the cafeteria where he was given a snack.

According to Hegarty, Webb Principal Marcos Murillo walked through the cafeteria at that point and saw Threatts. Hegarty said Murillo told him, "He looks too old to be in middle school."

Threatts was moved to the social worker's office, where Threatt's cell phone rang. Hegarty said one of the administrators in the room answered. The voice on the other end said she was Threatts' mother, which is when his true identity became known.

Later Tuesday, Threatts was arrested on trespassing charges at the school.

According to police records, Threatts said he was a runaway and used the alias, "Chad Jordan," the same name he used on a forged birth certificate to play for the Town N' Country Packers. Threatts remained in the Hillsborough County Jail on Saturday. In addition to the trespassing charge, he also is being held on charges of violating probation in a 2009 burglary case, records show.

McCloud, the Packers athletic director, said the team became suspicious of Threatts when opposing coaches recognized him.

When it was brought to McCloud's attention that Threatts was an impostor who played for an opposing youth football coach the previous year, McCloud called a meeting with Threatts.

"I brought him into this room with seven of our board members and coaches and said, 'Come on now, tell us the truth, who are you?' " McCloud said. "He looked me right in the eye and said, 'I swear I am who I say I am. I'm Chad Jordan.'

"This guy had us all fooled. I mean this guy acted just like a little kid. Everything about him was a little kid. He's a total scam artist."

Threatts is 5-foot-11, 160 pounds, which is 10 pounds under the 170 pounds to play varsity level (13 and 14-year-olds) in the TBYFL.

McCloud, who estimates he has more than 200 football players and cheerleaders within the Town N' Country Packers organization, said the volunteers who handled Threatts' paperwork couldn't remember which parent or guardian vouched for Threatts on the required forms. McCloud said Threatts' form was not notarized, which is the case with many of the Town N' Country Packer players.

"Our volunteers are overwhelmed," McCloud said.

Besides the forged birth certificate, McCloud said Threatts' elaborate story included his parents died and he had moved from Seattle with his brother. There also was a lengthy e-mail from an alleged scout at the high school recruiting service Rivals.com analyzing Chad Jordan.

McCloud said he believed Threatts also forged the e-mail. The e-mail, which circulated heavily among TBYFL coaches, said Chad Jordan was "a very special prospect" who "hasn't signed" but has "offers from USC (University of Southern California), Texas and Florida." The email included quotes and lengthy statistics.

When TBYFL president Scott Levinson learned about Threatts, Levinson said, "I was angry. My goal is to protect kids, to make sure they're all safe and taken care of.

"We're going to investigate this to the full extent."

Citrus Park Bills Athletic Director Mike Black said he hopes so, and not because Threatts scored two touchdowns in the Packers' 35-0 victory over the Bills.

"We need to do whatever it takes to make sure this type of thing doesn't happen again," said Black, who has been involved with the Bills more than eight years. "Believe me, I understand that some people are going to try and take advantage of the system, but we need to work to stop those people.

"(TBYFL) should not be about winning. It should be about trying to help kids learn and grow into better people by playing football."

Besides playing for the Packers this year, McCloud said he discovered Threatts played in another youth league last year and for the Seahawks in the TBYFL two years ago.

Man Held in London for Suspected Conspiracy to Defraud Cricket Bookmakers

Police in London said today they are investigating an alleged betting conspiracy in connection with the fourth cricket Test match between England and Pakistan.

The Metropolitan Police said a 35-year-old man had been arrested “on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers.” Pakistan cricket team manager Yawar Saeed told Sky News in an interview that officers had taken statements and mobile phones from three of his players.

The police contacted the International Cricket Council, the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Pakistan Cricket Board after receiving “some information” from the News of the World newspaper.

“No players nor team officials have been arrested in relation to this incident,” the ICC, cricket’s governing body, said in a statement on its website. The ICC, ECB and PCB are “fully assisting” the police with the inquiry, it said.

The police are investigating allegations published by the tabloid newspaper today.

“The News of the World passed on some information to us,” the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. “Having considered that, we arrested a 35-year-old man yesterday on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers.”

Saeed said Pakistan will continue its tour of England and complete its outstanding fixtures.

“As far as the allegations are concerned, I would still call them allegations,” Yawar told a televised news conference in London today. “It’s not for me within 24 hours to pass a judgment whether they are true or not.”

Pakistan today lost the fourth and final Test at Lord’s by an innings and 225 runs. England took the series 3-1.

Pakistan hasn’t been able to play matches at home because of security concerns after terrorists attacked the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore last year. Earlier this year England acted as host nation for Pakistan games against Australia.

Pakistan Cricket Team Suffers Dual Defeats After Allegations of Tampering

LONDON — Playing on the morning after a British tabloid newspaper published allegations of match tampering against some players, an obviously demoralized Pakistan team suffered its heaviest defeat in 58 years of test matches, losing to England by an innings and 225 runs on Sunday. It lost its six remaining second innings wickets in a little over 90 minutes.

The News of the World charged that the 18-year-old fast bowler Mohammed Amir was one of a number of players in the test between England and Pakistan in London who had accepted money to change their performance. The paper said Amir and another fast bowler, Mohammad Asif, were paid to deliberately bowl no-balls — where a foul is committed while bowling — during the opening day Thursday. Pakistan’s sports minister, Ijaz Hussein Jahrani, said that any players convicted of match-fixing would be banned for life

For fans in Pakistan, where cricket is the national sport, the allegations were just another in a long string of bad news in their flood-stricken, violence-plagued country. Pakistan is currently prohibited from hosting international matches after Sri Lanka’s cricket team was attacked by commando-style gunmen in March 2009.

Last week, Pakistan’s players were hoping to raise the spirits in their home country, where millions have been affected by recent flooding. “If we can make people feel better by winning, that is something,” said Salman Butt, the team captain. Butt, a specialist batsman, was another player implicated in the report.

That it was Amir who was implicated in the tabloid investigation will particularly hurt Pakistan fans. Amir has been the shining light on a desperately struggling team; he may be the best bowler of his age in cricket history. On Friday, he produced the best spell of bowling in big cricket this year, devastating England’s top order by taking six cheap wickets before its lower order staged a remarkable recovery.

The News of the World claimed that on Thursday, Amir deliberately overstepped the crease in his bowling stride, conceding one run for a no-ball, at certain times during the match.

The charge underlines cricket’s vulnerability to corruption. While a single run in a test match inning may seem small, enough money is wagered on trivial incidents during matches to make any change lucrative.

Reports centered on three no-balls delivered by Amir and Asif, a minimal contribution to England’s eventual score of 446.

The News of the World said it had secretly filmed video footage of its undercover reporters, posing as front men for a Far East gambling cartel, in discussion with a man it identified as a London businessman, Mazhar Majeed. In the footage, Majeed appears to accept £150,000, or about $230,000, to make sure no-balls are bowled at certain times during the match.

It quoted Majeed as saying that up to seven players in the Pakistan team, including Butt and Amir, could be bought for cash. “I’ve been doing it with them for two and a half years and we’ve made masses of money,” the paper quoted him as saying. The paper has passed the evidence of its investigation to the police, who announced that a 35-year-old man, later identified as Majeed, had been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers.

Police also interviewed four Pakistan players — Amir, Asif, Butt and the wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal — at their team hotel on Saturday night.

“They have also spoken to me and I have tried to answer their inquiries,” the team manager, Yawar Saweed, told Pakistan’s Geo Super channel. “We will cooperate all the way with them in their inquiries.” He told Sky Sports News that the police had confiscated the mobile phones of Butt, Amir and Asif.

Asked at the post-match news conference to deny accusations against him, Butt said “these are just allegations.”

If substantiated, the case will be a savage blow to cricket, recalling the scandals a decade ago that led to the creation of the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit.

While the highest profile player in those scandals was South Africa’s captain, Hansie Cronje — who was later banned for life — a high proportion of allegations at the time related to Pakistan. A former Pakistan captain, Salim Malik, was among players banned for life after a judicial inquiry in his home country. He was reinstated in 2008 and appointed head coach at the National Cricket Academy.

While cricket did clamp down after the scandals, restoring confidence, there had been hints of a resurgence in fixing. Danish Kaneria, a spin bowler who played the first match of the current series before being dropped, was one of two players with English county Essex questioned over allegations this season.

On the field Sunday morning in London, Amir was greeted with silence by the crowd. He was out without scoring as Pakistan slid rapidly towards defeat.