GALLE, June 23: Kumar Sangakkara was stranded on an unbeaten 199 even as Sri Lanka took charge of the first cricket Test against Pakistan in Galle on Saturday.

The left-hander’s monumental nine-hour effort saw the hosts recover from 335-5 in the morning session to post 472 in their first innings on the second day.

Pakistan were tottering at 48 for five in reply at stumps with seamer Nuwan Kulasekara and off-spinner Suraj Randiv both taking two wickets each off successive deliveries.

Kulasekara removed opener Taufeeq Umar and Azhar Ali, while Randiv dismissed skipper Mohammad Hafeez (20) and nightwatchman Saeed Ajmal in gloomy conditions.

Asad Shafiq fell to Rangana Herath, leaving veteran Younis Khan unbeaten on 15 with Pakistan still 225 runs away from saving the follow-on.

Sangakkara missed out on his ninth double-century in Test cricket partly due to an error in the scoreboard on the ground which showed him on 194 when his score was actually on 193.

With last man Nuwan Pradeep at the other end, Sangakkara smashed Ajmal for a six and raised his arms in celebrations believing he had reached the coveted double-century.

Team-mates, who saw the correct score on television, immediately signalled to Sankgakkara that he still needed one more run — but to no avail.

Unable to get a run off the last ball of the over, Sangakkara could only watch from the non-striker’s end as Pradeep was bowled by Hafeez for no score in the next over.

Sangakkara, who was on 182 when the ninth wicket fell, scored all the 17 runs in the last-wicket stand, but found himself agonisingly short of the coveted mark.

Sangakkara, a 34-year-old veteran of 109 Tests, has eight double hundreds in his 29 three-figure knocks in Test cricket.

The left-hander held the innings together after Ajmal claimed his sixth five-wicket haul in 21 Tests to restrict Sri Lanka when the hosts resumed at 300-2.

The off-spinner, who had taken both wickets on Friday, struck thrice in the morning session.

Ajmal dismissed Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene for 62, before removing Thilan Samaraweera and Angelo Mathews off successive balls soon after the drinks break.

Mahela Jayawardene added seven runs to his overnight score of 55 when he was bowled by Ajmal, ending a 128-run partnership for the third wicket with Sangakkara.

Ajmal had Samaraweera stumped by Adnan Akmal for six and beat Mathews in the air to pick up an easy return catch with the fifth and sixth deliveries of his 30th over.

Sangakkara denied Ajmal a hat-trick in the bowler’s next over and put on 80 for the sixth wicket with Prasanna Jayawardene, who made 48.

Ajmal, 34, was the world’s leading Test wicket-taker in 2011 with 50 scalps in eight matches. He grabbed 24 wickets in Pakistan’s 3-0 whitewash of top-ranked England earlier this year.

Prasanna Jayawardene fell soon after a 16-minute interruption due to rain in the post-lunch session when he was caught behind off Hafeez.

The tourists cleaned up the tail on either side of tea with Hafeez finishing with three for 55 and Abdur Rehman with one for 126. Agencies

Pune, June 23: Pune Football Club has signed South Sudan striker James Joseph Moga for the forthcoming season.

Twenty-nine-year-old Moga becomes Pune FC’s first major signing and fills in the position occupied by Guinean Mandjou Keita for two seasons.

The Nimule-born and Khartoum-grown striker will team up with Pune for the 2012-13 year, moving on from Goan side Sporting Clube de Goa, where he was in fine form last season, netting 15 goals in 19 I-League appearances and ended fourth top-scorer of the league.

Pune FC head of operations Chirag Tanna said, “We are delighted to seal a deal with James and see him as an important part of our future. He is a top-class player, a very good finisher and a proven performer at club and international level. He is a very strong player and will provide us with good attacking options.”

Apart from an impressive club career, Moga has made 14 appearances (only World Cup qualifiers) for Sudan and scored three goals since making his debut as a 17-year-old in 2000. IANS

LONDON, June 23: A plaque in the honour of late India  cricket legend Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi was unveiled at the Oxford University pavilion here in the presence of his family.

The plaque was installed on the wall of the historic pavilion in the University Parks on Friday in presence of his widow Sharmila Tagore, eldest son Saif Ali Khan and his fiance Kareena Kapoor, daughters Saba Ali Khan and Soha Ali Khan and her partner Kunal Khemu, who were welcomed by Chancellor Lord Patten and Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Hamilton to the campus.

The family later had lunch at Balliol College, and then visited the Ashmolean Museum where they explored the India collection including the gallery of Mughal paintings, and watched the 160th anniversary match of the Harlequins -- the club for former Oxford cricketing Blues.

Mansur Ali Khan PataudiAndrew Thomas, head of development (sport) at the University, said: "We are delighted to honour a legend in Oxford and India by installing a permanent plaque in the University's historic cricket pavilion in the Parks." Agencies

NEW DELHI, June 23: When India played the last ODI tournament in Asia Cup Indian opener Virender Sehwag was rested on fitness ground and there was speculation that he was dropped on account of his lackluster form with the bat in the Australian series. But after a commendable performance with the bat in the IPL, the Delhi dasher is all set to make a comeback into the Indian ODI team when the selectors pick the squad for the five-match Sri Lankan series, which will also have a one-off T20 match.

Sources said that the selection committee is likely to pick the squad in the first week of July and will select a side keeping in mind the upcoming World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka this September. "He wasn't fully fit for the Asia Cup. During the Australian tri-series, he was regularly treated for his shoulder injury and so the selector thought it fit to rest him. But in the IPL, he was simply brilliant," a source told TOI. In this year's IPL, Sehwag, who led Delhi Daredevils, scored 495 runs with five consecutive fifties from 16 matches. Agencies

London, June 23: Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo, who could finish as Euro 2012’s top scorer, hopes to beat Lionel Messi to win the Ballon D’Or as the world’s best player.

His big rival Messi has won the FIFA award three times running, but Ronaldo believes he now has the edge.

Argentine Messi became Barcelona’s all-time record scorer this season but Ronaldo’s 59 goals helped Real Madrid to the Spanish League title, reports said.

After scoring his third goal of the tournament against the Czech Republic, he mouthed the word “Messi” into the cameras and blew a kiss to his rival. Ronaldo said: “Whatever I do here at the Euros won’t be decisive for the Ballon D’Or – but it will certainly help. Being the top scorer? I don’t even want to think about it because it’s all about us as a team going as far as we can – and we have high hopes. It doesn’t matter whether it’s Spain or France in the semis, we’re ready.” ANI

EUGENE, June 23: At the ripe old age of 30, Justin Gatlin feels like a kid again. The darkness of a four-year doping suspension has faded and sprinting has become fun once more for the 2004 Olympic champion.

This year Gatlin has been the fastest American to run 100 metres and he will be eager to prove his worth to the team when he steps up at a U.S. Olympic trials for the first time since 2004 on Saturday.

“This is my first time being really excited - almost kid-like - in a very long time,” the 2012 world indoor champion told a news conference.

“I’m back and I’m in good shape.” His task this weekend will be stay ahead or within grasp of the bevy of sprinters who have taken the U.S. 100 metres reins while and after Gatlin served his 2006 to 2010 doping suspension for a positive drugs test.

There is former world champion Tyson Gay, himself on the rebound from hip surgery, and 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Walter Dix to mention a few.

All will be aiming for a top-three finish in Sunday’s final and a ticket to the London Olympics. There is no other way to make the team.

Gatlin checks in with the top U.S. time of 9.87 seconds, but as Gay noted this week no one is going to sit around and award you an Olympic berth on past laurels.

“I don’t think anybody had the expectation of me coming this far, but just to come back and be able to compete was a victory within itself,” said Gatlin, who made the U.S. 2011 world championship team but was eliminated in the semifinals at Daegu.

FIRED UP A new coach, retired world-class sprinter Dennis Mitchell, has brought Gatlin’s bulking body down to sprinter’s weight and fired up in the normally laid back runner.

Gatlin also has come to understand and appreciate life outside the fast circle, lessons he learned during his four years away from the track.

Yet he still has the burning desire to beat the current king of athletics, Jamaican world record holder Usain Bolt.

“I take my hat off to him,” Gatlin said. “He is a great athlete, but at the same time he is human. He’s beatable.”

Whether Gatlin, who won the 2004 Olympics in 9.85 seconds can run near Bolt’s world record of 9.58 is not the focus of Mitchell’s plan for the 2005 world double sprint champion. Reuters

KUALA LUMPUR, June 23: Sharad Pawar’s tenure as International Cricket Council president will come to an end next week and New Zealand’s Alan Isaac will take over from the Indian at the body’s five-day Annual Conference starting with the Chief Executive Committee’s meeting on Sunday.

“Mr Isaac will take over as ICC President from Sharad Pawar, who completes his two-year term at the end of the week,” the ICC said in a statement.

The ICC Council, at its meeting on June 28, will be asked to approve amendments to the ICC Articles which will create the post of Chairman from June 2014 with the President’s role being ambassadorial from that date onwards.

“The Council will also be required to confirm the appointment of David Richardson as successor to Haroon Lorgat as the ICC Chief Executive,” the statement said.

The ICC Associate and Affiliate Members meeting on June 25 will elect their three representatives to serve two-year terms on the ICC Board.

“On the agenda of the CEC meeting are recommendations from the ICC Cricket Committee which include the reaffirmation of the universal application of the Decision Review System, minor enhancements to the 50-over format and, discussions on the protection and promotion of international cricket within a changed landscape that is showing a growing number of domestic professional T20 leagues.”

The ICC Board, which will meet on June 26 and 27, will receive various reports and recommendations emanating from Board sub-committees and the CEC. Agencies

Euro 2012

CHENNAI, June 23: As Euro 2012 rolls towards semifinals, a Chennai fish called Chanakya is making waves, accurately 'predicting' the last seven results. On Saturday, a good 12 hours before the third quarterfinals kick-off at Donbass Arena in Donetsk, Chanakya 'predicted' a win for France against Spain.

By the time the result comes in the wee hours of Sunday, Chanakya may dive into oblivion or emerge as a reincarnate of Paul the octopus who gripped the attention of football lovers with his forecasts of FIFA 2010. So far, however, the flame-and-black tiger oscar fish has given astrologers a run for their money.

At noon on Saturday, four people stepped into engineer Kumaresan's house in Anna Nagar, Chennai, where Chanakya lives in a 150-litre glass tank, all alone. One of them took out two porous dishes with fish feed - one with the French flag and the other with the Spanish flag - and floated them simultaneously on the water. The next second, Chanakya darted to the French tray, and savoured every bit of feed without throwing a glance at the Spanish tray that floated aimlessly to his left. "There!" exclaimed I Magbool Shareef who had just lowered the feed trays, "France wins."

Shareef is a resource person for Chennai-based NGO Indian Community Welfare Organisation which hosts Chanakya to spread awareness about endangered fish species. "It's not to claim any psychic power of Chanakya," reasons ICWO director A J Hariharan. "We know he pecks at one of the trays for food. And we consider the flag on the first tray as the winner. But it's true that all his predictions so far have come true." Agencies

Chennai, June 23: Kamal Chawla, the 32-year old from Bhopal and India No.2, saw off a late challenge from Kolkata's Sourav Kothari to win 6-4 in the final of the Kences Constructions-ASCA International snooker tournament here on Saturday.

Chawla had to fight hard for the Rs.2 lakh winner's cheque as the 28-year old Kothari fought back from 0-3 and 1-5 to 4-5 before the Bhopal cueist scrambled home in the 10th frame.

 At the start, it was Chawla who seized the upper hand as he raced away with the early frames aided by small but useful breaks and looked poised to complete a sweeping victory.

However, Kothari put in a determined show and with astute potting, clawed back into the match with a couple of half-century breaks while Chawla seemed to wilt under pressure. IANS

GDANSK, June 23: Germany booked their place in the last four of Euro 2012 as Joachim Loew’s side hammered Greece 4-2 on Friday after dominating their quarterfinal.

Germany ran riot as captain Philipp Lahm, Sami Khedira, veteran striker Miroslav Klose and Marco Reus all got on the score-sheet to cancel out Giorgos Samaras’ and Dimitris Salpingidis’ second-half strikes for the Greeks.

The Germans will now play England or Italy, who meet in Sunday’s Kiev quarterfinal, in the semifinal at Warsaw’s National Stadium on Thursday as they inflicted Greece’s heaviest defeat at a European championships, eclipsing the Greeks’ 3-1 defeat at the hands of Czechoslovakia in 1980.

“That was a class performance from the team to reach the semifinals for the fourth time in a row,” said Loew with the Germans having reached the semifinals at both the last two World Cups and lost the Euro 2008 final.

“We can be proud of the team, it was clear that the Greeks could make something out of nothing. We failed to take an early lead, but we did not panic. There were a few changes and I thought I had to change things after three wins.”

Loew pulled off a pre-match triple surprise by leaving out striker Mario Gomez, plus forwards Lukas Podolski and Thomas Mueller in a bold move.

Klose won his 120th cap to come in for Gomez to claim his 64th international goal leaving him just four short of Gerd Mueller’s all-time Germany record.

Borussia Dortmund-bound Reus capped his first Euro 2012 appearance with a goal at Mueller’s expense to win only his seventh cap while Bayer Leverkusen’s Andre Schuerrle took Lukas Podolski’s place on the left wing.

Santos brought in Grigoris Makos for suspended captain Giorgos Karagounis, who scored the winning goal against Russia which put the Euro 2004 winners in the last eight, with midfielder Kostas Katsouranis named as skipper.

The Germans had the ball in the net after only four minutes as Khedira’s shot was only parried by Greek goalkeeper Michaelis Sifakis, who was soon beaten, but Schuerrle was flagged for offside.

Celtic’s Samaras earned the first booking when he ran his boot down the back of Germany’s Bastian Schweinsteiger’s ankle on 14 minutes while Sotiris Ninis forced Germany’s Manuel Neuer into a rare save on 31 minutes.

With the Germans in control, the goal they had been threatening came on 39 minutes when Lahm burst through the left side of the Greek defence and fired home from the edge of the area.

It was a carbon copy of the goal Lahm scored against Costa Rica, the first of the 2006 World Cup, and his fifth for his country on his 90th appearance.

Santos added an extra forward after the break with Sotiris Ninis making way for Fanis Gekas and midfielder Giorgos Fotakis on for defender Giorgos Tzavellas.

The switch paid off when Samaras slipped his marker Jerome Boateng to bundle the ball home from the cross of Salpingidis, who outpaced Lahm on the right flank on 55 minutes.

But Germany reclaimed the lead thanks to a volley from Real Madrid’s Khedira whose late run connected with Boateng’s cross to leave Sifakis with no chance.

Klose added to his impressive tally with a header from a Ozil free-kick on 68 minutes, while Reus scored the fourth when Klose latched onto Ozil’s pass, forcing Sifakis into a save.

But the ball fell to the Dortmund man, who hit the net on 74 minutes.

With time almost up Salpingidis scored from the penalty spot after Boateng’s foul, but it was too little, too late. AFP

NEW DELHI, June 23: Syria and Jordan have confirmed participation in the Nehru Cup football tournament in Delhi August 16-26 and the All-India Football Federation (AIFF) is waiting to hear from African powerhouses Cameroon and Nigeria.

Announcing this on the sidelines of the federation's platinum jubilee celebrations on Saturday, AIFF general secretary Kushal Das said invitation has been extended to Thailand, Costa Rica, Malaysia and Zambia.

"So far only Syria and Jordan have confirmed their participation and we are hoping that either Cameroon or Nigeria would also agree to play," said Das.

"If Nigeria and Cameroon don't participate, there will still be good teams like Costa Rica, Thailand, Malaysia and Zambia and some of them should accept our invitation," he added.

On India hosting the under-17 FIFA World Cup, Das said the security issue was the sticking point as the states which would play the hosts have to give the undertaking.

"Meetings of the venue officials will be held in July, but the states have to resolve the security issue as it is their subject," he said.

India needs at least six world-class stadia to be able to host the event. The AIFF has short-listed eight venues -- New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Guwahati, Goa and Kochi.

"We have already got assurances from four states - Assam, Kerala, Delhi and Goa," Das said. IANS

Warsaw, June 23: Germany have set a new record for consecutive wins in competitive international football with their 4-2 Euro 2012 quarter-final victory over Greece in Gdansk. The triumph against Fernando Santos’ men was the 15th competitive fixture won in a row by Joachim Low‘s men, surpassing the 14-game sequence previously shared with France, Netherlands and Spain.

Here is a look at how Germany created the records of 15 consecutive win:

Germany 3-2 Uruguay | Low’s men started their sequence by claiming third place at WC2010

Belgium 0-1 Germany | Klose put The Mannschaft on the right track in qualifying

Germany 6-1 Azerbaijan | ‘Thumbs up‘ were deserved after thrashing the minnows

Germany 3-0 Turkey | Ozil and his team-mates were a step ahead of Sahin and Co.

Kazakhstan 0-3 Germany | Their fifth win was a straight-forward affair

Germany 4-0 Kazakhstan | Klose and Muller were both at the double

Austria 1-2 Germany | A 90th minute Gomez effort erased a below-par performance

Azerbaijan 1-3 Germany | Ozil was on target as Germany continued their magnificent run

Germany 6-2 Austria | The prolific Klose opened the scoring in a six-goal rout

Turkey 1-3 Germany | Gotze was impressive in win No.10

Germany 3-1 Belgium | Low’s side finished with an untarnished record in qualifying

Germany 1-0 Portugal | Gomez‘s well-placed header brought a positive start to Euro 2012

Netherlands 1-2 Germany | A Gomez double left the Dutch in trouble

Denmark 1-2 Germany | Lars Bender ensured that his side topped the ‘Group of Death‘

Germany 4-2 Greece | Lahm, Khedira, Klose & Reus broke the record.

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, June 23: Assam Olympic Association (AOA) observed the International Olympic Day Run here at Guwahati today. The run started from Anandaram Baruah fly-over, Chandmari at 6 am and ended at Nehru Stadium. Forest Minister and Secretary of Assam Olympic Association Rockybul Hussain flag-offed  the run where former table-tennis player Arjun Kamlesh Mehta and Monalisa Baruah Mehta participated. Around 200 participants ran in the Run along with various film actors, sportspersons and students.

Just before the start of the Run the organizer felicitated gold medallist in the 800m race in National Masters Athletics Bhagya Kalita, retired principal of Sonaram Higher Secondary School and founder of Assam Handball Association, Kumudeshwar Hazarika and former International Table-Tennis player Dwarik Sharma by giving away Rs 10,000 along with Japi, Sarai and Gamusa.

Aizawl, June 23: An Olympic Day Run was organized on Saturday in Mizoram’s capital Aizawl to celebrate the setting up of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on this day in 1894.

Over 2,500 sports persons and runners participated in the colourful run, organized by the Mizoram State Olympic Association (MSOA).

“Through sports, youths of the northeast will show their talents and skill while people of different ethnic groups and castes will come closer,” said Mizoram Chief Minister and MSOA president Lal Thanhawla while addressing the gathering at the famous Assam Rifles Ground here.

MSOA senior Vice-President and Mizoram Sports Minister Zodintluanga urged Mizo youths to dedicate themselves to place the mountainous state in the national and international sports arena in a more bigger way.

Olympic Day Run is an international Olympic movement activity promoting mass participation of people in sports. IANS

London, June 23: West Indies vice-captain Dwayne Bravo was fined 20 per cent of his match fee by the International Cricket Council for criticising the umpires after Chris Gayle was controversially given out during the second One-Day International against England.

The all-rounder was charged with a level once offence relating to “inappropriate public comment”.

Gayle made a whirlwind 53 from 51 balls Tuesday before he was belatedly adjudged lbw by umpire Tony Hill following an elongated appeal from off-spinner Graeme Swann.

The batsman reviewed the decision and while replays showed the ball striking the bat, they failed to determine if it was bat or pad first.

“What confused us is they used the technology, and then the decision was given,” Bravo complained at the post-match press conference. “It’s okay, umpires do make mistakes - that’s accepted - but not when they see the referral as well and realise they’ve made the wrong decision and then stand by it.”

Match referee Jeff Crowe said Bravo had gone too far with his criticism. “Dwayne unfortunately went over the mark in describing the Chris Gayle decision and used comments that criticised both the on-field and TV umpire,” Crowe said.

Bravo pleaded guilty to the offence, negating the need for a formal hearing. He was charged by Hill and the other on-field umpire Kumar Dharmasena. Agencies

NEW DELHI, June 23: The farcical drama being played out in India tennis continued on Friday with national selector Rohit Rajpal now saying he will try to persuade an angry Leander Paes to agree to play in the men’s doubles with Vishnu Vardhan in the London Olympics.

Rajpal said he was going to London on a “personal visit” and not as an emissary of the national tennis federation (AITA). However, Paes is learnt to have refused to meet Rajpal, who played with him in the junior ranks.

Whatever new twist this soap opera takes in the days to come, one thing is clear: all the protagonists - Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, Rohan Bopanna and AITA -in this Great Indian Tennis Tamasha have a lot to answer for.

There are no winners in this ugly game of blackmailing, mud-slinging and back-stabbing. It is actually a lose-lose situation all the way, with taxpayers’ money being wasted to fund sportspersons whose oft-stated love for the country seems to have been completely overshadowed by bloated egos and personal ambitions.

Worse, they have put not one but two medals at stake. First, Bhupathi and Bopanna refused to play unless chosen as a team. And now, Paes has been offered the chance to play mixed doubles with Sania Mirza as a sort of consolation even though Mirza and Bhupathi have just won the French Open. Agencies

Colombo, June 23: Sri Lankan Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has warned sportsmen with strict punishment, including life ban on those found guilty of doping. Aluthgamage said coaches and medical officers who prescribe banned drugs to sportsmen will also face severe punishments.

The minister made this announcement after obtaining legal advice from the country’s Attorney General to stop sportsmen from using banned substances.

He said 23 national players were charged for doping, while 13 were found guilty since he took over the ministry.

The announcement comes ahead of a number of international sports events, including T20 World Cup in September and Asian Youth Games in 2017 in Sri Lanka. IANS

Valencia, June 23: Sebastian Vettel claimed third straight pole position for Red Bull at the Formula One European Grand Prix qualifying here Saturday while Sahara Force India's Nico Hulkenberg and Paul di Resta set the eighth and 10th fastest time.

Vettel was fastest with 1:38.086 in a very competitive Q3, taking his third pole of the season. McLaren's Lewis Hamilton clocked 1:38.410 to pip Pastor Maldonado for the second place. The Venezuelan timed 1:38.475 in his Williams.

Di Resta, who was third quickest in Q2 and was placed top five in the final session, was pushed back on the grid along with Hulkenberg. Both Force Indias recorded 1:38.752 and 1:38.992.

India's Narain Karthikeyan will start Sunday's race in 22nd place ahead of the two Marussias. He managed 1:42.527 which was slower than his teammate Pedro de la Rosa's 1:42.171. IANS

KRAKOW, June 23: Italy and England, who meet in the Euro 2012 quarterfinals on Sunday, have dreadful records in penalty shootouts with the Azzurri’s 2006 World Cup final triumph a rare bright spot in an otherwise sorry tale of woe.

The chances that the game in Kiev goes the distance appear quite high with players and pundits all saying the two defensively-minded sides are evenly matched. The average bookmaker odds on the first 0-0 of the tournament are just 11-2.

Their painful experience with spot kicks began in the 1990 World Cup when both teams were eliminated in semifinals which have become etched in the tortured psyches of every Italian and English soccer fan.

Memories of Chris Waddle’s kick sailing over the bar against Germany in Turin still give grown men nightmares while Roberto Donadoni began his doomed relationship with penalties by missing for co-hosts Italy against Argentina.

Italy went one stage further at the 1994 World Cup in the United States but it only made the despair greater as Roberto Baggio, the divine ponytail, sent his kick into the Pasadena sky as Brazil won the final on penalties after a 0-0 draw.

Euro 96 in England promised much for the host nation after they actually beat Spain on spot-kicks in the last eight but another semifinal meeting with Germany went to penalties following a 1-1 draw and again ended in heartbreak.

Gareth Southgate’s scuffed effort was easily saved by Andreas Koepke and the mood in England matched the grey shirts their fallen heroes wore that day.

The misery continued two years later when Paul Ince and David Batty failed from the spot as Argentina prevailed on penalties in the World Cup second round after a 2-2 draw.

Italy were not to be outdone when it came to penalty incompetence and lost to hosts and eventual winners France in a shootout in the quarterfinals following a forgettable 0-0 draw.

The Azzurri suddenly worked out how to take penalties at Euro 2000 and won the semi-final 3-1 on spot-kicks - but only against co-hosts the Netherlands who also have a poor shootout record. Italy lost 2-1 to France in the final.

It was England’s turn to revert to type in Euro 2004 with a shootout defeat by hosts Portugal in the quarterfinals when David Beckham skied his kick way up into the Estadio da Luz and blamed a dodgy penalty spot.

Portugal were again England’s nemesis two years later at the World Cup with another quarterfinal defeat on penalties as Wayne Rooney was sent off and Jamie Carragher missed his twice-taken kick in a 3-1 shootout loss following a 0-0 draw.

The 2006 finals in Germany were, of course, the crowning glory for Italy with Fabio Grosso confidently striking in the winning penalty as Marcello Lippi’s men scored all five spot-kicks to edge out France after a 1-1 draw.

The Italians penalty luck did not last, however, and a Euro 2008 last-eight elimination by eventual winners Spain came courtesy of a 0-0 draw and a 4-2 shootout defeat when Daniele De Rossi and Antonio Di Natale, who could play on Sunday, missed.

Donadoni, then Italy coach, had succumbed to the dreaded spot-kicks yet again and the defeat cost him his job.

Something will have to give if Sunday’s game goes to penalties but it could be a very long night. Reuters

WIMBLEDON, June 23: Roger Federer says he is “dreaming” of a record-tying seventh Wimbledon championship and has to do better than his quarterfinal exits the past two years.

The owner of a record 16 Grand Slam titles - including six at the All England Club - said Saturday he hopes he can be the person to put an end to the run of four consecutive major finals played between No. 1 Novak Djokovic and No. 2 Rafael Nadal.

The 30-year-old Federer is currently ranked No. 3 but can move back into the top spot he held for a total of 285 weeks by winning Wimbledon. He’s more interested in adding the title than reclaiming the ranking because, he says, “Trophies is what really gets you going.” The grass-court tournament begins on Monday. AP

London, June 23: Desperate to charm their partners away from being glued to the Euro Cup 2012, many sex starved British women are taking to naughty knickers and suspenders.

Sales of lingerie have shot up, with retailer Littlewoods.com reporting a 38 percent increase in purchases of bras, French knickers, suspenders, and corsets since the football tournament began June 8, The Sun tabloid reported.

Birmingham city has witnessed the biggest sales rise at 48 per cent. Liverpool is fourth with 45 percent and London fifth with 43 percent.

“My partner has been glued to the football every night so I bought a nice set of bra and knickers to get his attention,” said Sally Williams, 29, an officer worker from London.

“It seems to have paid off, although obviously it’s more difficult to distract him when England are playing,” she added.

Brand director Gary Kibble said: “Lingerie is always popular around Valentine’s Day, but we’ve been surprised to see the football has had the same effect.

“Football will hog television screens for the next 10 days so we expect this trend to continue.” IANS

KUALA LUMPUR, June 23: English Premier League football club Queens Park Rangers will visit Malaysia and Indonesia next month in their first pre-season Asia tour, sponsor AirAsia has announced.

QPR will play friendlies against local teams in Malaysia’s Sabah state on Borneo island on July 17 and in its capital Kuala Lumpur on July 20, the airline said in a statement late Friday.

This will be followed by a match against a local team in Indonesia’s Surabaya on July 23, the kit sponsor and club partner said.

QPR chief executive Philip Beard said the team hoped the tour was “the first of many more opportunities”.

“This is a massive step for QPR to come and play in Asia... Everyone at the club is extremely excited by the tour, and we hope it allows as many of our fans as possible in Asia to watch the team in action,” he said.

Malaysia has hosted several top English Premier League clubs, who have been increasingly keen to nurture a fan base and help attract sponsors in Asia.

In April, Manchester City announced it would visit the Southeast Asian country for the first time, playing a squad of Malaysian League players on July 30 in Kuala Lumpur.

A week earlier, on July 23, Arsenal will hold an open training session in Kuala Lumpur followed by a match against Malaysian League players the next night. The two English clubs will also visit China.

Tony Fernandes, chief executive officer of budget carrier AirAsia, became a QPR majority shareholder last year, alongside two other partners. Agencies

KRAKOW, June 23: Ashley Cole has warned Italy to prepare for “11 bulldogs” blocking their path to the European Championship semifinals when they take on England in Kiev on Sunday.

In a rare interview, the notoriously media-shy Cole told BBC Five Live that England’s players were prepared to “die on the pitch for each other” in their quest for success at a major tournament.

Cole, 31, will make his 98th appearance against the Azzurri on Sunday and if England somehow manage to confound expectations and reach the final, he could finish the tournament with 100 caps to his name.

“It is something when you are growing up, you want to win caps and play as many games as you can for your country,” the Chelsea defender said.

“I have been lucky enough to play 97 times and, you never know, but hopefully get to 100 in the final, which would be amazing. It is what little kids’ dreams are made of.”

Cole believes England have benefited from the appointment of an English manager in Roy Hodgson who has been able to tune into his players’ wavelength.

“We are the same all over the world. You have different cultures and being at Chelsea, we have different people, who are different in the way they prepare for games and how they are,” Cole said.

“With most English lads, and you see it with this group, we are like 11 bulldogs, who always work for each other and die on the pitch for each other. So far it has worked.”

Cole reserved special praise for his England and Chelsea team-mate John Terry, who has managed to put his off-field troubles behind him this season to produce match-winning performances for club and country. AFP

LONDON, June 23: Kaneria to appeal ‘unfair’ life banLondon: Insisting that he is innocent, Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria said he will appeal against the "unfair" lifetime ban slapped on him by the England and Wales Cricket Board for his role in spot-fixing.

Kaneria said he was upset at the decision as he believed there was no evidence against him.

"They (ECB) don`t have any proof against me. I don`t know why they are saying this ("grave danger to cricket", etc). I will definitely be doing an appeal," he told `Sky Sports News`.

Earlier, the England and Wales Cricket Board banned Kaneria for his involvement in the Mervyn Westfield spot-fixing case.

Apart from Kaneria, the ECB also imposed a five-year ban on Westfield but he will be able to play in the final two years of his punishment.

"I’m very upset about this decision. For what reason they have convicted me I do not know," he said.

"It is a very, very unfair decision against me. I`ve come all the way from Pakistan to say the truth," he said.

He said he was an "honest man" and people trusted him.

"I’ve been playing cricket with passion and love. I have done nothing wrong," he said.

The ECB said Kaneria it regards Kaneria as a "grave danger to the game of cricket and we must take every appropriate step to protect our game from his corrupt activities." PTI

LONDON, June 23: Three-time world footballer of the year Lionel Messi told The Times on Saturday that he will retire from football the day he feels he is no longer having fun.

The 24-year-old Argentinian - who scored 73 goals in 60 games for Barcelona last season, breaking the European club record of 67 goals set by Bayern Munich’s Gerd Mueller in 1972-73 - hinted that for him the fun was going out of the game in general.

Messi said that he was trying to be the epitome of a ‘pibe’ - a man boy who is fearless in running at older players with the ball at his feet and a magical dribbler shorn of all inhibitions.

“A pibe! That’s what I am trying to do,” he said. “Football is a game. I’m trying to have fun on the pitch, always just to play. That’s why I do it. The day I stop having fun is the day I retire.

“I never want to lose that spark, that passion. Today teams are playing more statically, more for the final score than producing good football. For them its more important to win than to play well. We need more players with passion coming up for the good of football.”

Messi, who was brought to Barcelona aged just 13 by his steelworker father and was taken on after a brilliant trial despite his suffering from Growth Hormone Disorder which was remedied by the club with hormone therapy, said despite his goal-scoring record last season there was ‘the one that got away’ that stayed with him.

It came in the Champions League semi-final second leg at the Camp Nou against Chelsea as the holders looked to press home their one man advantage after the English side’s skipper John Terry was sent off at the end of the first-half.

Barcelona were awarded a penalty early in the second-half and Messi stepped up to take it only to miss - Chelsea were to go on to draw the game 2-2 and progress 3-2 on aggregate.

“I felt terrible,” he said.

“Angry at myself because I knew that at that moment the whole tie was in my hands, but I can’t do anything about it now. It’s past but it was a very tough moment for me and I still think about it.”

Messi says that while he is grateful for all that he has experienced so far he still has much to learn.

“I am playing for one of the best teams in history,” he said.

“I’m very grateful for everything I’ve been able to achieve, for the family I have, for the people who surround me. But I always believe better things will come, I want to grow and mature as a person. I still have so much to learn. I am the way I am at every moment. I am not playing a role. It makes it easier to be myself. I don’t have to watch what I do. I just do what I do. And remember I am only 24 years old.” AFP

London, June 23 : Japan midfielder Shinji Kagawa has completed his move to English Premier League side Manchester United after passing a medical test.

The 23-year-old signed a four-year contract Friday with the former Premiership winners from German champions Borussia Dortmund.

“Shinji is an exciting young midfielder with great skill, vision and a good eye for goal,” said Man Utd manager Alex Ferguson.

United narrowly lost the 2011-2012 title to city rivals Manchester City on the last day of the season.

In this summer’s pre-season tour for Manchester to South Africa and China, Kagawa, who was ruled out of Japan’s Olympic football squad, is set to travel with the club. “This is a challenge I am really looking forward to,” he said. “The Premier League is the best league in the world and Manchester United is such a massive club. IANS

EASTBOURNE, June 23: Tamira Paszek saved five match points to beat fifth seed Angelique Kerber 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 on Saturday to win the Eastbourne grass-court event and claim her first WTA title since 2010.

Austrian Paszek, ranked 59th, spent two and three-quarter hours in fighting for the third title of her career after starting the week at the Wimbledon tun-up with just two match wins this season.

It was her first title since Quebec in September, 2010.

Number eight Kerber missed out on her third trophy of 2012 after finally finding fitness after a series of injuries this season. The men's title will be contested between wild card Andy Roddick and holder Andreas Seppi of Italy. Agencies

Prague, June 23: The Czech football team returned home to a lukewarm welcome after losing to Portugal in the Euro 2012 quarterfinals. Their performance in the tournament was praised by the local press.

Czech fans warmly appreciated the effort of the unknown players - Petr Jiracek, Vaclav Pilar and Theo Gebre Sellassie. In a poll by website Hattrick, the three were chosen as best players of the team by more than 20 percent of the thousand respondents. On the other hand, stars like Petr Cech, Tomas Rosicky and Milan Baros more only four percent votes.

Majority of fans were surprised by the first place of the Czech team in the group stage, Xinhua reported. Before the decisive match against Poland, more people expected a loss than win. Czechs were betting against their team in Friday’s match against Portugal. Only one of six clients of country’s betting companies believed in side’s ability to beat Cristiano Ronaldo men. But probably the greatest surprise for Czech supporters, who travelled to Wroclaw and Warsaw, was a very friendly welcome by the Polish people. IANS