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His suspension dispute with Mohun Bagan is yet to be resolved, but India captain Bhaichung Bhutia on Wednesday donned the East Bengal jersey and practised at their club tent for the first time this season.

Bhutia, who has a year's contract left with Mohun Bagan, went through the drill for close to one and half hours on Wednesday.

The national captain, who recently guided India to the Nehru Cup triumph, was seen giving pep-talk to his teammates including captain Syed Rahim Nabi, Mehrajuddin Wadoo, Harmanjot Singh Khabra among others.

East Bengal football secretary Santosh Bhattacharya said Bhutia had taken permission to practice with the club from the AIFF-appointed abritrator who is dealing with the Bhutia-Bagan impasse.

"He has sought permission from the arbitrator (former solicitor general Amarendra Sharan). He (Sharan) has clearly said Bhutia is 'free' to practice for any club to maintain fitness," said Bhattacharya.

Bhutia did not talk to media after the practice. Coach Subhas Bhowmick, who is under fire, after the team's debacle in IFA Shield and Durand Cup also did not comment.

The club is in talks with former JCT player Abel Hammond while Julius Akpele, who played for Mumbai FC last season, has confirmed that he would join the side.

"Julius is joining us and the side will get a boost with Yusif Yakubu's arrival on October 29," Bhattacharya said.

Having suffered four consecutive losses at the start of the season to crash out of Shield and Durand Cup, East Bengal have released their foreigner trio of Jan Berger, Sebastian Omar Monesterolo and Edmilson Marques.

The Bagan-Bhutia deadlock has been dragging since June when the ace Indian striker was slapped with a six months suspension without pay on disciplinary grounds.

After his row with Mohun Bagan, Bhutia did not waste time to switch allegiance to his former club East Bengal and the national captain attended the club's practice earlier occasions but never practised with red-and-gold teammates.

The dispute between Bhutia and Mohun Bagan is now pending before the arbitrator, Sharan, after Indian Football Association (West Bengal football body) and All India Football Association (AIFF) failed to resolve it.

Don't expect extraordinary result in World Cup: Brasa

Jose Brasa photos


With little over five months left for next year's FIH hockey World Cup, India chief coach Jose Brasa said it would be unrealistic to

expect anything extraordinary from the eight-time Olympic champions in the mega event to be held here from February 28 to March 13.

Although the Spaniard is optimistic about the hosts' good showing in next year's three major tournaments -- the World Cup, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, Brasa said his goal is to come out victorious in at least two out of the three events.

"We will try to win all three or atleast two tournaments. But the World Cup is too close and there is hardly any time left to assure you something extraordinary," Brasa said.

"We are doing everything that is in our hand. We are utilising every single minute of training. The swine flu has hampered our camp in Pune for two weeks but now we are training well in all the aspects," he said.

Incidentally, it was Brasa who roped in Jesus Garcia Pallares as the physical trainer of Indian team but barely three months after his appointment, Pallares quit the job citing lack of professionalism in the working of the Sports Authority of India.

An annoyed Brasa, however, termed his decision as a wrong one and said by doing so Pallares broke his own promise.

"He took the wrong decision. Nobody take such a severe decision without notice. He broke the 30-day notice clause of his contract. He left me here alone without the support of any physical trainer and broke the word given to me," Brasa said.

Interestingly, Brasa himself is unhappy with the slow functioning of the SAI, but said he is trying hard to adapt to the system and hoped that his association with India would be longstanding.

"Things are very slow in India in general but adapting to them will be beneficial to us rather than just getting desperate," the veteran coach said.

"The equipments are coming. The Sports Minister, MS Gill has promised me face to face that all the equipments will be here in our hands when we will comeback from Canada in the beginning of November," he added.

The Indian team, which is presently undergoing a camp in Pune, will be flying to Canada next month for seven Tests starting October 9.

After India's poor show in the four-nation European tour which was Brasa's first assignment as coach of the national side, rumours were rife about the Spaniard thinking about quitting. However, he rejected the speculations, saying he is enjoying every bit of his association with the national team.

"I am enjoying my vicinity, proximity and good relations with Indian coaches and players. They are outstanding human beings and I wish that my stay here will be a long one," he said.

India concede doubles tie against South Africa

India's fate in the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie against South Africa is still hanging in balance as the visitors conceded the doubles rubber owing to Mahesh Bhupathi's injury on Saturday.

India were trailing 3-6, 6-3, 0-4 when Bhupathi and his partner Rohan Bopanna opted out of the contest, which means that Sunday's reverse singles will decide which team will enter the World Group.

Friday's victories by Somdev Devvarman and Rohan Bopanna had put India in driver's seat and they were hoping to wrap up the tie today itself.

India still leads the tie 2-1 and need one more win out of two reverse singles, to be played at Ellis Park arena.

Somdev will lock horns with South Africa's number one player Rik de Voest and Bopanna will clash against Izak Van der Merwe in the match between the number two players.

India last played in the World Group in 1998 when they lost 1-4 to Italy.

The doubles rubber was heading for an exciting finish as India and South Africa were locked in an intense battle.

Both the teams gauged each other initially before applying any strategy and he first seven games of the match went with serve.

Coetzee's scintillating play at the net made a big difference. His lightening reflexes and agility was a treat to watch as the diminutive South African complimented well the big serving Moodie.

Coetzee set up the first break of the match when he fired a quick volley winner and followed it up by a down the line winner, earning two breakpoints for his team.

Bhupathi served big to save first but could not stop Moodie to convert the second.

Up by a break, Moodie served out the set without any fuss.

Bhupathi was at his best when he hit a return off Moodie over the head of Coetzee, almost like a lob, for a winner and then hit a zooming return winner to earn two breakpoints for India in the second game of the second set.

They could not convert any and then Bopanna survived a scare of break in the fifth game, saving a chance.

Thanks to Bhupathi's excellence, India earned two more chances in the seventh game and this time they did not falter and Bopanna drew parity by holding the next game.

Bopanna, who had been serving well, committed a costly volley error despite on top of the point and the resultant break handed South Africa 2-0 lead in the third set which became 4-0 when Bhupathi double faulted and retired.

England job will be Capello's last: Report

England manager Fabio Capello said he will coach no other sides, including his native Italy, after his contract with the Football Fabio Capello Association ends, a report said on Thursday.

Capello, 63, has helped England qualify for the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa and is one year into a four-year contract with the FA.

"I wear the England shirt. The England team will be the last football side I coach", he said.

Asked whether he still has ambitions to manage Italy, Capello said: "No, it simply does not interest me."

England have often fallen at the quarter-final stage of international competitions in the last 20 years, but Italian Capello said last week he wants the side to go all the way to the July 11 final.

"Playing in the final would be success," he said on Sunday. "For now, playing in it will do, rather than winning it. But if people are asking me what my aspiration is, then it is to reach the final."

Bagan stick to "non-maintainability"

Mohun Bagan has stuck to their stated position that the arbitration hearing in the Bhaichung Bhutia suspension row is not
Bagan
"maintainable" and the proceedings before the former Solicitor General Amarendra Sharan was a conciliatory process.

Mohun Bagan general secretary Anjan Mitra had all along been saying that the All India Football Federation had not exhausted all other means before referring the matter to the arbitrator and Bhutia had been given "special treatment".

Two points in question before Sharan were the maintainability of the case and Bhutia's application for an interim relief so that he can play for East Bengal for which he signed up this season after being suspended by Mohun Bagan for six months without pay in June.

On Thursday, Bhutia's counsel Usha Nath Banerjee completed his argument regarding his client's application for interim relief and Mohun Bagan lawyer will reply on September 19. Both sides will make written replies on September 21 and Sharan will take a couple of days to decide.

This would mean that Bhutia will not be able to play for East Bengal in the ongoing Durand Cup which ends on September 22. His participation in the I-League starting on October one will depend on Sharan's decision.

"There are two matters before me. The first is maintainability (of the arbitration) and Bhutia's application for interim relief," Sharan said after a two-hour hearing.

"Both sides have requested for a reply and so they will submit written replies on Monday. I will then apply my mind and give a decision on both the points in two or three days (after Monday)," he said.

"Till I was trying to settle the case amicably between the two parties it was not a formal court proceeding. But now it has become a court proceeding," he added after the third hearing in the case.

For Mohun Bagan, Rupinder Singh Suri of Delhi-based legal firm Suri and Company argued the case.

"Two points - Bhutia's interim relief and our application that it was not a arbitration proceeding - both are going on. Bhutia's counsel had completed his argument on his application for interim relief and I have started my arguments also. It will continue on Saturday," Suri said.

Bhutia was suspended for six months without pay by Mohun Bagan in June for missing a few team training sessions and an exhibition match.

He appealed to the Indian Football Association (West Bengal football body) but later the AIFF took up the matter. The national body's Players' Status Committee, however, failed to decide on the matter as one member refused to give his opinion.

The AIFF then asked its outgoing General Secretary Alberto Colaco to mediate between Mohun Bagan and Bhutia. After Colaco could not find a solution, the AIFF Executive Committee in its meeting on August 30 had decided to refer the matter to an arbitrator.

BAI irrelevant now, run game corporate-style Padukone

BANGALORE: Badminton legend Prakash Padukone feels the sport's
governing body in the country is no longer relevant and a corporate-style body should be put in place to run the sport.

"Small countries like Australia and New Zealand have a CEO for their badminton associations," the former All England Champion said.

Padukone said the running of the game is best left to professionals in modern times where marketing of the game is of paramount importance. Padukone felt the Badminton Association of India officials manage to escape resposibility as they hold honorary posts.

"Sometimes these people (the current administrators) don't get time. Honorary means you do something else also. If you have (additional) time, you do this (devote for running the game). I don't like the tag of Honorary Secretary. Honorary thing should go. Let him take one rupee as token. But it has to be a paid job. Then you can hold them accountable", Padukone said, strongly favouring a discontinuation of honorary jobs in running the game.

He said professionals in their respective fields, marketing, coaching, development (spoting talent), pursuing sponsorship deals and conducting domestic tournaments
, should be hired and held accountable.

"You have to appoint right people. People with experience in that field, it should be run like a corporate. Badminton Association of England is a limited (company)," Padukone said, calling for revamping of the present system.

Padukone stressed that the game should be run like a company, where there is a CEO and various departments to run the show.

"Hired professionals need not know anything about the game, but they should have experience in their chosen field. It (badminton) should be sold like a product," he said.

"Sports has also become like that now. Earlier, it was okay (to have BAI and there was no need to market the sport aggressively). 20 years back it was fine", he said pointing out governing bodies such as FIFA and ICC were run by professionals.

Padukone also slammed BAI for not conducting enough domestic tournaments and said many of the youngsters, not Indian players who get to participate in international tournaments, are a frustrated lot.

"Last year we had only one tournament. It's a big demotivation factor for players who are not in the Indian team. They are training for what? They can't play international tournaments because they are not representing the country".

"I am a little concerned by the lack of a strong domestic circuit. Many players also feel the same", Padukone said.

"If you don't have a strong domestic circuit, how will you spot the talent?" he asked.

He said strengthening the domestic circuit should be the top priority,

"If I were BAI, I would have a strong domestic circuit". Padukone said tournaments should be spread throughout the year. Apart from nationals, the only tournament that took place in the last season was the Tata Open.

"How can such a big, popular sport have only one tournament?" he said.

"For 11 months, people were training, and there is no competition for them ? It's not a good sign. It becomes boring also (only training). It's like studying without giving exams. If there are no exams and you keep studying, how will you know (progress)?".

Ashes all that matters for our fans: Collingwood

Paul Collingwood insisted England faced an uphill battle in convincing their supporters that one-day cricket was important following this season's Ashes success.

"It seems to me that the public of England are just interested in the Ashes and everything else doesn't matter too much," 33-year-old Collingwood said here on Monday.

England gave birth to modern professional limited overs cricket back in the 1960s and pioneered Twenty20, the sport's shortest top-flight format.

Even so one-day matches have tended to be tolerated as a financial necessity by many within the English game, be they administrators, players, spectators and the media, with priority given to Test cricket, still the 'real thing'.

England are currently 2-0 down in their seven match one-day international (ODI) series against Australia ahead of Wednesday's Rose Bowl day/nighter.

But, with home fans still rejoicing in the team's 2-1 Test series win over Australia, wrapped up last month at the Oval, it seems many England supporters couldn't care less about a series widely regarded as an Ashes afterthought.

"To us, as players, this is an important stepping stone, we want to continue improving our one-day cricket," said Collingwood.

Mahinder Singh Dhoni world's top earning cricketer

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has topped the list of world's 10 top earning cricketers compiled by Forbes, which also features
Dhoni and Sachin
four other players from the sub-continent - Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly.

Raking in $10 million, Dhoni is at the top of the chart followed by Tendulkar at the second spot with earnings worth $8 million in the list of 'The World's Top-Earning Cricketers'.

While Singh and Dravid are at the third and fourth spot, respectively, Ganguly and Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting share the sixth place.

"Paycheck figures include club and national team salaries and commercial endorsement income over the last 12 months," Forbes said.

According to the magazine, Singh earned $5.5 million while Dravid and Ganguly raked in $5 million and $3.5 million, respectively. Ponting also earned $3.5 million.

"With its deep-pocketed owners and global appeal, nine of the 10 highest-paid cricket players call the Indian Premier League (IPL) home, the publication added.

At the fifth spot is England's Andrew Flintoff with earnings of $4 million followed by Australia's Brett Lee and English cricketer Kevin Pietersen - both at eighth place - and Australian Michael Clarke is ranked tenth.

While Lee and Pietersen raked in $3 million each, Clarke earned $2.5 million.

"Take Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who plays for the Chennai Super Kings and tops our list as cricket's first $10 million-a-year man (that's $5,426 for each run scored).

"His $8 million in endorsements, from the likes of Reebok, General Electric and Pepsi, is 45 per cent more than any other player.

"Among all Indian athletes and entertainers, Dhoni's 17 corporate sponsors is second to only Bollywood star and co- owner of the Knight Riders, Shah Rukh Khan," Forbes said.

About Tendulkar, the magazine said the holder of numerous offensive records, is considered among the greatest batsman in cricket history.

"... he's one of five IPL players who have been bestowed 'icon' status, meaning he automatically receives a paycheck 15 per cent larger than his highest paid teammate.

"Tendulkar's $ 1.1 million salary from the Mumbai Indians helped push his total earnings to $8 million over the last 12 months," it added.

Mahesh Bhupathi-Huber in mixed doubles second round

Mahesh Bhupathi and Liezel Huber cruised into the mixed doubles second round of the
Bhupathi
US Open.

Bhupathi and Huber beat Vania King and Marcelo Melo in a straight set of 7-5, 6-0. The duo next play Jill Craybas and Eric Butorac in the second round.

Earlier, Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles cruised to the men's doubles second round after scoring a comfortable 6-3, 6-4 win over American James Cerretani and Lovro Zovko of Croatia.

Somdev loses but takes heart at US Open

India's Somdev Devvarman's first Grand Slam campaign came to a end when he lost to 23rd seed Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany on
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Thursday but he said he will learn from the experience. ( Watch Video )

The 24-year-old from Chennai won three qualifying matches to make it into the main draw at the US Open and then won his first-round match against Frederico Gil of Portugal in straight sets.

But the experienced Kohlschreiber, who has taken some notable scalps this year including that of Novak Djokovic at the French Open, had too much experience and ability, winning 6-3, 6-4, 0-6, 6-2.

Devvarman, who won back-to-back US collegiate titles playing for the University of Virginia in 2007 and 2008, said his time spent at Flushing Meadows had been "a great experience."

"Qualifying for the US Open was a great breakthrough for me and then to win a match and take a set off Philipp and have some chances against him will give me great confidence for the future," he said.

"I just have to take the right steps to get better and move up the rankings - work harder, get stronger, hit the ball harder and serve better."

Devvarman said he is also acutely aware that there is growing interest in tennis in India brought on by the recent successes of Sania Mirza in the women's game and in doubles play.

He said he drew early inspiration from the likes of doubles champions Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupati as well as stars from an earlier era like Vijay Amritraj and Ramesh Krishnan.

"I have a great opportunity coming from such a great country with such a great tradition in sport and hopefully I can get better and give them something to cheer about," he said.

Devvarman's exploits at Flushing Meadows, coming after he left the collegiate system, have pushed him up to a world ranking of 162, which will improve when the next ATP rankings come out.

He notably reached the final of his hometown tournament in Chennai in January and then in early August reached the third round in Washington, where he lost to Ivo Karlovic.

News about Clijsters cruises into Round 2

Former champion Kim Clijsters reached the second round at the US Open on Monday with a 58-minute, 6-1, 6-1 win over Viktoriya Kutuzova of Ukraine.
It was the Belgian player’s first match at Flushing Meadows since she defeated Mary Pierce in straight sets in the 2005 final.
She was unable to defend her title the following year and then retired from the game in May, 2007 to marry and have a baby, only returning to action earlier this month.
The 26-year-old former world number one, playing in the first game on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court, got off to a storming start by winning the first seven points against her 21-year-old opponent.
Unseeded Clijsters then edged a marathon third game on serve to open a 3-0 lead and broke again with Kutuzova serving up a double fault at 15-40 on break point.
The Ukranian finally got on the scoreboard by holding serve in the sixth game but Clijsters then easily won the next game to take the set.
She then opened up a 2-0 lead in the second and broke again in the fifth game to lead 4-1 as her heavy hitting down both flanks left Kutuzova helpless.
Clijsters ran off eight points in a row against a demoralised opponent to smoothly move into the second round.
“It was nice to come out here on centre court and open the tournament, as I didn’t get to do so as defending champion a few years ago,” said Clijsters.
“I’m glad I won in two sets without wasting too much energy. I had a few butterflies, more than I normally do,” the former champion said.
The win was the sixth for Clijsters against two losses since she launched her comeback and moved her forward to a potential second round clash against French 14th seed Marion Bartoli, whom she beat in straight sets in her first match back in Cincinnati.
Eighth seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus also advanced to the second round with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Romania’s Alexandra Dulgheru.
The 20-year-old right-hander will next face the winner of a later match between two qualifiers, Poland’s Marta Domachowska and Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova. Azarenka could face US third seed Venus Williams in a quarterfinal matchup on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts at the year’s final Grand Slam event.

The Badminton World Championships Results

World champion Lin Dan clinched his third consecutive gold on Sunday at the Badminton World Championships defeating compatriot and World No.2 Jin Chen in straight games 21-18, 21-16.
Lu Lan however spoiled a lovers’ party by defeating Lin Dan’s girlfriend Xie Xingfang 23-21, 21-12 for the women’s singles title.
“I am disappointed about my loss, but at the same time happy about Lin Dan’s victory. We will celebrate,” Xingfang said, not disclosing whether marriage was on the cards anytime soon.
“I cannot remain single all my life” she joked.
In the women’s doubles, Yawen Zhang and Tingting Zhao got the better of Shu Cheng and Yunlai Zhou 17-21, 21-17, 21-16.
In the men’s doubles, Yun Cai and Haifeng Fu gallantly fought Jae Sung Jung and Yong Dae Lee 21-18, 16-21, 28-26 in the longest encounter of the day that lasted over an hour.
The mixed double pair from Denmark — Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Rytter Juhl — did their country proud as they won gold ousting the Indonesian pair and World No. 2 Nova Widianto and Liliyana Natsir 21-13, 21-17 in barely 38 minutes.
“It’s the biggest day in my life,” said Thomas, adding, “I am shaken all over and still not able to believe it. We will be called World champions.”
“I am really happy. The entire journey to the finals was so amazing. We beat World No.1, 2 and 3,” drooled Juhl.

THE CHAMPIONS

Men’s singles: Lin Dan (China) bt Jin Chen (China) 21-18, 21-16.
Women’s singles: Lu Lan (China) bt Xie Xingfang (China) 23-21, 21-12.
Women’s doubles: Yawen Zhang/ Tingting Zhao (China) vs Shu Cheng/ Yunlei Zhao (China) 17-21, 21-17, 21-16.
Men’s doubles: Yun Cai/ Haifeng Fu (China) bt Jae Sung Jung/ Yong Dae Lee (Korea) 21-18, 16-21, 28-26.
Mixed doubles: Thomas Laybourn/ Kamilla Rytter Juhl (Denmark) bt Nova Widianto/ Liliyana Natsir (Indonesia) 21-13, 21-17.

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