Relief for tainted trio! Sreesanth, 17 others get bail in IPL spot-fixing scandal

A Delhi court on Monday granted bail to suspended cricketer S. Sreesanth and his Rajasthan Royals teammates Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila who have been booked under the provisions of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the IPL spot-fixing scandal.

Additional Session Judge V.K. Khanna also granted bail to 15 bookies on personal bonds ofRs.50,000 each.

Ravindra Jadeja: More than just a bits and pieces man

CARDIFF: Talk about capturing the moment of an entire one-day match by simply fielding a ball and throwing it back to the wicket-keeper from midwicket. Ravindra Jadeja effected a run-out and it became the turning point of the game between India and South Africa, changing a close-on the-heels chase into a one sided drubbing.

Given the analogies mentioned in recent past to describe his many talents, only Jadeja could perhaps steal Shikhar Dhawan a

nd Team India's moment of glory with just one act of smart fielding.

Robin Peterson struck the ball and ran for a single without a second thought, but even before AB de Villiers - at the non-striker's end - could warn him, Jadeja was at it in a flash, picking the ball with his left (throwing) arm and using great presence of mind to send it to the 'keeper and not the other end. The keeper's end wasn't where he was facing, but he did it, and the way broadcasters kept showing the clip again and again, it could only mean great respect for Jadeja's skills.

The joke, it turns out, is now on those who've been ridiculing Jadeja ever since he made the Test team. But be it bat, ball or simply in the field, whenever the team or skipper MS Dhoni have looked up, Jadeja has only left them overwhelmed.

Dhoni had been consistently mentioning that the format of the Champions Trophy would force him to play five specialist bowlers. However, given his penchant for all-rounders or preferably an extra batsman, his five bowler theory has worked best only when somebody, who can bowl, also contributes with the bat.

It is also a good clue to perhaps why he and Jadeja have started to get along so well. Dhoni and some of the other members of the team have had a lot of fun at the expense of Jadeja. But the Saurashtra all-rounder may not mind the banter simply because he also realises the amount of faith his skipper has in him.

Unlike the various social networking platforms, where he's the butt of many jokes, within Team India, Jadeja sits comfortably knowing his value.

A 29-ball 47 against South Africa on Thursday boosted India's total to an eventual 331. Given the manner in which de Villiers & Co began the chase, Jadeja's little cameo proved decisive.

"Babu" they call him, by his nickname, and he seems to respond well every time they do. On wickets like the one in Cardiff, he's effective because he doesn't try too much. Targeting the middle and off-stump, bowling at good length, varying his pace, he tries to get through his quota of overs with minimum fuss. By keeping it simple, Jadeja has survived and how.

In the current scheme of things, Dhoni while having to play five bowlers, needs a batting order that runs deep too. That flexible option is someone like Jadeja.

Next time a tweet appears on Jadeja's 20-run knock pointing out how he's missed his triple ton by another 280, bear in mind that the little contribution may have done enough to help India win. The bits and pieces man is fast becoming a protagonist in key victories.

Conspiracy against me by anti-South lobby: Srinivasan

CHENNAI: BCCI president N Srinivasan on Friday said the charges made against him and his family were part of a conspiracy by a north Indian lobby in the cricket body to malign south Indians and Tamils in particular.

Asked about a tweet by Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy, who alleged that a north Indian lobby was targeting south Indians in the BCCI, Srinivasan said it was obvious. "It is an open secret that there is a conspiracy against south Indians," he said in an interview to a Tamil TV channel.

Forced to step aside for 'interim president' Jagmohan Dalmiya over the spot-fixing scandal and betting allegations against his son-in-law and former Chennai Super Kings principal Gurunath Meiyappan, Srinivasan said: "There is no charge against me but a lobby within the BCCI, which wanted to head the organisation but failed, has worked behind scenes to malign me. I will answer any number of questions. I have also the numbers within the BCCI. The truth will come out soon."

Srinivasan said the BCCI had no connections with bookies and he was shocked when Rajasthan Royals player S Sreesanth was linked to the betting scandal.

"Gurunath, for all the charges levelled against him, did not flee to another country," he said. "I have trust in him and believe that he will come out unscathed. The charges against him will be disproved."

Hitting out at the media for its coverage of the case, Srinivasan said: "There is absolutely no truth in the charges levelled against Gurunath."

Why does Valentino Rossi hold such intense pre-race set of rituals? Read on and find out.

Listening to the same song, straddling the bike from the same side every time, performing a particular stretch routine, making the sign of the cross or putting a certain glove or boot on first. Riders employ many methods in order to maintain focus, many of them with no logical basis.
The objective is to try to block out the environment, focusing all thoughts into one, and above all reinforce the idea that everything is under control. Some of these gestures are virtually copyrighted and are sometimes copied by novices. Who is not curious to see Valentino Rossi always watching the Moto3 race start from the wall as a spectator, or bending his knees and clutching them before getting on his bike?
Manias, superstitions, fixations, ideas or routines, call it what you want, but all riders need a ‘safe place’. They need to repeat a sequence of actions, however insignificant, to help them concentrate and stay focused. If you did a comprehensive survey many of them would admit to the same procedures, but each uses his own mechanism of concentration to try to have a sense of control over something that is beyond control. The rain, contact from a rival, a breakdown. . . These are just some of the drawbacks of motorcycling beyond the control of anyone, but still most riders convince themselves that they can be mastered.

Contrary to general thinking, concentration, disconnection, abstraction, responses to fear. . . these are all parameters that can be trained and over in a race weekend are almost evenly combined. Unfortunately, while the riders are elite athletes and act as such to many extents, they neglect to take care of certain aspects that are more important than their skill. Especially in the early days. Many extremely talented riders have been left behind due to their bad habits, which they try to cover up when their performance slumps. Training daily, eating a healthy diet and resting is the bread and butter of an elite athlete. Training the mind in order to face the pressure of the big occasion is also fundamental to optimizing performance. Being able to concentrate and manage intense moments of concentration is basic. The rider must know how to structure the weekend in terms of priorities and focus to perform at their highest level in each session.
There are two types of concentration: introspection, used to loosen up, and fixation on outside factors. Rest is also crucial to avoid excessive mental fatigue, which can affect physical performance. The better the results are, the easier it is to rest. If the rider is too self-critical and has not scored a good result, they will analyse all the reasons why and will not disconnect.
Do not confuse rest with isolation, which can sometimes form part of the period before concentration can begin. Finding a place to eat alone, escaping to the motorhome for a game on the console, or just a nap, are some basic mechanisms to release tension and drive away negative thoughts. There are riders who must be completely exhausted at the end of a Grand Prix weekend. Who has not asked for a picture with their favourite rider and the most they have managed is a posed shot. Some riders reach such levels of concentration that they are little more than zombies, their bodies roaming the paddock but their thoughts elsewhere.

‘Controlling the uncontrollable’ also applies to fear, the riders’ biggest enemy. In sport there are many types of fear and one of the most significant is the fear of failure. In riders the most ‘logical’ fear is that of a big crash. The natural human response to fear is paralysis, avoidance and struggle. ‘These riders who crash at 200km/h and ten minutes later get back on the bike are crazy!’ It is a common remark but there is little truth to it. The accumulated level of adrenaline is such that a rider’s first thought after a fall in the middle of a session is ‘quick, I need to get back out because the session is nearly over,’ not ‘oh dear, I crashed.’ Fear can appear later when in the cold light of day they think again about the damage they could have possibly done. This fear is more a friend than foe, as it helps to recognize the limits and impose a specific prudence in future. In contrast, excessive fear or panic may block logical though, becoming a handicap for a rider or indeed any other person.
In order to understand a little more the grey matter of motorcycle racers we see self-belief as another way to face reality. Very important indeed. There is scientific evidence that positive or indeed negative thinking influences brain responses. But be careful, your self-belief must come from an objective place. And humility must be your universal force. Think that it is best to be positive, without losing sight that in order to win every battle must be fought first. Arrogance and overconfidence are a fast track to failure.
That said, when you see an athlete doing some strange gesture or following a curious ritual, do not be surprised, it is their way of trying to get a sense of control over something that is basically uncontrollable.

Vettel, Rosberg clash over 'tyre-gate'

Jun.6 (GMM) Germans Sebastian Vettel and Nico Rosberg on Thursday revealed their vastly different opinions about the 'testgate' saga that has gripped formula one.
Mercedes is being hauled before the FIA tribunal to face possible sanctions for breaching the rules about in-season testing, after running its 2013 car during a test with Pirelli recently at Barcelona.
World champion Vettel, whose Red Bull team lodged the original protest together with Ferrari, said Mercedes obviously got an unfair advantage.
"I see it as a critical issue," he told Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper.
"Each test kilometre is an advantage, and Mercedes had the opportunity to test tyres that we will probably race at Silverstone.
"I think this is an advantage over all the other teams," added the triple world champion.
Monaco winner Rosberg, however - who actually drove at the Barcelona test with his teammate Lewis Hamilton - disagrees, insisting Pirelli had full control of the running.
"We have no say whatsoever -- they (Pirelli) say 'you are doing that, that, that and that' and the engineers that they have run our programme," he told Sky Sports.
"So it is not for us to learn anything or to decide on anything that we do."
Vettel also scoffed at Pirelli's decision to merely test proposed changes to the tyre design this weekend in Canada, because of the lack of unanimity up and down pitlane.
"The tread completely falls off," said the 25-year-old. "This is a safety risk for all of us.
"That we won't have these (revised) tyres for the race on a fast track like Canada, for me is inexplicable," added Vettel.

Pak vs WI: West Indies beat Pakistan by 2 wickets in ICC Champions Trophy

LONDON: West Indies just did enough to see off Pakistan as they opened their Champions Trophy campaign with a thrilling two-wicket Group B win at The Oval on Friday.

When man-of-the-match Kemar Roach took the first three wickets to fall, Pakistan were 15 for three.

In the end they were all out for 170 with only captain Misbah-ul-Haq, whose 96 not out was his highest score in 118 one-day internationals, and Nasir Jamshed (50) making it to double figures.

But the West Indies suffered a collapse of their own before tailender Roach hit the winning boundary with more than nine overs remaining.

"I let the ball do the work and got the early wickets for the team," Roach said at the presentation ceremony.

West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo added: "Kemar Roach set the tone getting the wicket in the first over.

"Pakistan bowl in the right areas and it was difficult to play against. I am very happy with the win."

Meanwhile Misbah said Pakistan's poor start to the match had been decisive.

"I think the plan was to see off the new ball but we did the opposite and lost too many wickets at the top.

"Credit goes to them because they bowled well.

"The (Pakistan) bowlers bowled their heart out...A little bit more effort could have taken us home."

On the ground where they won the 2004 Champions Trophy, West Indies slumped to 15 for two after giant left-arm quick Mohammad Irfan removed Johnson Charles and Darren Bravo.

Chris Gayle typically drove Irfan, world cricket's tallest player, for six, only to be bowled for 39 trying to slog off-spinner Saeed Ajmal.

The match was in the balance at 81 for four after Ramnaresh Sarwan was caught behind off left-arm quick Wahab Riaz.

Kieron Pollard took 18 balls to get off the mark as the West Indies crawled towards victory in front of a crowd of more than 20,000.

But when Pollard was caught behind off Riaz for a 58-ball 30, his side were still 34 runs short of victory.

Sunil Narine soothed West Indies' nerves with two fours.

But when he fell to Irfan, West Indies were still six runs adrift before Roach slammed the clinching boundary off Junaid Khan.

Earlier, after Roach's initial burst, off-spinner Narine took three wickets for three runs in 10 balls.

Misbah survived two close calls off successive balls on nought that, had they gone against him, would have left Pakistan 17 for four.

But the 39-year-old went on to surpass his previous ODI best of 93 not out against New Zealand at Napier in 2011.

Dwayne Bravo won the toss and six balls later took a fine second slip catch to dismiss Imran Farhat off Roach.

Hafeez was clean bowled by Roach and when Asad Shafiq fell for nought, after an uppercut to third man, the paceman had taken three for five in 14 balls.

Misbah, on nought, survived a West Indies reviewed appeal for lbw from Roach.

Next ball Roach thought he had Misbah caught behind with umpire Steve Davis giving him out.

But square leg umpire Nigel Llong told Misbah to wait while the catch was checked on replay and wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin was ruled not to

have had full control of the ball before fumbling it.

Misbah, on 67 when last man Irfan came in, went into the nineties with a six off Narine.

But he was denied a maiden century when Irfan mistimed a slower ball from Rampaul to Bravo at short mid-on. Misbah faced 127 balls including three sixes and five fours.

Pakistan and West Indies are in the same group as India and South Africa, with only the top two sides going through to the semifinals.

India beat the Proteas by 26 runs in the tournament opener in Cardiff on Thursday.

Pakistan next play South Africa at Edgbaston on June 10 with the West Indies facing India at The Oval on June 11.

IPL team owners may lose the dug-out view

NEW DELHI: With two IPL team owners - Gurunath Meiypappan of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals' Raj Kundra - getting embroiled in the betting row, the cricket board (BCCI) is now thinking of reigning in the franchise owners and curb their movement during matches.

Ahead of the crucial emergent Working Committee meeting on Monday, there are suggestions to shift the owners from the dug-out to the galleries even though it may not go down well with some of the team owners. The board feels that the measure will get the support of the team owners as the credibility of the game and the league is in question.

"The owners generally enter the field of play to sit in the dug-outs. If their seats are shifted somewhere else, then they won't enter the field while a match is on. After all, what can the players learn from the owners during matches? They don't have anything to contribute. There should be less crowd in the playing areas," a BCCI official told TOI.

When TOI contacted BCCI's interim president Jagmohan Dalmiya, he said, "We haven't discussed any such restriction so far in regard to IPL. Once the members meet we will know and decide on the issue."

When asked if the BCCI was mulling to discontinue IPL for a year to clean it up in the light of recent unsavoury developments, Dalmiya said: "The situation is not as bad for the league to be stopped. The Working Committee has given us a chance to clean up cricket and we will do our best."

It was also learnt that the board will issue a strict Code of Conduct for all IPL players. The BCCI may also decide to reduce the total strength of an IPL team squad from 33 to 23. Then, there are suggestions to allow only 15 players per side in the dug-out during matches and reduce the number of support staff in the playing area.

Don't have enough evidence to arrest Raj Kundra, cops say

NEW DELHI: Did Delhi Police jump the gun on Raj Kundra? Just 24 hours after police commissioner Neeraj Kumar was on the national networks claiming Kundra had confessed to betting in the IPL games, the police are undecided on what to do with the Rajasthan Royals part owner.

Arresting Kundra under the Gambling Act may prove to be tricky because beyond his so-called confession, police have no evidence against him.

Neeraj Kumar told TV channels on Friday, "We don't have evidence against Raj Kundra, so can't arrest him". On Thursday he had said that Kundra was betting in the IPL matches, had lost money, and that his friend and business associate, Umesh Goenka, was a bookie.

Kumar refused to comment when contacted by TOI.

Meanwhile, Kundra released a statement on Friday saying he was innocent. "As a shareholder in RR, the investigating team of Delhi Police deemed it fit to question me too...I as a law abiding citizen volunteered to positively respond to the call. I satisfactorily replied to the queries raised by the police and they accordingly allowed me to leave after my questioning," it said.

Delhi Police officials say they are not probing Kundra for spot-fixing. "Since we are investigating spot-fixing incidents and his name has come up during the interrogation of Umesh Goenka, we will call him again for questioning," a source said, adding that cops had some leads in the spot-fixing probe, for which they would require to probe Kundra again.

We are knocking on the door of 1st podium: Force India

MONTREAL: Encouraged by consistent results, Sahara Force India is hoping to break the podium jinx at Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix, which will be the 100th race for the side.

The Indian side is placed fifth in the constructors championship with 44 points, seven ahead of formidable McLaren.

Paul di Resta has been impressive right from the start of the season and Adrian Sutil has also shown his pace with a fifth-place result in Monaco.

"I think we are now knocking on the door of our first podium finish since 2009, and it's time to do that all-important step. Montreal would be a great place to do so - it is a track that favours overtaking and our car has shown the race pace to finish among the leaders, so everything is possible," team principal Vijay Mallya said.

"The Canadian Grand Prix also marks the 100th Grand Prix for Sahara Force India. When we started back in 2008 we simply had the ambition to break out of Q1 and we dreamed of scoring points. Seeing where we stand today is therefore extremely rewarding and motivates us all to continue working just as hard for the next 100 races," he added.

Paul said the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve suits their style of racing and the car, so they are hopeful of a good result.

"It's traditionally a track that has suited us, so we go there confident that we can fight towards the front once again. 100 races is a significant achievement and it's great to see how much the team has grown during that time. It's a credit to the commitment of the shareholders and hopefully we can give them something to smile about come Sunday evening."

Sutil does not have good memories here so he is keeping his fingers crossed.

"It's definitely one my favourite races on the calendar because it's a great city. It's also an interesting and unusual track, and it can be a long race with different scenarios and strategy options. I like the circuit, but for some reason I've never had good results there. Hopefully we can change that this year," the German said.

Hamilton just needs time, says Brawn

LONDON: Lewis Hamilton only needs time to find the sweet spot in the set-up for his Mercedes car and rise to the challenge of matching or beating the pace of his team-mate Nico Rosberg, according to team chief Ross Brawn.

Brawn, the man who guided former Mercedes driver and seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher to seven drivers' titles in

a record-breaking career with Benetton and Ferrari, said he believed that Rosberg was gaining from his familiarity with the team.

Asked how Mercedes can help Hamilton settle in with his new team and match his team-mate's speed, he said: "I think it is quite a subtle thing, but it will just be time, quite frankly.

"It is just working out how the driver communicates, how you understand what it is he wants to achieve, how you tune the car to suit his needs.

"Lewis might vary from Nico in terms of what he is looking for -- and Nico has been with the team four or five years and he knows exactly what buttons to press.

"Lewis is developing his understanding of that -- of what person to go to if you want to discuss that, or who you go to if you want to debate certain aspects of the car.

"We have a very good group, very experienced people, working with Lewis. It just takes a bit of time."

German Rosberg, 27, claimed his third successive pole position at the most recent Grand Prix in Monaco, where he went on to secure his second career victory and endorse his early-season excellence as a pace-setter.

Briton Hamilton, 28, the 2008 world champion, was thwarted by circumstances and, after qualifying second, came home fourth.

In the aftermath of that race, Hamilton said he was now under pressure to improve his form.

Brawn said Hamilton's concession that he was "not good enough" in Monaco would help drive both him and the team forward.

"We want the drivers to be as close as they can, we want them to be pushing each other," Brawn explained.

"I don't want to see a driver who says he is happy being second. That is no good.

"We want both our drivers, when they are not ahead, to know they have to improve -- that they have to find ways of getting more out of the package, more out of the car, more out of themselves and more out of the team."

Hamilton may well find himself fighting to stay with Rosberg again in this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

But he will boosted by the special affection he has for the track where he won his first race as a rookie in 2007 and triumphed again in 2010 and 2012.

Kimi Raikkonen closes in on F1 record scoring run

LONDON: Kimi Raikkonen has one of Michael Schumacher's Formula One records in his sights this weekend at the Canadian circuit where the now-retired seven times world champion won more races than anyone else.

If Raikkonen finishes in the top 10 in Montreal, the Lotus driver will equal Schumacher's record of 24 successive grands prix in the points - even if the statistics are deceptive because scoring systems have changed.

Naturally, the 'Iceman' has been cool about the prospect.

"I am sure that it will all stop at some point," he told Reuters recently. "Obviously we always try to get points and do good races but it can be some small part (that breaks) and it will stop.

"Of course it would be nice. It's already nice now and every time with this team. In the past I kept retiring quite often so it's different for sure to what it was in the past. But I'm sure that we will have some difficulties at some point."

The 2007 world champion's run almost ended in Monaco, the weekend before last, when a collision with McLaren's Mexican Sergio Perez dropped him out of the points.

With fresh tyres, and an insult or two hurled in Perez's direction, Raikkonen managed to overtake three cars on the last two laps to scramble back into 10th place.

Schumacher started his scoring run by winning the 2001 Hungarian Grand Prix with Ferrari and ended it with a sixth place in Malaysia in 2003 - which was also Raikkonen's first Formula One victory.

Raikkonen, second in the championship after six races, began his current stretch of points finishes in Bahrain in April last year and has now reached the chequered flag in 34 successive races - allowing for his break in 2010 and 2011.

From 1960 to 2003 points went only to the top six. They were then extended to the top eight and from 2010 to the top 10.

Nowhere Near

Under the systems used when Schumacher set his record, Raikkonen's current run would be a lot less special, however.

The Finn was 10th in Monaco and also in Brazil at the end of last season. His 23-race run includes two seventh places, an eighth and a ninth.

Taking the present points system to Schumacher's record would make no difference to that tally since the 24 races were book-ended by retirements in Germany in 2001 and Brazil in 2003.

The record would still have been Schumacher's even if the top five system used from 1950 to 1959 is applied.

The late five times world champion Juan Manuel Fangio racked up 21 top five finishes in a row between 1953 and 1956. Schumacher enjoyed 23 successive top five placings before Malaysia 2003.

But for the failure in Brazil in 2003, he might have racked up 43 scoring finishes in a row because he went on another run of 18 immediately afterwards.

Raikkonen won in Canada with McLaren in 2005 and has scored points on every visit, except in 2008 when his stationary Ferrari was rammed in the pitlane by McLaren's Lewis Hamilton. That memory lingers on.

"Many times the race has been quite a lottery as there seem to be different things which affect it," he said this week.

"The weather can change a lot, sometimes the tyres or the track aren't working very well, sometimes there are a lot of safety cars, or sometimes another driver runs into the back of you when you're waiting at a red light."

Mercedes to face F1 tribunal over Pirelli tyre test

LONDON: The Mercedes team has been ordered to face an investigation by the International Tribunal of motor racing's ruling body, the International Motoring Federation (FIA), into allegations that they conducted illegal in-season testing with Pirelli tyres.

The tribunal has wide-ranging powers if it finds Mercedes broke the FIA rules and can impose penalties ranging from fines to exclusion from the world championship.

The announcement that the German team will face further investigations, following a report by the stewards at the Monaco Grand Prix, came late on Wednesday evening.

Mercedes had been investigated by the stewards following protests lodged by Ferrari and Red Bull, both teams claiming that Mercedes took part in testing with Pirelli following the Spanish Grand Prix last month.

In a statement, the FIA said: "In the light of all the replies received and in view of the information gathered during this inquiry, the president of the FIA, acting as the FIA prosecuting body, has decided:

"To close the case as regard to Scuderia Ferrari Team considering that its participation in a tyre test organised by Pirelli in Barcelona on 23-24 April 2013 using for this purpose a 2011 car is not deemed to contravene the applicable FIA rules.

"To bring the case concerning the tyre testing session carried out by Pirelli and Team Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 in Barcelona on 15-17 May 2013 before the FIA International Tribunal because it results from the inquiry that the conditions of this testing may constitute a breach of the applicable FIA rules.

"The FIA International Tribunal is called upon to make a decision in compliance with the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules."

The sport's governing body explained that it requested information from those involved and rival teams before coming to its conclusion.

It was ironic that Ferrari's own test with Pirelli, conducted at Barcelona in April with a 2011 car, was deemed not to breach the rules as they were one of the two teams leading the protests against Mercedes.

The announcement is not expected to have any effect on the team's preparations for this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal.

Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic to meet in French Open semifinals

PARIS: The French Open showdown between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic might lack some sizzle because it's a semifinal and not the final.

Still, they both have more than enough motivation to make the match a memorable one.

Seven-time champion Nadal vs. No. 1-ranked Djokovic carries the heft of a final, even if both players need two more victories to clai

m the championship. Nadal bids to become the first man to win eight titles at the same Grand Slam event, while Djokovic seeks the only major title he has yet to win for a career Grand Slam.

One of them will go away disappointed on Friday, when they meet for the 35th time. Both are mindful of the match as only the means to an end.

"If you win, you didn't win anything yet," Nadal said. "It's not the final; it's the semifinals. You are not playing a match for a title. You are just playing a match to be in the final. So it's a big difference."

For partisan Parisians, Nadal-Djokovic might not even qualify as the main attraction. Popular Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is trying to become the first Frenchman in 30 years to win the Roland Garros title, and he'll play Spaniard David Ferrer in the other semifinal.

All four semifinalists advanced in straight sets, the first time that's happened at the French Open since 1948. Nadal swept Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2, 6-3, 6-1, and less than 10 minutes later, Djokovic closed out his victory over 35-year-old Tommy Haas, 6-3, 7-6 (5), 7-5.

Defending champion Maria Sharapova was scheduled to face two-time Australian Open champ Victoria Azarenka in the women's semifinals Thursday, followed by No. 1 Serena Williams against 2012 runner-up Sara Errani.

Sharapova needed a comeback unlike any other in her career to reach the final four, rallying past Jelena Jankovic, 0-6, 6-4, 6-3. It was Sharapova's first win after losing an opening set 6-0.

Azarenka reached her first Roland Garros semifinal by beating Maria Kirilenko 7-6 (3), 6-2.

Nadal's ranking slipped during a seven-month layoff because of a knee injury, and as a result, he and Djokovic wound up in the same half of the draw. That's why they'll meet before the final at a major event for the first time since 2008.

Nadal leads Djokovic 19-15 but lost their most recent meeting in the Monte Carlo final on clay in April. Nadal has a 6-3 advantage in Grand Slam meetings, including 4-0 at the French Open, and he won when they met in last year's final at Roland Garros.

He wasn't looking for a rematch.

"I would prefer an easier opponent," Nadal said. "But it's Novak, and I have to accept that it's going to be a very tough match."

Only moments after beating Haas, Djokovic was thinking _ and talking _ about Nadal.

"I'm ready to play five sets," he told the crowd.

Facing the king of clay, Djokovic finds himself in the rare role of underdog, while Nadal bristled at the suggestion he's the favourite.

"I don't care at all," he said through a translator. "Frankly, what words could I find to tell you? I mean, what else can I say? I don't give a damn about it.

"I try and play my best tennis, and the least of my concerns is to know if I'm favoured or not. These are words that will be carried away by the wind."

Nadal's 57-1 at Roland Garros, but he hardly looked like the man to beat early in the tournament. He fell behind in each of his first three matches, and groused that he might soon be back in his native Mallorca fishing.

But he has won 12 consecutive sets, and dropped serve only once in his two most recent wins. After steamrolling Wawrinka, Nadal said he's much more optimistic about his chances than a week ago.

"I really am playing better here," he said. "I'm happy with the way that I played today especially. It was my best match on the tournament without any doubt. I said I needed to make a change. I was confident that I can do it, and I did."

Djokovic has cause for confidence, too. The six-time Grand Slam champion has reached the semifinals at 12 consecutive major tournaments, and he's 33-4 this year.

Plus he has beaten Nadal more than any other player.

"I have a good game for him because my style is to be aggressive, but I can also defend well and have that transition game," Djokovic said. "I'm going to be confident and step into the court with self-belief that I can win."

Djokovic earned his latest victory by wearing down Haas, the oldest French Open men's quarterfinalist since 1971. Djokovic kissed the line with a backhand winner on match point, and after the handshake ritual at the net, let out a scream and threw a roundhouse punch, ready for Rafa.

Bryans reach doubles final at French Open

PARIS: Top-seeded Bob and Mike Bryan of the United States will bid for a record 14th major doubles title together after beating Alexander Peya of Austria and Bruno Soares of Brazil 6-1, 6-4 in the semifinals of the French Open on Thursday.

On Saturday, the American twins will face Michael Llodra and Nicolas Mahut of France, who defeated Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay and Horacio Zeballos of Argentina 7-6 (4), 6-2.

The Bryan brothers broke for a 4-3 lead in the second set and clinched victory when Soares hit a service return wide.

The Bryans won their only French title together in 2003. By clinching a 13th major title at the Australian Open this year, they broke a tie with Australian greats John Newcombe and Tony Roche.

Ruthless Serena thrashes Errani to reach French Open final AFP | Jun 6, 2013, 10.56 PM

PARIS: Serena Williams blitzed hapless Sara Errani 6-0, 6-1 in just 46 minutes on Thursday to reach her second French Open final where she'll face defending champion Maria Sharapova for the title.

The American top seed, who won her only Roland Garros crown on her last final appearance in 2002, will be playing in her 20thcareer Grand Slam championship showdown after stretching her current winning streak to 30 matches.

Williams, at 1.75m and 70kg, was just too powerful for Errani, the runner-up in 2012, but whose slight stature of 1.64m and 60kg, was never going to intimidate the American.

Williams blasted 40 winners to Errani's two while the Italian won just five points on the American's serve.

"I told myself: 'Serena, just concentrate' and that's what I did," said Williams, who had been pushed to three sets and almost two hours by quarter-final opponent Svetlana Kuznetsova.

"Against Maria, I will have to prepare slightly differently. She's a great player. But it's magnificent to be back in the final after 11 years."

The 31-year-old will start Saturday's final as the comfortable favourite as she holds a 13-2 career lead over Sharapova with the Russian's last triumph coming nine years ago

The world number one raced through the first set on Thursday in just 21 minutes, firing 18 winners past the Italian fifth seed and allowing her opponent a meagre two points on serve.

It wasn't all raw power, however, with the top seed winning one point in sixth game of the opening set with a sweet, backhand volley hit from almost behind her.

With Errani, who had lost all of her five previous meetings with the 15-time Grand Slam title winner, was playing with a bandaged right thigh and her hopes continued to sink.

The 26-year-old from Bologna was quickly 3-0 down in the second set, before she finally got on the scoreboard in the fourth game.

It was only a brief pause in the onslaught as Williams sent down another love game for 4-1 and then broke for the fifth time to stretch out to 5-1.

Errani was put out of her misery in the seventh game when Williams clinched victory on her fifth ace of the tie.

Brazil slump to 22nd in world rankings

PARIS: World Cup hosts Brazil slumped to a new record low in the FIFA world rankings on Thursday as the five-time world champions dropped three places to 22nd.

FIFA Rankings

Having spent most of the first 15 years of official FIFA world rankings at the top of the pile, Brazil's extraordinary demise began a year ago when the Selecao dropped six places from fifth to 11th in July 2012.

Luis Felipe Scolari's team has been in freefall ever since and have now reached their worst ever position.

Brazil have not played a competitive match since losing on penalties to Paraguay in the Cop America quarter-finals in Argentina two years ago.

Since then they have played only a series of friendlies, the latest a 2-2 draw with England in the newly refurbished Maracana stadium.

The top four remained unchanged with Spain ahead of Germany, Argentina and Croatia.

The Netherlands jumped four places into fifth with England dropping two places to ninth. France remain down in 18th.

Rankings as of June 6:

1. Spain

2. Germany

3. Argentina

4. Croatia

5. Netherlands (+4 places)

6. Portugal (-1)

7. Colombia (-1)

8. Italy

9. England (-2)

10. Ecuador

11. Russia

12. Belgium (+3)

13. Ivory Coast (-1)

14. Switzerland

15. Bosnia (+6)

16. Greece (-3)

17. Mexico (-1)

18. France

19. Uruguay (-2)

20. Denmark

21. Ghana (+1)

22. Brazil (-3)

23. Mali (+3)

24. Czech Republic (+1)

25. Chile (-2)

Man United can win more even without Ferguson: Van Persie

Manchester United striker Robin van Persie believes his club are capable of achieving more success even without Alex Ferguson as manager.

"I have a feeling we can do much more and that we can win many more trophies. I've had a year to work with everyone and now the whole (coaching) staff is changing which makes it a new challenge," Van Persie told the Dutch football union website (www.onsoranje.nl) on Wednesday.

"I've got to know the players through and through and I've a feeling they have a lot more (success) in them. A whole lot more," he added.

"The season began as a nice challenge but you never know how these things will turn out. But now I have a sense of pride, it was a great season. A pressured year."

Van Persie, who helped United win the Premier League title last season after joining from Arsenal, said he would have liked to have worked longer under Ferguson who retired last month after 26 years at United and was replaced by David Moyes.

"I'd have preferred it if he'd stayed a few more years but I understand his decision. I'm even prouder that I could work under him for a year. I could see he was a legendary man."

Van Persie said title success had brought great satisfaction and happiness but he was more pleased with the way it was achieved.

"If you saw how we worked every day. How we studied the opponents and the way they played," he said.

"How we prepared. Every day we did extra work and watched videos. Every small step eventually delivered the championship. I think that the route to the title was nicer than the winning itself."

Van Persie is expected to win his 75th cap on Friday when the Dutch play Indonesia in a friendly in Jakarta. They have another international in China next week.

Everton appoint Roberto Martinez as manager

Roberto Martinez has been named Everton manager after leaving Wigan Athletic where the Spaniard forged a reputation for making the best of limited resources and playing attractive football.

Martinez has signed a four-year contract at Goodison Park, Everton said on their website on Wednesday.

He guided Wigan to FA Cup success in May when they upset Manchester City in the final but could not prevent the club being relegated from the Premier League days later.

The 39-year-old replaces David Moyes who left Everton in May after 11 years to take over from Alex Ferguson who has retired as manager of Premier League champions Manchester United.

The Spaniard is likely to bring a fresh approach to the Merseyside club who are used to Moyes's more pragmatic style. Everto

n finished sixth in the standings last season.

Despite habitually being involved in a relegation battle with Wigan, Martinez bucked the trend of struggling coaches by sticking to his principles and playing passing football.

After spending most of his playing days in Britain, Martinez began his managerial career at another of his former clubs Swansea City.

He won plaudits for their free-flowing style of play and guided the Welsh side to the League One (third division) title in his first full season in charge.

He joined Wigan in 2009 replacing Steve Bruce, and had kept them up against the odds every year until this season.

Martinez was heavily linked with a move to Liverpool last year and was even photographed talking publicly with the club's owner John W Henry but has now joined their rivals Everton.

Paulo Bento defends Ronaldo attitude following Jose Mourinho comments

LISBON: Portugal coach Paulo Bento rejected Jose Mourinho's comments that national team captain Cristiano Ronaldo does not take criticism well, saying all his squad listened to and executed his tactical orders very well.

"When it comes to the rules, tactics and strategies we define, I am extremely satisfied with the whole group's response," Bento said on Thursday, when asked about Mourinho's recent criticism of Ronaldo.
"I am extremely satisfied with the assimilation and interpretation of my ideas."
Bento was speaking ahead of his side's key World Cup qualifier against Group F leaders Russia on Friday.

Colombia out to give Argentina new dose of Monumental blues

BUENOS AIRES: Every time Colombia come to play Argentina at the Monumental, the local fans are reminded of the twice World Cup winners' most humiliating home defeat - 5-0 in 1993.
Friday's World Cup qualifier will be no different as Falcao's Colombia look for a victory that would put them within two points of South American group leaders Argentina.
They will fancy their chance

s, too, if Lionel Messi is not fit enough to start for Argentina, bringing back memories of Diego Maradona watching from the stands as Colombia tore apart the home side 20 years ago.
Messi, ever present so far in the 16-match series, resumed training this week after a three-week recovery process from a hamstring injury.
"With Messi, the best in the world, it would be better if he didn't play," said Colombia defender Luis Amaranto Perea,
"But Colombia need to think about doing their best with whoever plays and Argentina have great, marvellous players," he told reporters in Buenos Aires.
The 1993 match was seen as a coming of age for Colombia with a golden generation led by Carlos Valderrama and Faustino Asprilla whose victory sent them to the 1994 finals in the United States as one of the favourites.
Now Colombia have a side spearheaded by striker Falcao that could become as good as the 1990s vintage.
"Everything Colombia generate ends with Falcao as centre forward. The first thing we have to do is deactivate that circuit," Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano said.
"Colombia have midfielders with good technique, fullbacks who go deep, they have a great team."
PLAYOFF PLACE
Argentina, who won 2-1 away to Colombia early in the qualifiers, are on the threshold of next year's finals in Brazil and would like to make sure as soon as possible.
If they lose, second-placed Ecuador could move to within a point by beating Peru in Lima.
Argentina lead the table with 24 points from 11 matches. Ecuador have 20 points and Colombia 19, both with a match in hand.
The top four teams at the end of the qualifiers in October will go through to the Brazil finals. The fifth-placed team, at present Venezuela, will enter a playoff against an Asian qualifier in November for another berth.
Ecuador are a remarkable case of excellent home form with a maximum 18 points in six matches at high altitude in the Atahualpa stadium in Quito and only two points in four games on the road.
Peru need every point they can get to try to climb out of the lower reaches of the nine-nation group and into the qualifying berths as they attempt to reach the finals for the first time since 1982.
Uruguay, South America's best team at the 2010 finals in South Africa, have a bye for this round but will be watching intently given their precarious position outside the qualifying berths in sixth place.
Their rivals for the fourth and fifth places are both away, with Chile, who have 15 points, travelling to meet bottom team Paraguay at the Defensores del Chaco cauldron in Asuncion.
Venezuela, also on 15 points, climb 4,000 metres to the Hernando Siles in La Paz where they will be looking for a victory over Bolivia as a cushion for their home clash with Uruguay (13 points)

Arsene Wenger still committed to Arsenal: Club CEO Ivan Gazidis

LONDON: Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis said on Thursday that he believes manager Arsene Wenger is committed to the club for "the long term", despite media reports linking him with a switch to Paris Saint-Germain.

Wenger, 63, will embark upon the last season of his current contract in August and with Arsenal's trophy drought now stretching to eight years, there has been speculation he could be tempted to leave north London for pastures new.

However, with Arsenal having booked a Champions League berth for a 16th consecutive season, Gazidis believes Wenger remains the right man to take the club forward.

"We think we have got a fantastic manager. We hope that he wants to do what he is doing for the long term. I believe he does," Gazidis said.

"I think he is still ambitious, still driven and sees the potential of the club as he looks forward and I think he is very excited by that. We have a great relationship and he has a great relationship with the board as well.

"So, quietly and at the right time, I think we will make an announcement on that (Wenger's future) when things are all put in place."

Despite the prospect of another Champions League campaign to look forward to next season, providing Arsenal successfully navigate the play-off round, Gazidis accepts that the club must aim their sights higher.

"We want to be competing at the top of the game and in order to do that you have to be in the Champions League, so we are pleased to be qualified, or at least, for the qualification games," Gazidis said.

"But it is not ultimately where we want to be with moving the club forward. We want to be a club that is competing at the very top end of the game and that means competing to win the Premier League and competing to win the Champions League."

Gazidis also expressed hope that Arsenal's prudent financial management and reluctance to build up debts in pursuit of success would pay dividends in the years to come, as UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules come into force.

He said: "The critical thing now as we look ahead over the next season and the season after is our developing financial capability, which will give us a lot more options than in recent years."

BCCI to look into Dhoni's 'conflict of interest'

KOLKATA: The Indian cricket board would look into the alleged conflict of interest issue concerning Indian captain MS Dhoni's stakes in a sports management firm after the ongoing Champions Trophy tournament, an official said on Thursday.

Board of Control for Cricket in India ( BCCI) interim chief Jagmohan Dalmiya promised there would be no cover up.

"As far as Dhoni is concerned, you have seen it in the papers, so have I. At this juncture, when we are in the midst of Champions Trophy, nothing we are going to earn by disturbing him. But at the same time, we are not going to cover it up. Please wait and see," Dalmiya told a media meet.

Dhoni courted controversy recently following reports that he held 15 percent stake in Rhiti Sports Management, which manages cricketers Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja and Pragyan Ojha, besides the Indian skipper.

The company claimed that Dhoni held the shares for a brief while, and those were transferred back to the company in April after the payments to the India captain were cleared.

"As on date, MSD has no shares in Rhiti Sports Management. However, some shares were allotted to MSD on March 22, only to secure certain old outstandings that were due for more than a year," Arun Pandey, chairman and managing director of Rhiti Sports, has said in a statement.

Shikhar Dhawan leaves his mark in ODI too

Shikhar Dhawan is showing that he is meant for the big stage.

After his record breaking debut Test century, the Delhi left-hander made his mark in the ODI side as well with 114 off 94 balls which helped India reached 331 against South Africa in the Champions Trophy opener.
The best thing about Dhawan's innings was his fearless approach against the likes of Morne Morkel, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Ryan McLaren and Rory Kleinveldt. Dhawan didn't mind coming to the front-foot against these bowlers, who were often pitching it short. He was hit on the helmet once as well, but that couldn't stop him.

There were times during the first-wicket partnership of 127 with Rohit Sharma when he was kept away from the strike. But Dhawan showed his maturity and when he got his chance, played some superb shots on the up which were difficult to stop.

"He played a superb innings today. Looks a great find for India," Shane Warne told about Dhawan, who was playing his sixth ODI on Thursday. There's some similarity in the way the careers of Dhawan and Gautam Gambhir have shaped up. Gambhir, too, was a prolific run-scorer in the domestic circuit, but took some time to cement his place in the Indian team.

Dhawan, too, has been around for a while, and his first five ODIs weren't too productive. But his debut Test century against Australia was nothing short of sensational and he followed it up with a good IPL. And now, this century against South Africa in Cardiff should seal his spot in the Indian team for the time being. "He seems to have started from where he left off against Australia. He timed the ball well, played both the pacers and spinners well," former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly said.

Sharapova overpowers Azarenka to reach French Open final

PARIS: Maria Sharapova survived a gruelling test to reach the French Open final for the second straight year on Thursday with a 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 defeat of Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka.

In a disjointed match opposing two of the biggest hitters in women's tennis, the defending champion opened the semifinal in style, then lost her way for a set and finally, on the back of a brief rain delay, resumed control.

Azarenka, bidding to become the first woman since Jennifer Capriati in 2001 to win the Australian and French Opens in the same year, can count herself unlucky to have seen her momentum halted by the rain, but Sharapova was marginally the better player.

The second seed will now play either top seed Serena Williams or Sara Errani of Italy, who she beat in last year's final in Saturday's championship match.

"I really had to play to the end today and I am extremely happy to be back in the final," said Sharapova.

"(The rain delay) gave me a little bit of time to think of what I did well in the first set and try to get that back again for the third."

As she did against Jelena Jankovic in the quarterfinals, Sharapova got off to a miserable start, two double faults leading to a dropped serve in the first game.

But, unlike in her match against the Serb, the Russian quickly regrouped and rattled off four games in a row, getting the better of Azarenka in a bruising sequence of baseline exchanges.

The Australian Open champion looked perplexed and tried switching things up with a couple of dashes to the net, but on each occasion Sharapova belted a passing shot past her with ease.

Sharapova's own serve was in good working order, the opening game apart, and she duly wrapped up the set 6-1 after just 28 minutes with an ace out wide.

Azarenka stopped the rot by holding serve to open the second set and, with a foothold, in the match she started to apply added pressure on the Sharapova serve.

That paid dividends in the sixth game when some fine attacking play from the Belarusian brought up break point and drew a double fault from the defending champion.

Azarenka broke again to take the second set 6-2, but her momentum was halted by a brief rain shower as she prepared to serve at the start of the decider.

The players were off for 35 minutes and neither appeared to benefit from the break as they traded a series of unforced errors on the resumption.

But, as in the first set, it was Sharapova who was the first to fully deploy her firepower, blasting an array of big hits at her opponent to break serve and lead 2-1.

Three double faults meant she handed the break back, but she promptly broke Azarenka again and then moved out into a 5-2 lead.

There was one further scare for Sharapova as she squandered four match points on her own serve, but two games later she steadied her nerves to finish off the job and reach the eighth Grand Slam final of her career

Shilpa Shetty spent money on betting in one IPL match, Delhi Police say

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Thursday said that Raj Kundra, the co-owner of Rajasthan Royals, had admitted to placing bets on his own team in the IPL over the last three years, a charge denied by his wife Shilpa Shetty.

Police said his film star wife, a part owner of the Jaipur-based team, had also bet on at least one match. This was revealed by Ahmedabad-based industrialist Umesh Goenka, said to be Kundra's business partner who acted as his bookie.

"Goenka, whose passport was also seized, said Shilpa Shetty had spent money on betting in one IPL match but he could not recall the game," the official said.

Police sources said that she bet on the match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Daredevils in Jaipur. But she vehemently denied the accusation.

She tweeted that speculation about her involvement in betting was "complete nonsense".

Reacting to media reports, Shetty tweeted: "For those who care, my apparent involvement in betting is complete nonsense and I have never bet on any cricket match ever." Truth will prevail. We love cricket, it's the passion for the sport that made us a part of IPL. It's extremely disheartening to keep clarifying that," she added.

"Just to reiterate, we will do all it takes to reach to the bottom of this 'spot fixing case' and be of complete help till that happens."

Police officials said Kundra's admission came during his 10-hour grilling Wednesday.

"Kundra has admitted that he used to bet on his own team Rajasthan Royals and revealed that he lost money at times," an official said.

Earlier in the day, Kundra, who has business interests in Britain, Dubai, Ukraine and Botswana, claimed he was helping Delhi Police Special Cell in the IPL spot fixing investigation.

"Kundra told us that he along with Goenka was involved in betting for the last three years.

"We have seized Kundra's passport so that he doesn't leave the country till the probe is over. We will be questioning him further," an official added.

Kundra told police that Goenka had been a close friend since they met in London in 2008. After getting a stake in the Rajasthan Royals in season three of IPL in 2010, Kundra and Goenka have been regulars at the matches played by the team.

"Kundra has been betting since 2011 and has so far lost around Rs.1 crore," said the official.

The source added that the entire money used in betting by Kundra seemed to have been transacted through Hawala.

"Since Kundra is a key official of Royals, we need to question him further before deciding on his arrest," said the official.

"As of now we are not giving him and Goenka a clean chit," he added. The official said police will approach the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to act against Kundra as he had broken the norms by betting despite owning an IPL team.

Delhi Police have arrested 26 people, including S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan, from the Rajasthan Royals team.

While 24 people have been sent to judicial custody, Sreesanth's friend Abhishek Shukla is on bail and bookie Tinku Mandy has been handed over to Mumbai Police.

The 26 people were Tuesday booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA). Altogether, 60 people have been arrested across the country in connection with the spot fixing scam.

Ind vs SA: Shikhar Dhawan's ton sets up India's win over South Africa

CARDIFF: In the middle of all the madness surrounding cricket, if there's one man having a blast, he's Shikhar Dhawan. Confined to the first-class circuit for years, tagged a wasted talent and blamed for his off-the-field eccentricities, he's emerged from those shadows to shine in the brightness of his abilities.

He began the year 2013 with a bang, cementing his place in the squad after that spectacular century in his debut Test against Austral

ia, and is now opening the innings for India in the One-dayers.

On Thursday, at the Sophia Gardens, in the opening match of the Champions Trophy against South Africa here, he continued in that same vein of form, scoring 114 runs off just 94 balls inclusive of 12 fours and a six that pushed the opposition into a corner early in the game.

Riding on his entertaining innings, India posted a healthy 331-7 in the stipulated 50 overs, and took control of the proceedings. South Africa began the chase well but two suicidal run-outs and some avoidable strokeplay changed the course of their innings.

Eventually, India won a match — dragged right till the end of the 50th over — by 26 runs. Dhoni hadn't hinted much about the prospect of Rohit Sharma opening the innings with Dhawan. But on the morning of the match, when the two walked out, it didn't come as a surprise to see the Mumbai batsman — who seems to have a very strong backing of his captain — open the batting. Dhawan's form seemed to have rubbed off on Sharma and the duo brought the first 100 runs in just the 16th over, off 98 balls, to set the tone.

Early on in the innings, it was Sharma who first went after the bowlers. Dhawan joined the party midway through the partnership as the do put on 127 runs. The only chance Dhawan gave in his innings was a stumping opportunity messed up by South Africa's captain and wicketkeeper AB de Villiers. The rest of his innings only varied between having to make a choice between a drive and a loft and a six or a four as he made light of a wayward South African attack.

The last 10 overs of India's innings saw 82 runs scored for the loss of three wickets. That meant 149 runs coming between the 17th and the 40th over for the loss of just four wickets. It underlined Dhoni's theory of taking a cautious approach and saving wickets for the end. That India were 213-2 at the end of 35 overs and SA 212-6 sums up the story.

A great effort also came from allrounder Ravindra Jadeja who seems to be growing in confidence with each game regardless of the format. It's no surprise that Jadeja has been MS Dhoni's go-to man of late.

On Thursday, the 24-year-old's 29-ball 47 cameo consisting seven fours and a six helped India surge from 260-5 in the 42 over to the eventual total. On the field too, he was electric, picking a wicket, taking a catch, and most importantly, effecting a thriller of a run-out - of Robin Peterson - to snatch back the initiative for India.

South Africa have themselves to blame for letting India walk away with two points. Missed chances, run-outs and an unmethodical approach during the Powerplays scripted their defeat.

The wicket played true to how it had been perceived, allowing batsmen to go for their shots in both the innings. However, spinners played a larger role in the game than what had been expected, considering the new ICC rules of allowing teams to take two new balls in an innings.

India now head to London to play the West Indies.

NBA: Miami Heat rip Indiana Pacers to reach title showdown with Spurs

MIAMI: LeBron James scored 32 points and the defending champion Miami Heat advanced to the NBA Finals for the third year in a row on Monday with a 99-76 rout of the Indiana Pacers.

The Heat captured the best-of-seven Eastern Conference final four games to three and booked a championship series showdown against the San Antonio Spurs that will open on Thursday at Miami.

"They were just aggressive. They had that killer instinct, that look in their eye," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said of the Heat. "They weren't going to be denied. Their ball movement was spectacular."

Dwyane Wade had 21 points on 7-of-16 shooting and pulled down nine rebounds for Miami while James, who hit 8-of-17 from the field, grabbed eight rebounds and Chris Bosh contributed nine points and eight rebounds for the Heat.

"It was about finding a way to win at home," Wade said. "It's game seven. You have to give everything you have got. My teammates did some things to loosen me up and that got me going."

The Heat lost to Dallas in the 2011 championship series but defeated Oklahoma City for last year's crown.

"Going back to the final three straight years is an amazing feat," said Wade, who had his best scoring night since April 23. "I'm glad we were able to do it."

Miami won both regular-season meetings with the Spurs, but each team benched top talent on the other's home court, leaving neither game a true test of what they could offer with the title on the line.

"We just got finished with a two-fisted series and now we have got to get ready for what that great team is going to throw at us," Wade said.

James, the NBA Most Valuable Player, plans on the Heat giving the Spurs the same treatment they have their previous playoff rivals.

"Our game plan will not change," James vowed. "We disrupt. We fly around. We help one another. We share the ball offensively. The only thing that changes is the personnel we're going against."

Miami swiped much of the drama Monday with a dominating second quarter, outscoring Indiana 33-16 to seize a 52-37 half-time edge.

"That first half was dispiriting," Vogel said. "Give them credit. With their season on the line, they just brought a whole 'another level.

"They taught us a lesson. This team has been there before. They know how to win. They know how to ratchet up their defence and impose their will on a game."

James scoring 18 points in the first half and said Miami's mindset was to be aggressive.

"Just win, by any means necessary," James said. "We came out and took care of business."

The Pacers made 15 turnovers in the first half, 10 more than Miami, and the Heat made eight first-half steals to only two for Indiana. For the game, Miami had 11 turnovers, half Indiana's total. Miami had 11 steals. Indiana had four.

"We just turned the ball over too much," Indiana's David West said. "With a team of this calibre on their home court, it's too much to overcome."

In the second half, the Heat stretched the margin and held the Pacers at bay to the finish.

"Our respect goes to the Pacers. They made us play better," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We had to play our best game of the series to get this done. The competition brought out the best in us. There were harrowing moments."

Roy Hibbert led Indiana with 18 points, but the Pacers fell one game short of reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000.

"Disappointed but encouraged about the future," Vogel said of the team's locker room gloom. "I told them keep their heads high. Nobody gave us a chance to get this far. We overcame an awful lot to grab the nation's attention.

"Everybody knows who the Indiana Pacers are now."

Dhoni: The 'helicopter' man from nowhere

KOLKATA: When he was run out on the very first ball he faced in international cricket, little did anyone realise that the stockily built lad from Jharkhand with long locks would lead India in all three forms of the game in four years' time. Mahendra Singh Dhoni's meteoric rise to fame is essentially the tale of a rustic boy who emerged from the tribal hinterland to become the most decorated captain in the history of Indian cricket.

Dhoni's journey of self-discovery began in Ranchi, the cradle of Jharkhand movement , traversed through the sepentine bylanes of Kharagpur's railway colony and the greens of the Kolkata Maidan before it took him to the doorstep of the Indian dressing room.

His childhood friends, who know him best, describe him as a man of simple taste, good values and an unshakeable belief in his own ability. Perhaps that is why Dhoni listens to all but always backs his instincts when it comes to decision-making. That he has been proved right more often than not is a great advertisement for his ability to keep things simple in a highly complex game that modern cricket is these days.

His friends and teammates, who have shared the dressing room with him during the early part of his career, insist that their beloved 'Mahi' has not changed one bit in spite of his huge popularity and the millions of rupees he continues to rake in by flaunting his extra-ordinary talent on the field.

Mahi, who started off as a ticket collector with the South Eastern Railway, has long traded his black coat for desinger stuff that he often struts on the ramp. The flowing golden mane, that once drew admiration from former Pakistan president Parvez Musharraf, has been replaced by a spiky, well-gelled mop in keeping with his current status as the leader of India's brat-pack cricketers who swear by his name.

It is no surprise, really, because Dhoni has always been a smart cookie. Much of the credit for polishing Dhoni's raw cricket skills must go to Greg Chappell, the hardnosed Australian coach under whom he flowered as a batsman and metamorphosed from a goalkeeper to wicket-keeper , but the manner in which he continues to carry himself off the field speaks volumes about the man's confidence.

For a small-town boy, Dhoni has handled fame and his fortunes much better than many of his predecessors.

His progression from his first job in the railways to an officer in Air India to his current status as a vice-president in India Cements reflects the ambitions the of a man who has marketed himself with unprecedented success.

He has had his problems with his agents and managers, but the demand for his signature continues to grow in the endorsement market. If market sources are to be believed, Dhoni today endorses more products than even Shah Rukh, the 'king' of Bollywood.

The range of products he promotes ranges from health drinks to telecom services , wristwatches to ceiling fans and footwear to trucks. On last count, he had 22 endorsements in his kitty, making him the most sought-after celebrity in the Indian market.

Two years back, he signed a mega deal worth Rs 210 crore - the biggest for an Indian sportsperson - with Rhiti Sports Management and Mindscapes.

Big deals usually attract bigger scrutiny and it is no surprise that questions have been raised about a possible conflict of interest in Dhoni's capacity as the captain. Only time will tell whether it will impact Dhoni's brand value but if 'Captain Cool' and his men in Blue continue to deliver on the field, their demand in the endorsement market is bound to surge northward.

Such is the selling power of the man who invented the 'helicopter' shot.

IPL spot-fixing scandal: Vindu Dara Singh, Gurunath Meiyappan granted bail

MUMBAI: Actor Vindu Dara Singh and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) principal Gurunath Meiyappan, arrested in connection with the IPL spot-fixing and betting scandal, were on Tuesday granted bail by a local court.

Besides Vindu and Meiyappan, the son-in-law of N Srinivasan who recently stepped aside as BCCI president, six bookies too were granted the relief on the bond of Rs 25,000 each.

The duo moved the bail applications on Monday after the metropolitan magistrate remanded them in judicial custody till June 14.

The court also asked all of them to not leave the country and report to the Crime Branch every alternate day.

The lawyers of Meiyappan and Vindu requested the court to grant bail to their clients arguing that their custodial interrogation was not required.

Meiyappan (35) was arrested on the night of May 25 for his alleged involvement in the IPL betting scandal.

He was in the eye of a storm after actor and TV reality show winner Vindu, arrested on May 22 for his alleged links with bookies, admitted to having placed bets on his behalf.

Pakistan cruise to victory over South Africa

LONDON: Excellent swing bowling from Wahab Riaz and Asad Ali set up Pakistan's six-wicket victory over South Africa in a Champions Trophy warm-up match at The Oval on Monday.

The game did not carry full one-day international status as the teams used their full 15-man squads.

Sent into bat, South African managed just 202 for nine in their 50 overs and Pakistan cruised to their target with six wickets and 27 balls to spare.

Ali claimed three for 30 in his 10 overs as he produced prodigious movement through the air early in the South Africa

n innings, figures matched by Riaz who bowled an over less.

"It is pretty satisfying, the way Wahab Riaz bowled was the biggest plus for us, but everybody in the top order also scored runs, so we are pretty happy about that," Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said in a TV interview.

Ryan McLaren (55) and JP Duminy (43) were the only South African batsmen to find form as they battled against the moving ball.

Pakistan never looked in trouble in their reply, with opener Imran Farhat (56) and Mohammad Hafeez (54 retired out) laying the platform for victory.

"It wasn't easy this morning, but I think we got out of it what we wanted. The boys toiled hard and were under pressure. We got over 200, which is a good effort in the end. All the bowlers then got a good run, which was important," Proteas captain AB de Villiers said.

South Africa begin their Champions Trophy Group B campaign against India in Cardiff on Thursday. Pakistan meet the West Indies in the same pool at The Oval on Friday.

Dhoni receives ICC Shield for being No. 1 in ODIs

CARDIFF: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Monday received the prestigious ICC ODI Championship Shield and a cheque of $175,000 for leading his side to the top of the ICC ODI Championship table on the annual April 1 cut-off date.

This is the first time since the current ranking system was introduced in 2002 that India finished as the No. 1 ranked one-day international (ODI) side.

David Morgan, former president of the International Cricket Council (ICC), presented the Shield to Dhoni, who also collected the cheque, after India's training session at the Cardiff Wales Stadium.

"I am very proud of this huge achievement, as being No. 1 is a reward for all of us but hopefully it is just the beginning. Being No. 1 in the world brings with it a certain respect for the game itself and for the way in which we play the game and conduct ourselves on the field," said Dhoni.

"You have to be consistent to be ranked No. 1 and I think we have reached that level of consistency over a period of time. We have performed very well and I am very proud of what the guys have achieved."

India had claimed the top spot from England after winning the series 3-2 in January, and in the 12-month period between April 1

, 2012 and April 1, 2013, it won eight out of 13 ODIs while losing five.

Former ICC president David Morgan said: "This ODI Shield is recognition of excellence. This is the first time that India has been the top ODI side at the 1 April cut-off date. I want to congratulate India for its dedication and for the ability to entertain us all. I wish the team all the best for the coming year.

"The importance of the ICC ODI Shield should be celebrated as this is the ICC Cricket World Cup format. To finish as the No.1 ranked ODI side in addition to being the defending champion of ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011, is a wonderful achievement.

"India will no doubt, therefore, enter the ICC Champions Trophy as one of the sides to watch out for. There could not have been a better fillip for India as it heads into the tournament featuring the eight best ODI sides. I'm sure that Mahendra and his team will be looking forward to maintaining their rank at the top of this format."

ICC ODI Championship table (as June 2, after second ODI between England and New Zealand)