BCCI promises more Bangla players in IPL

New Delhi (PTI): The BCCI has thrown its weight behind Bangladesh Cricket Board by promising to rope in more cricketers from its eastern neighbours into the lucrative Indian Premier League in its second edition in April next year.

IPL chairman Lalit Modi said the Indian Cricket Board will help Bangladesh recover from the exodus of 13 top players to 'rebel' Indian Cricket League by also including a team from Bangladesh in the 2010 Champions Twenty20 League.

"We will definitely play an active role in helping them out. We are looking at adding a few Bangladesh players for the next IPL auction. And we are also looking at a team from Bangladesh participating in the Champions League from 2010 onwards," Modi told Cricinfo website.

The next IPL auction is tentatively scheduled for January, about two months before the second season begins on April 10. Left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak is the only Bangladesh player currently in the IPL, signed up by Bangalore Royal Challengers for USD 50,000.

National boards will receive a significant sum for participating in the Champions Twenty20 League, along with a separate participation fee for the domestic Twenty20 teams that are invited.

The ICC, meanwhile, said Bangladesh's Test future will be discussed during the ICC Board meeting next month by the committee formed in July on unofficial cricket.

"Any decision on this will be taken at the ICC board meeting and it will be the working party that will decide on such an issue," an ICC spokesperson said.

Rivalry with Oz bigger than Pak: Tendulkar

Mumbai, September 18: Champion batsman Sachin Tendulkar rated the current rivalry between India and Australia as bigger than that of the traditional one between India and Pakistan because of the "competitiveness" exhibited by the two teams over the last eight years.

"I think it (India v Australia) has become bigger largely because of the competitiveness. All the series between us from 2001 onwards have been very keenly fought and have been very close ones," said Tendulkar at a function here to unveil him as the global brand ambassador of Royal Scottish Bank Group.

The ace batsman, who is at handshaking distance of overtaking West Indian great Brian Lara as Test cricket's highest run-getter, pointed out that India have been the only

team in the world to have run world champions Australia close of late in the latter's backyard.

"We have gone to Australia and beaten them. We have been able to surprise the Australian team and that's what the Australian public likes: competition and high standards of play. They love to see challenges and competitiveness.”

"The fan following for the India-Australia series has definitely increased as compared to say 15 years ago. The coming series would also be very closely fought. Talking on behalf of the Indian team I can say we will play hard but fair and I feel the Australians also will do so," said Tendulkar.

Asked whether the absence of Andrew Symonds from the Australian side would lessen the tension in the upcoming rubber starting on October 9, Tendulkar said such things had happened even before the unsavoury spat between the Aussie all-rounder and Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh during the ill-tempered Sydney Test in January.

"Such things happen but don't happen every week. They have happened in the past (before the Sydney Test)," Tendulkar said and indicated the incidents grabbed more attention nowadays because of media coverage and the presence of ICC match referees.

Symonds, an integral part of the recent Test and ODI sides, has been omitted from the Aussie touring party to India on disciplinary grounds after preferring to go fishing instead of attending a team meeting during the recent ODI series against Bangladesh Down Under.

Tendulkar did not lay too much emphasis on the fact that the Australian team, led by Ricky Ponting, was lacking in experience, saying the team looked to be a good blend of experienced players and new comers with lots of first class experience.

"They (Australian squad) have a lot of experienced players and some of them have been playing for a long time now. They are the number one team in the world and we are prepared to face all challenges. It's going to be an extremely well-fought series which would be played in the right spirit and the cricket would be played very hard," said the scorer of 81 Test and ODI hundreds.

Asked about his impending landmark (of highest Test runs), Tendulkar said he never played with an eye on creating records but if and when they come they were welcome additions to his well-adorned cricket cap.

"I don't think much about records. I want to enjoy my game. If players focus on their performance, records automatically fall into place. I focus on playing the game well. If it (new landmark) comes in doing so I will be happy," said the ace batsman who is only 76 runs short of overtaking Lara's world bench mark.

Tendulkar has 11877 Test runs to his credit as compared to the retired West Indian champion's 11953. The champion batsman did not agree with the general view that he had the habit of singling out Australia for special punishment.

"I look at it differently. Whenever I play, whether for India or not, and against any opposition, I try and put my best foot forward. Whenever I lift my bat I do so. I respect cricket and enjoy playing it," he countered.

He also dismissed a scribe's inappropriate query about his retirement plans by shooting back, "I think you are at the wrong press conference."

About his signing as brand ambassador with RBS, who are associate sponsors of the home Test rubber against Australia and title sponsors of the following series of Tests and ODIs against England, Tendulkar said "it was a dream come true" to be associated with the foreign bank alongside sports legends like golfer Jack Nicklaus and race driver Jackie Stewart.

Police close to first arrest in B'lore blasts

Bangalore, September 16 Following the SIMI line of investigations, the Bangalore police could be on the verge of announcing its first arrest in the July 25 bomb Blasts across the city that left one person dead and eight injured.

A special police team constituted to probe the nine low-intensity blasts that preceded the Ahmedabad blasts of July 26 have been interrogating a 23-year-old student of an arts and architecture college from Bijapur over the past two days.

The police had been looking for Abdul Samee, whose name figured in the interrogations of several alleged SIMI activists arrested around the country, including in the Ahmedabad, Jaipur cases. Sources said Samee was being questioned on his presence in Bangalore around the July 25 blasts and his absence from Bijapur over the weekend of the September 13 Delhi blasts.

The Bangalore police and IB are conducting the questioning.

Samee is believed to be one of the 20 who participated in a SIMI training conclave held on the organisation’s foundation day, on April 25, 2007, at Castle Rock on Karnataka-Goa border. It was Adnan alias Hafeez Hussain, a SIMI leader from Karnataka arrested in Indore on March 23 this year with 12 other SIMI functionaries, who reportedly gave his name.

Abdul Subhan Qureshi alias Tauqeer — believed to be a key lynchpin in the blasts that have occurred around the country since July 2006 — Shahbaz Hussain, a key accused in the Jaipur blasts, and Abu Bashar, named as the mastermind of the Ahmedabad blasts, were reportedly all present at this camp.

According to sources, investigations into SIMI activities prior to the Jaipur blasts of May 13 had also thrown up Samee’s name and the Karnataka police had even zeroed in on a student of the Malik Sandal Institute of Art and Architecture. But no arrests were made after the police were told that the student’s name was Mohammed Samee and not Abdul Samee.

Sources said investigations had returned to the architecture student after his name figured in the interrogation of Shahbaz Hussain in Jaipur.

Samee’s family in Bijapur, however, say the arrest is a result of mistaken identity. His father Raj Ahmed Bagewadi has produced college records to show that his son goes by the name of Mohammed Samee Bagewadi and not Abdul Samee.

The investigations surrounding the architecture student show that the Bangalore police is also taking the same line as the Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Delhi blast cases.

Investigations into the Bangalore blasts have until now produced little results. A parallel case of dumping of a large quantity of ammonium nitrate on the outskirts of Bangalore, a day before the blasts, is also being probed.

Karnataka offers 1000 acres for Tata's nano plant

Karnataka on Thursday offered 1,000 acres and all incentives that Tata Motors needs for relocating its Nano car plant to the state from West Bengal, where the company is struggling to hold on to the land allocated to it.

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa made the offer during a meeting with Tata Motors Managing Director G Ravi Kant and senior company officials at the state secretariat here.

Yeddyurappa told reporters after the meeting that the government told Tata Motors that it is willing to extend support if the company relocates the manufacturing plant.

Ravi Kant said: "He (the Chief Minister) said he will give all support and assistance and required incentives if we want it (if the company relocates the manufacturing plant to Karnataka).

To a question, Ravi Kant said nano manufacturing plant -- an integrated project -- requires about 1000 acres.

The Trinamool Congress, the main opposition party in West Bengal, has been demanding the return of 300 acres of the nearly 1000 acres offered to Tatas in Singur by the state.

West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is unwilling to return anything beyond 70 acres and additional financial incentives for dislocated farmers.

Asked if Karnataka has offered 1000 a,cres, Ravi Kant said: "Yes. If we have to relocate, we have to have 1,000 acres".

Tata Motors announced suspension of work at the Nano plant in Singur on September two following agitation at the site.

Asked if Tata Motors would relocate the plant, Ravi Kant said: "We are considering alternatives, if required".

Wine, Coffee, Nuts and Beer linked with male infertility: Study

Coffee, Nuts, Beer and Wine lovers beware, a new study has found that these favorites may lower the male sperm count.

Beer, Coffee, Nuts, Wine may lower sperm count

The study conducted at the Medical Research Council, Cambridge has revealed that the common items such as Peanuts, Red wine; Coffee and Beer that men usually consume have certain chemicals in higher levels that may result in male infertility.

The research found the chemicals to be highly charged with sperm weakening capabilities, which resulted in lower sperm count. Oestrogen like chemicals known to lower sperm count were found in Peanuts, Red wine,Coffee and Beer. Sperm count is considered normal if it’s within the rage of 80 to 120 million per milliliter.

Researchers found that Nuts along with Drinks caused more damages than when consumed separately. Dozens of food items were analyzed using sensitive chemical procedures. The levels of Oestrogen like chemicals (Lignans) and isoflavones were measured.

The analysis pointed out that sperm reducing compounds were found in many food and beverages items than previously thought. Previous study had also associated lower sperm count with Soya.

The results of the study can be found in the issue of the New Scientist Magazine. The study however was unable to determine the minimum quantity of eatables that could lead to infertility.

So the next time you enter the pub, think twice before you grab that favorites.

Poll finds more voters see Obama as agent of change

WASHINGTON: Despite an intense effort to present himself as a break from the Republican Party and the way business is done in Washington, Senator John McCain is seen by voters as far less likely to bring change to Washington than Barack Obama, and a strong majority view him as a "typical Republican" who would continue or expand President George W. Bush's policies, according to a New York Times/CBS News Poll.

Surveys taken after the Republican convention two weeks ago week suggesting that McCain had enjoyed a surge of support - particularly among white women after his selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate - appear to have reflected a short-term burst of interest, according to the Times/CBS poll. The contest between the candidates appears to be roughly where it was before the two conventions and before the vice presidential selections: Obama has the support of 48 percent of registered voters, the poll indicates, compared with 43 percent for McCain.

But McCain is maintaining some core advantages, according to the poll, particularly on experience and preparedness to be president and the ability to serve as commander in chief. Forty-eight percent of those surveyed said Obama was prepared to be president, compared with 71 percent who rated McCain as prepared. Fifty-two percent said it was "very likely" that McCain would be an effective commander in chief - twice as many as felt that way about Obama.

The difference in overall support between them is within the poll's margin of sampling error.

The poll underlined the extent to which McCain's Republican convention - and his selection of Palin, the governor of Alaska - had excited some Republican voters about his candidacy, no small thing in an election that continues to be so tight: 47 percent of Republican supporters described themselves as enthused about their party's presidential candidate, more than twice the percentage before the conventions.

The Times/CBS News poll suggested that Palin's selection has, to date, helped McCain only among Republican base voters; there was no evidence of significantly increased support for him among women voters.

White women are evenly divided between McCain and Obama. Before the selection, McCain led Obama among white women by a margin of 44 percent to 37 percent.

By contrast, at this point in the 2004 campaign, Bush was leading Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, the Democratic challenger, by 56 percent to 37 percent among white women.

The poll found evidence of concern about Palin's qualifications to be president, particularly compared with Senator Joseph Biden Jr. of Delaware, Obama's running mate.

Nearly two-thirds said they would be concerned if McCain, 72, could not finish his term and Palin had to take over, a figure that cut across party lines.

In addition, 75 percent said they thought McCain had picked Palin to help him win the election, rather than because they thought she was well-qualified to be president. By contrast, 31 percent said they thought that Obama had picked Biden to help him win the election, while 57 percent said it was because they thought he was well-qualified for the job.

The poll was the taken right after Palin sat down for a series of interviews with Charles Gibson of ABC News. It was also taken during a period of economic turmoil on Wall Street.

By overwhelming numbers, those surveyed said the economy was the top issue facing the United States and expressed deep pessimism about the future.

In the past two weeks, McCain has tried to distance himself from his party and Bush, running as an outsider against Washington.

The poll suggested the urgency of McCain's task: The percentage of Americans who disapprove of the way Bush is conducting his job, 68 percent, is as high as it has been for any sitting president in the history of polling by The New York Times, of which the International Herald Tribune is the global edition. And 81 percent said the country was heading in the wrong direction.

The poll found that 46 percent of respondents thought McCain would continue Bush's policies, while 22 percent said he would be more conservative than Bush.

About one quarter said a McCain presidency would be less conservative than that of Bush. And at a time when McCain has attempted to appeal to independents by separating himself from his party, notably with his convention speech, 57 percent said they viewed him as a typical Republican, compared with 40 percent who said he was a different kind.

Although nearly half of respondents described Obama as a typical Democrat, the party's brand is not as diminished as the Republicans, as reflected by the extent to which Obama has identified himself with Democratic issues.

Ponting 'comfortable' touring India

Cricinfo staff

September 18, 2008

	Ricky Ponting met with politicians including Australia's prime minister Kevin Rudd in Canberra on Wednesday, and Ponting says the government will continue to keep Cricket Australia updated on the security situation in India © Cricket Australia

Ricky Ponting says Australia's players will be kept abreast of the security situation in India "daily, if not hourly" as they prepare to depart for their Test tour on Sunday. The trip is expected to go ahead as planned despite last Saturday's series of bomb blasts that killed more than 20 people in New Delhi, although Ponting said Cricket Australia would stay on top of any new developments.

"Anything could happen tomorrow, things change very quickly in the world right at the moment," Ponting told AAP. "Cricket Australia will continue to be in touch and the government will continue to be in touch and Cricket Australia will keep us players and the players' association in the loop on a daily, if not hourly basis."

Ponting was speaking at Parliament House in Canberra, where he was promoting Cricket Australia's new in2Cricket game for children and also met with the foreign affairs minister Stephen Smith. Ponting defended the decision to visit India but not Pakistan, where security concerns led to Australia cancelling a Test tour scheduled for earlier this year.

"As we all know and has been outlined already, these are very different circumstances between India and Pakistan right at the moment and Cricket Australia has made that very clear," Ponting said. "As captain of the side and as a player, right at the moment I am very comfortable to go on the advice of Cricket Australia and the players' association."

Michael Brown, the general manager of cricket for Cricket Australia, rejected the suggestion that Australia would only go ahead with the tour for monetary reasons or to placate the powerful BCCI. "The only reasons we can't play and participate," Brown said, "is for security reasons and we'll keep monitoring those as time goes by."

Cricket Australia has said that the government's foreign relations with Pakistan and India play a part in the decision-making process. Australia's consulates in Karachi and Lahore have been closed due to security concerns, while they remain open in India.

However, the former Test player Dean Jones has slammed Cricket Australia for what he believes is a double-standard. Jones is now the executive director of the Indian Cricket League and he said while the situations in the two countries were different, Australian officials were clearly in a bind.

"The reason why this is such a headache for Australia is that it can't afford to take a stand on player safety in India," Jones wrote in the Canberra Times. "I speak from quite a bit of experience in regards to India. My next trip will be my 91st.

"And there is reason to be concerned about security there, particularly in Dehli, where the latest bomb went off. Through my role as an executive director of the Indian Cricket League, I know we have major headaches with security there."