Zaheer Khan celebrates 33rd birthday

Zeenews Sports Bureau

New Delhi: Zaheer Khan, who is currently out of the international scene due to an injury, turned 33 on Friday.

India’s ‘King of Swing’ has grown by leaps and bounds to become the heartbeat of Indian bowling now. He is no longer the nervy fast bowler whom we saw in Wanderers` Stadium in South Africa in 2003.

Zaheer, who idolises Wasim Akram, injured his ankle in India’s recent tour of England. Zaheer absence cost India dearly in England, where the visitors had to leave without registering a single win in the whole series.

The left-handed pace bowler made his ODI debut against Kenya in October 2000. He made his Test debut against Bangladesh in Dhaka in the same year under the leadership of Sourav Ganguly, where he claimed three wickets. Due to poor injury management, he has been struggling with injuries throughout his career.

Here is a chance for the readers to wish the pacer on his birthday.

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Rooney`s father bailed over betting scam

London: The father and uncle of Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney were among nine men arrested on Thursday as part of an inquiry into an alleged betting scam.

Merseyside Police said all nine men had been bailed until January, with one of them was confirmed by the Scottish Football Association as being 26-year-old Motherwell midfielder Steven Jennings, who comes from Liverpool and now lives in Glasgow.

The charges relate to "suspicious betting activity" surrounding the Scottish Premier League match between Motherwell and Hearts last December.

Wayne Rooney senior, 48, was detained at his home in the West Derby area of Liverpool following a joint investigation by Merseyside Police working in cooperation with the Gambling Commission. Rooney`s uncle Richie, 54, was also detained.

"A 54-year-old from Norris Green, a 22-year-old from Kirkdale, a 48-year-old from West Derby and a 26-year-old from Croxteth have all been bailed pending further enquiries," Merseyside Police said in a statement.

Solicitor Anthony Barnfather, representing Rooney senior, told British media in a statement: "Mr Rooney vigorously denies all of these allegations. We are cooperating fully with the investigation. No further comment will be made at this time."

Police said the nine arrests were the "culmination of a joint operation with the Gambling Commission" and all the men had been interviewed for conspiracy to defraud.

Scottish FA chief executive Stewart Regan said on the FA`s website (www.scottishfa.co.uk) that the arrests followed "extensive inquiries" into alleged betting irregularities at the Scottish Premier League match.

Regan said: "While the investigation involves several other individuals outwith (outside) Scotland, it is important to stress that the evidence gathered throughout this thorough period of investigation has involved only one Scottish match.

"Motherwell FC are aware of the situation and will issue a response in due course. The Scottish FA will make no further comment at this stage."

Jennings, who joined Motherwell in 2009 from Tranmere Rovers, Liverpool`s third club after Everton and Liverpool, was sent off in the 83rd minute of the match against Hearts, who won the game 2-1.

Rooney, on international duty with England in Montenegro ahead of Friday`s Euro 2012 qualifier, was relaxed following his father`s arrest according to England manager Fabio Capello.

"He told me he has no problems and assured me this personal problem will find a solution within a short time," Capello told a news conference, adding that Rooney would start the match.

Bureau Report

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Battle for Euro 2012 spots goes down to wire

London: The fight for the six remaining automatic berths and eight playoff places for Euro 2012 intensifies on Friday when the penultimate round of qualifying matches kicks off.

Several teams are still in the chase for a guaranteed spot in Poland and Ukraine alongside the joint hosts and already-qualified world and European champions Spain, Italy, Netherlands and Germany.

England need one point to book a ticket to next year`s finals but Montenegro, their hosts on Friday, would advance by winning their final two matches in Group G.

Group B remains wide open with leaders Russia, Ireland, Armenia and Slovakia all still in contention while France head into their last two Group D ties one point clear of nearest challengers Bosnia who they meet in their last game.

Croatia can qualify and condemn Greece to the playoffs with victory in their Group F match in Piraeus while Denmark and Portugal must win their games in Group H on Friday to set up a winner-takes-all clash when they meet next Tuesday.

Netherlands have clinched a place at the finals because they will at least be the best runners-up but they can finish top in Group E by avoiding defeat at home to Moldova on Friday.

Bureau Report

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I am satisfied with my performance: Vikas

New Delhi: He might have had to settle for a bronze medal after losing in the semifinals but teen Indian boxer Vikas Krishan on Friday said he is satisfied with how he performed against older and experienced rivals in his debut World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The 19-year-old Vikas lost to Ukraine`s European Championship bronze-medallist Taras Shelestyuk 12-15, settling for a bronze, which was India`s lone medal at the event just like the last time around.

The country had managed a bronze in the previous edition as well through Olympian Vijender Singh.

Vikas, who was an Asian Games gold-medallist in the light weight (60kg) division, jumped to welter weight just two months before the World Championships, his debut event in the new category.

"I am very satisfied with my performance as I competed against some very tough guys in my draw and given that it was my debut event in the welter weight division, I will happily take this bronze medal," Vikas said.

The Haryana-lad, who is a former youth world champion, said he felt a tad tired during his bout today against a muscular 26-year-old rival.

"I was tired because jumping a couple of divisions and adjusting to it is no easy task. I know I could have performed better but everything is god`s will and if he wanted a bronze for me, I would take that bronze," said the teen, who has won admiration for his tactful boxing.

"My rival today was a mature guy, who kept attacking me, drained my energy. I tried very hard in the first two rounds to work out a counter-strategy but it was not to be my day. In the final round, I took things as they came," said the boxer, who finished the final three minutes of his bout 6-5 ahead.

"It has been a fantastic learning experience and I am sure I will be going a step further when I compete in this event the next time. The big achievement here is that I have qualified for the Olympics and I can`t be happier because of that," he assured.

National coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu was all praise for the teen, saying he is a future world champion.

"His ability belies his age, I am sure he will be a world champion the next time," said Sandhu.

"Even overall, I am very happy with my performance because four of my boxers (Vikas, L Devendro Singh, Jai Bhagwan and Manoj Kumar) qualified for the Olympics by reaching quarterfinals. It`s a laudable performance and I am proud of them," he added.

PTI

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Puma to be the official merchandise partner for Indian GP

Mumbai: Sport and lifestyle brand Puma will be the official merchandise partner for Buddh International Circuit in Noida, the venue for the inaugural Indian Grand Prix later this month.

"It is our pleasure to be associated with Buddh International Circuit this year. We see this association as a pioneering effort in the field of motorsports merchandise and suits the need of the million fans to reflect their spirit and passion for the sport," Puma India MD Rajiv Mehta said in a media release.

Puma would also continue to be the official licensing partner for Ferrari branded products and the official supplier of team and race wear for Scuderia Ferrari, the release added.

The Indian GP is scheduled on October 30.

PTI

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Button fastest at Suzuka, Vettel skids off

Suzuka: Sebastian Vettel hit the barriers while Jenson Button, the only man standing between the Red Bull driver and a second Formula One title, led a McLaren one-two in first practice for Sunday`s Japanese Grand Prix.

Vettel, who needs only a point to be the sport`s youngest double champion at the age of 24, made a rare error on the exit to the Degner 1 curve.

He skimmed across the gravel and ended the 90 minute session as a sweaty spectator, removing his helmet and joining marshals behind the crash barriers with his car`s nose in the tyre wall.

The German, who can retain his title with four races to spare, was still third fastest in a hot morning session dominated by Button.

The Briton, who must win on Sunday and hope Vettel fails to score for the first time in 17 races dating back to last October, lapped the Honda-owned track in one minute 33.634 seconds.

Team mate Lewis Hamilton was second on the timesheets, 0.091 slower than the 2009 champion who regards Japan as a second home race and has just signed a new multi-year contract with McLaren.

Vettel lapped 0.456 slower than Button.

Australian Mark Webber, Vettel`s team mate who has still to win a race this year, was fifth behind Ferrari`s Fernando Alonso.

Vettel`s incident provided a talking point from the session but his pride was more dented than the car, which no more than nudged the tyre barrier.

Winner from pole at Suzuka for the past two years, the German has a 124-point lead over Button with only 125 still to be won.

Spaniard Jaime Alguersuari was a strong sixth for Toro Rosso, with Japan`s sole driver Kamui Kobayashi in 13th place for Sauber.

Indians Karun Chandhok and Narain Karthikeyan each took part in practice for Team Lotus and HRT respectively, with both having an eye on returning to racing at their country`s inaugural grand prix later this month.

Bureau Report

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MI back to four foreigners in team as Yadav returns

New Delhi: The Champions League Twenty20 on Friday withdrew the concession given to Mumbai Indians to field five foreign players instead of four in each game following the return of all-rounder Suryakumar Yadav to their squad.

Yadav was allowed to return to the MI squad ahead of the team`s semifinal against Somerset on Saturday after having originally been withdrawn due to injury.

"Yadav had originally been replaced in the squad due to injury, however given he has recovered and Mumbai has a shortage of Indian players in their squad he is now permitted to return to the group," a release from the league stated.

The 22-year-old batter from Mumbai was originally one of the eight Indian players reported injured by the franchise, leaving them with just seven Indian players in their squad.

Yadav, however, scored a massive 191 for Chandrakant Pandit XI against Dlip Vengsarkar XI on September 29 in an under-22 tournament to announce his availability for MI.

Out of 23 contracted players, eight cricketers including the likes of skipper Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma were declared unfit by MI ahead of the tournament.

The situation meant the final 14-member squad had an equal number of Indian and overseas players, without a buffer to handle any potential injury to an Indian player.

The organisers were thus forced to allow the side to field five overseas cricketers in their playing XI, though other IPL teams continued to play with four.

But with Yadav making a return to the team, Mumbai Indians now have six foreign players and eight Indians, this after MI had yet another injury in the form of South African wicketkeeper-batsman Davy Jacobs, who was ruled out of the tournament after damaging his hip.

PTI

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