Sarwan Hits Century to Help West Indies Draw 2nd Cricket Test

By Dan Baynes

June 3 (Bloomberg) — West Indies captain Ramnaresh Sarwan hit a century to help his team draw the second cricket Test against Australia, which cannot lose the best-of-three series.

Sarwan top scored with 128 and Shivnarine Chanderpaul made an unbeaten 77 in Antigua as the home team, set a victory target of 372, reached 266-5 before the skippers agreed to call an end to the game with 5 overs remaining.

The first draw between the teams since 1995 gives Australia an unbeatable 1-0 lead going into the final match in Bridgetown, Barbados. The top-ranked Australians would seal a ninth straight Test series win by avoiding defeat at the Kensington Oval.

Australia, which won the opening match in Jamaica by 95 runs, will retain the Frank Worrell Trophy, the symbol of supremacy between the teams in elite five-day cricket.

After touring captain Ricky Ponting declared on Australia’s overnight total of 244-6, West Indies slumped to 84-3 before Sarwan and Chanderpaul lifted their team near safety with a 143- run partnership.

Chanderpaul and Denesh Ramdin completed the task of sealing the draw following the loss of Sarwan and Dwayne Bravo.

Spin bowler Stuart MacGill was chaired off the ground by his Australian teammates at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium after announcing two days ago that he would retire after the match. His decision leaves the untried Beau Casson as the only specialist spinner in the squad.

The final Test starts June 12 and the teams will then play a Twenty20 international and five one-day matches.

Australian selectors today named all-rounder Shane Watson as the replacement for injured opening batsman Matthew Hayden in the one-day squad.

To contact the reporter on this story: Dan Baynes in Sydney at dbaynes@bloomberg.net

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/

Asif not charge-sheeted: Pakistan Cricket Board

DUBAI: Authorities here have detained Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif on suspicion of possessing an illegal substance.

Mr. Asif was detained at the airport at around 8 a.m. local time on Sunday while on his way to Lahore from Mumbai. He was returning home after the IPL Twenty20 league.

At a press conference in Lahore on Tuesday, Shafqat Naghmi, the Chief Operating Officer of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said: “Asif has not been charge-sheeted as yet for possessing any drugs or banned substances. The substance found on him has been sent for laboratory tests after which the situation will become clearer.”

The suspected contraband was reportedly recovered from Mr. Asif’s wallet.

The PCB official expressed optimism about the possibility of Mr. Asif’s early return home.

“We are hopeful he will return home and if that happens, that itself would be an indication that he is innocent. So there would be no question of taking any disciplinary action against him,” he said.

Analysts say that the episode is no longer a legal issue and has now acquired a political dimension. The Pakistani embassy has been been holding talks with authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Both countries have close bilateral ties. A leading law firm has been engaged to defend him.

Pakistani cricket officials are also dismissing as speculation, a report by a local television channel that Mr. Asif was detained following a brawl at the airport. “I really don’t know because neither Asif nor the local authorities have mentioned this to me,” Geo television quoted Nadeem Akram, PCB’s Human Resource Director, who has arrived here, as saying.

Customs officials say that after his detention, he was handed over to the drugs unit of the Dubai police. Samples of his blood and urine have been taken for analysis.

Mr. Asif was banned for one year after he tested positive for the steroid nandrolone in October 2006.

He is part of a 16-member squad picked on Monday for a one-day tri-series tournament in Bangladesh.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/

China Has Rules of Conduct For Olympic Games Guests

The rules of conduct for guests of Olympic Games were published in Subcelestial

VLADIVOSTOK.June 4. VOSTOK MEDIA – The 10-page document published in Beijing. This document contains rules for foreigners of Olympic Games.

Delovaya gazeta Vzglad reported that only Chinese-speaking persons could learn this document because there is no an official translation.

The guests are prohibited to prostitute, to sleep in the street, to smoke, to go up the hill, to attack the sportsmen, to set Chinese flags on fire. The list of prohibitions is very long. The there are some restrictions on number of guests as well (500 000 foreign guests according to preliminary calculation). These restrictions are not only political measures. Persons with mental disorders, sexually transmitted diseases, infectious diseases (like tuberculosis or leprosy), and persons who want to prostitute will not obtain a permit to leave for China. All guests must have identification cards.

Beijing hardened the visa inspection and the procedure of permanent resident card receipt. The government announced that there is no official black list of potentially dangerous journalists.

Moreover there are places of restricted access which are under control of state security authorities.

Source: http://www.vostokmedia.com/

Olympic Games Most Popular Global Sporting Event for Asia Pacific Audiences

Anticipation of the upcoming Olympic Games is high among people across Asia Pacific with respondents from seven out of nine Asia Pacific markets surveyed listing the Games as their top global sporting event.

Visa, a worldwide Olympic partner, commissioned the survey to seek the views and levels of interest in the Games of people from key countries and territories other than China – the host of the upcoming Games.

Of the 4,556 respondents from across the region who were asked to rank a variety of global sporting events on a scale from 1-5, 74% gave the Olympic Games top 4 and 5 scores as the most popular global sporting event, ahead of the FIFA World Cup (given top scores as top global sporting event by 59%) and the ICC Cricket World Cup (given top scores as top global sporting event by 37%).

Interest in the Olympic Games also outranked other global sporting events such as the Asian Games (given top scores as top global sporting event by 49% of those surveyed) and Formula 1 (given top scores as top global sporting event by 36% of those surveyed).

More than half of all respondents (57%) said they would be interested in the Olympic Games no matter where it was held. But interest in the host city, Beijing, was a strong pull factor for people in Hong Kong (43%), Malaysia (32%) and India (28%).

Of those who said they were very interested in the Olympic Games, respondents from Korea (55%), Hong Kong (49%), Malaysia (40%) and Singapore (34%) said they were most likely to make plans to visit China because the Games are being held there this year.

Between 17 March and 9 April 2008, Nielsen conducted 4,556 online and door-to-door interviews on behalf of Visa with people aged 18 years and above from nine key markets (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and India) in an effort to measure interest levels in global sporting events, China as a travel destination and, in particular, the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

For each market, quotas were set by key demographic variables (gender, age and race) to ensure the sample was representative of the general population.

Richard Chang, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Visa Greater China and the Philippines said, “The Olympic Games are all about bringing people together and celebrating sport and competition. And we are seeing that borne out in the high level of interest in the Games, and the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in particular, even among nations that are known for their football and cricket enthusiasts. We can expect a strong level of support and interest from the region as the Games draw closer.”

This high level of interest bodes well for the coming Olympic Games, which traditionally attracts billions of viewers. A record-breaking 3.9 billion watched the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, while 3.6 billion watched the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

It is more than just excitement about the approaching Games for many of the countries and territories. More than a third of all surveyed were focused on their own teams’ preparation and medal chances, with Korea (75%), India (72%), Hong Kong (66%) and Taiwan (67%) showing the keenest interest in their teams.

Chang added, “Clearly, interest in the upcoming Olympic Games is being driven not only by interest in China, but by a passion for the Games itself. The Games are the ultimate opportunity for people to show their patriotic spirit when supporting their teams’ efforts at attaining Olympic medal glory while also a time for people to come together to enjoy the spirit of unity that comes from their shared passion.”

Source: http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news08/

Foreigners get Olympic Games’ guide to dos and don’ts

www.chinaview.cn 2008-06-03 08:15:15

Special report: 2008 Olympic Games

BEIJING, June 3 — Foreigners suspected of having the potential to carry out terrorist or violent attacks, or indulge in subversive activities will be denied entry into China during the Olympic Games.

A legal guide posted on the Beijing Olympic Games organizers’ (BOCOG) website Monday says: “Foreigners must respect Chinese laws while in China and must not harm China’s national security or damage the social order.”

The legal guide covers a wide range of subjects for foreigners, from their entry, exit and tourism to accommodation and transportation in the country.

It warns overseas visitors against shouting insulting slogans or displaying them on banners, and forbids the display of religious, political or racial banners at sports venues.

Detailing some other activities forbidden at cultural and sport events, the guide warns against attacking referees or players and lighting of fireworks.

Foreign spectators cannot take Olympic tickets as a license to getting visas. Instead, they have “to apply for visas in accordance with the rules of the Chinese embassies” in their countries.

Weapons (real and imitation) ammunition, explosives, counterfeit currency notes, narcotics and poisons are some of the items not allowed into China, the guide says.

The guide explains some of the relevant Chinese laws in 57 question-and-answer forms, offering “legal reference for foreign athletes, officials, reporters and tourists to know and obey related Chinese laws during their stay in China for the Olympic Games”.

It makes it clear that an organizer has to apply to police and obtain permission before holding a public gathering, parade or protest. Those doing so otherwise face administrative punishments and/or criminal prosecution.

It lists the numbers of some emergency services such as hospitals and fire brigade, too.

The guide was prepared by the legal affairs office of Beijing municipality and other government departments, and its English version will be issued soon, BOCOG sources said.

Apology for manual

The BOCOG has apologized for the language used in a manual for volunteers to describe physically challenged athletes.

The English-language manual has stereotypes, which Zhang Qiuping, director of Beijing’s Paralympic Games, has said was the result of “poor translation”.

“We would like to express our deepest apologies to the organizations, athletes with disabilities and friends who were offended by our publication,” the BOCOG said in a statement Monday.

The organizing committee has recalled the manual and is correcting the discrepancies.

The book offered guidance to volunteers on a wide range of subjects, from how to serve the physically challenged to the basic rules of the Paralympics. About 30,000 volunteers have signed up to work for the Sept 6-17 Paralympic Games.

Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/

White Sox defeat Royals, 9-5

Carlos Quentin, A.J. Pierzynski, Nick Swisher and Alexei Ramirez homer in Chicago’s win.
June 4, 2008

* at Chicago 9, Kansas City 5: Carlos Quentin, A.J. Pierzynski, Nick Swisher and Alexei Ramirez homered. Gavin Floyd (6-3) gave up four runs — two earned — and six hits in seven innings, including Mark Teahen’s two-run homer in the seventh. Pierzynski’s first homer since April 22, a two-run shot, capped a four-run second and put the White Sox ahead, 6-0.

* Baltimore 5, at Minnesota 3: Kevin Millar and Melvin Mora homered and Radhames Liz (1-0) gave up two runs and four hits in 5 1/3 innings for the Orioles, who ended a nine-game losing streak to the Twins and improved to 25-8 when scoring at least four runs.

* Boston 7, Tampa Bay 4: Coco Crisp hit a tiebreaking double and the Red Sox won a matchup of the AL East’s top two teams. Crisp ended a one-for-25 slump with the two-run double in a four-run sixth inning and Jacoby Ellsbury followed with a sacrifice fly.

* at Texas 12, Cleveland 7: Josh Hamilton and Milton Bradley hit consecutive homers to set the tone in a four-run first inning. Tom Mastny (0-1), making his first major league start after 68 career relief appearances, struggled through a 37-pitch first inning and lasted only 1 1/3 innings, giving up five runs and six hits.

* Toronto 9, at New York 3: Roy Halladay (7-5) won his fourth decision in a row and improved to 5-1 with a 2.58 earned-run average in his last seven games. He gave up two runs and six hits in six innings.

* at Oakland 5, Detroit 4: Jack Cust’s infield single in the 11th inning gave the A’s the victory.

* Angels 5, at Seattle 4: Joe Saunders gave up one earned run in seven innings to become the AL’s first nine-game winner. Erik Bedard (4-4) lasted only 3 1/3 innings and gave up seven hits and five runs.

Source: http://www.latimes.com/sports/