We can't allow cowards to run our game: KP

Most of his teammates may have developed cold feet but England captain Kevin Pietersen said he would return to India for the Test series, provided security adviser Reg Dickason okays the tour.

Back in the comfort of his family, Pietersen said he could not sleep since terror struck Mumbai but asserted terrorism should not be allowed to play spoilsport.

"We can't allow these cowards to run our game," Pietersen wrote in Sunday's 'News of the World'."It puts it all into perspective when you see blood on the streets. But if Reg gives us the OK, then I'll be back for the two Test matches and complete the tour.

"He has been around the block and I trust his judgement 100 per cent. If he says it is safe to go back to India for the First Test in 11 days, then you can count me in," added the England captain.Pietersen, however, made it clear that he would not force any teammate to join the touring party.

"It is a brutal situation and a world tragedy. So if any of the lads decide they don't want to return, then that's fine with me they have got wives and kids to think about," he said.Horrified by what he saw on television, Pietersen said it was a close shave for the English cricketers.

"We were on the team bus coming back from Cuttack when we heard news of the horrific slaughter of innocent people in Mumbai."We were 800 miles from the attack but suddenly we felt very vulnerable, especially as we had stayed at the targeted Taj Mahal Hotel just two weeks ago," he said.

"We were due to go back there for the Second Test all our whites and blazers for the Test matches are still in there somewhere.

"...I will never forget it. I was walking down those steps only days ago to have a quick drink with a mate on his boat now they are the scene of a tragedy," Pietersen said."It could have been one or all of us being carried out in a body bag.

And when you see something like that you sense danger around every corner," he added."And when you hear that the terrorists are singling out English tourists it sends a shiver down your spine. In cricket-mad India who could be more high profile than the England team?"And who could be more high profile than their captain? It makes my blood run cold," Pietersen said.

The South African-born cricketer said as England captain, he was ready to face any opposition but certainly not terrorists."You don't expect to have to deal with tragedies like this when you take on the captaincy...Field placing, bowling changes, declarations and bad light you expect not cold-blooded murder," he said.

Emotionally drained by the episode, Pietersen plans to attend Sunday's Chelsea vs Arsenal match to take his mind off the incident.

"Before we decide what we are going to do I'm going to take time out to go to Stamford Bridge to cheer on my mate Frank Lampard today."I need something to take my mind off this carnage," Pietersen said.

Talent for the game: Indians to pitch for US baseball team

New Delhi: Two Indian youngsters chasing the American baseball dream have taken an important first step when the Pittsburgh Pirates signed them up as non-draft free agents.

Left-hander Rinku Singh and Dinesh Kumar Patel pitched in front of scouts from the Pirates and other Major League organisations on November 12 before being chosen, a statement on the club website (www.pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com) said.

The players, with shoulder strength gained through their initial training to become javelin throwers, earned a US training stint in May after topping a pitching contest in India, "The Million-Dollar Arm", which offered the winner $100,000.

Singh, 20, who won that contest and Patel, 19, will now take part in the Pirates' Minor League spring training next year. Their promoters hope they can make it as professionals, saying such success would boost baseball in cricket-mad India in the same way that Yao Ming's move to the NBA created a fan base for basketball in China.

"The Pirates are committed to creatively adding talent to our organisation," Pirates senior-vice president, general manager Neal Huntington said in a statement on Monday.

"By adding these two young men, we are pleased to not only add two prospects to our system but also hope to open a pathway to an untapped market."

"We are intrigued by Patel's arm strength and Singh's frame and potential. These young men have improved a tremendous amount in their six-month exposure to baseball and we look forward to helping them continue to fulfil their potential."

The winners of the "Million Dollar Arm" contest were decided on the basis of their ability to pitch at 135 km an hour or faster for strikes.

The duo from Uttar Pradesh trained with University of Southern California pitching coach Tom House, who felt they held some promise. "I know they can pitch, but we have to teach them how to play the game," said Huntington. "It is well worth the risk.

Bindra in crosshairs as ex-manager threatens to sue

New Delhi: Shooter Abhinav Bindra has had his share of controversies since returning to India with an Olympic gold medal.

The Rifle Association president called him "ungrateful" and now his former manager has threatened to take the ace shooter to court, alleging her contract was wrongfully terminated by the Bindras.

Latika Khaneja's collage sports management has managed Abhinav Bindra for the better part of last five years. Most of that time was spent in a futile attempt to bring in sponsors.

Now that Bindra's popularity has gone up, Khaneja alleges that the family stabbed her in the back, especially as the endorsements started to flow in.

"I had initially negotiated the Samsung deal but they started behaving differently after the Gold medal," Khaneja says.When contacted the Bindra family refused to comment.

Sources tell CNN-IBN that the Bindras believe Khaneja didn’t market Abhinav well and is now trying to piggyback on his Olympic success.

Khaneja however dismisses that claim and says she is determined to drag the Bindras to court.
“I feel that a hero has to behave responsibly," Khaneja says.

Sources close to the Bindra camp say that the legal threat seems like a desperate move by Khaneja, whose contract was terminated four months ago.

Maradona may reconsider India visit after Mumbai attacks

The Mumbai terror attack has cast a shadow over Diego Maradona's two-day trip to Kolkata, even as the organisers claim the iconic Argentine football star's country visit is very much on.

Immediately after the terrorist strike at the country's commercial capital Mumbai, the 1986 World Cup hero's personal manager Sebastian De Monte got in touch with the city-based Celebrity Management Group (CMG) who are instrumental in bringing the football legend to Kolkata.

De Monte inquired about the prevailing situation in Kolkata and whether it was "safe" to travel to Kolkata at a time when terrorists were targetting foreigners, as was seen during the Mumbai attacks.

However, the CMG executive director Bhaswar Goswami assured that Maradona's visit was very much on as it was planned and there's no question mark over the trip.

"It's true that Diego's manager Sebastian enquired about the situation. He wanted to know what was happening in Mumbai and how safe is Kolkata... I said there was nothing to worry about. This (terrorism) is an internal problem, which is happening on an off in the country for the past 20 years.

"There's nothing to worry about, I assured him and he said both Maradona and Claudia (his estranged wife) have started packing for the trip," Goswami said.

So, as of now, the December 5 arrival of Maradona is very much on the cards, he added.
"Afterall, the state government is in-charge of his (Maradona's) security, what is there to worry about. Kolkata is very much safe city, with no history of terror attacks.

Moreover, Maradona had been to Israel, so I don't see any reason why he should abort touring India," Goswami said.

Just for information, Maradona is scheduled to arrive in the city on December 5 night. The next day, the Argentine legend will be felicitated in a grand way at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan (YBK) at Salt Lake in a function which is said to attract about 1.2 lakh spectators.

Currently the national coach of Argentina football team, Maradona is also scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the Indian Football School (IFS) at Maheshtala, near Kolkata and attend a clinic for the aspiring footballers in a series of programmes planned for the legend's first visit here.

Apparently, Maradona has signed and confirmed the itinerary when Goswami and CPI (M) MP Samik Lahiri called on at the Argentine's residence in Buenos Aires.

According to unofficial sources, 40 per cent of teh payment for Maradona's visit has already been made long back, while the remaining is said to be despatched by Monday.

The recent terror strike, it may be noted, cut short England's ODI seven-match series with the remaining two one-dayers in Guwahati and Delhi put off, while there is question mark over the Champions League Twenty20.

I-League: Bhaichung calls for better coverage

New Delhi: Mohun Bagan skipper Bhaichung Bhutia has called for a better coverage of the games for football players in India to be followed at a media briefing in Mumbai.

Bhaichung, alongwith Steven Dias, inaugurated the second edition of Tata Tea Jaago Re Soccer Stars ’09 where in the final stage, 16 Indian youngsters would get a chance to participate in the Arsenal International Soccer Festival.

"For the Indian players to be followed, we need a much better coverage of the games. When we play, those matches must be shown," said the veteran Indian skipper.

Incidentally, football fans in the country could only see the first half of the I-League match between Mohun Bagan and Mahindra United and were bereft of the winner scored by Bhaichung.

Mohun Bagan had a disastrous start to their I-League campaign and Bhaichung acknowledged it stating, "It was the worst start by Mohun Bagan in their entire NFL (National Football League or the now I-League) history. But credit to the players, coaches and the management for the great recovery."

The Sikkimese Sniper went on to speak on life after football and spoke of his desire to have a world-class Academy in India.

"It’s my dream project. I want to have an Academy of the highest quality but for that the minimum is 40 acres of land."

Indian terror attacks could affect cricket economy

The terror attacks in India can have serious repercussions on world cricket's economy because India generates 70 percent of the game's revenues.

England cut short their seven-match ODI series in India, leaving their next month's two-Test series in doubt. The Twenty20 Champions League has also been postponed after the Mumbai mayhem.England's decision not to play the last two one-dayers may trigger a compensation issue.

"If you look at Pakistan and Sri Lanka, they quite clearly have their own political difficulties. India has always floated just below the surface," Jonathan Ticehurst, a sports insurance expert and director of Long Reach insurers, was quoted as saying by The Times.

"I think what the last 24 hours has shown us is that, all of a sudden, India is right in the frontline when it comes to terrorism. As a consequence, the insurance market will significantly increase the premium rate they require to cover the cancellation of sporting events in India.

"The revenue of the postponed Champions League was estimated at $15 million and one Indian insurance company won the bid to insure the tournament for a meagre $30,000.

"The London market quoted $60,000 for the abandonment for the entire tournament. That shows you how they regarded the Indian risk. It isn't going to be $60,000 next year," Ticehurst said.The cancellation of the league has also burnt a hole in Australian cricket's pocket.

Western Australia and Victoria will miss out on the minimum $250,000 for competing teams, while Cricket Australia (CA) - a 25 percent stakeholder in the tournament - estimates that its losses are in the millions. The winners would have bagged a whopping $3 million.

"CA is losing quite a lot. It's millions of dollars. Again, this whole issue and all of the problems in Mumbai are bigger and greater than cricket. We fully understand that these things happen. Unfortunately that's how it is.

There are a lot of people worse off than us," CA chief executive was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald.Andy Sutherden, managing director of sports marketing and sponsorship for Hill & Knowlton, said sports tourism will be hit hard.

"The loss of revenue for those staying at home will be significant. I think there will be a crisis of confidence in attending sport in this part of the world and confidence is quite a difficult thing to win back at speed," Sutherden said.

Andrew Wildblood, a senior vice-president and corporate director for India at IMG and one of the architects of the Indian Premier League (IPL), hoped that things would return to normalcy.

"It's too early to say but generally when these things happen, the world returns to normality, otherwise the world would stop. But normal now is not what normal was pre 9/11. These circumstances cannot be planned for," he said.

England's decision to return home lauded

London: England cricketers' decision to abandon the One-Day series against India and return home after the terror attack in Mumbai has been backed by the nation's cricket fraternity, which termed it a 'sensible' move.

Kevin Pietersen's men, trailing 0-5 in the seven-match ODI series, decided to return home after cancelling the remaining two matches in the wake of the devastating terror strikes in the financial capital of India.

Both the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) and its English counterpart are optimistic about England's return to India for the Test matches and in a bid to salvage the two-match series, the BCCI on Friday shifted the venue of the second Test from the terror-hit Mumbai to Chennai.

But if the English players are reluctant to travel back to India, they have an ally in former England and Wales Cricket Board Chairman Lord MacLaurin.

"It was absolutely the right decision to come home. The England cricket team are very high-profile individuals. If these fanatics are going to target people then the England cricket side could be a very big target for them," MacLaurin was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

"My own view is that I would be very, very surprised if the security people will give them the OK to go back. I don't think they should go back. I think it's sad for cricket but the safety of our players is absolutely paramount and I am sure the ECB will take the same view," he added.

Former England cricketers also backed the team management's decision to return, saying the situation in India was not safe for the players to stay back. "I'm sure they would have taken a lot of security advice.

Two one-day internationals may have been cancelled but if you look at the bigger picture there has been a devastating attack on the commercial capital of India and a lot of people have lost their lives," Solanki said.

Wicket-keeper Paul Nixon, who represents Leicestershire in county cricket and the World XI in ICL, lauded the rebel league management for calling off the World Series which was being held at Ahmedabad and said the Mumbai attack was too scary to continue playing cricket.

"Obviously the top board members of the ICL made the decision that it was getting too scary out there really for everybody's safety," Nixon said.

"It was horrific. The bombs in London . . . It's been exactly the same in India."