Botha succeeds Smith as SA T20 captain

Spinner Johan Botha was named South Africa Twenty20 captain Saturday after Graeme Smith stood down this week. "Botha was the unanimous choice and we have every confidence that he will do an excellent job leading up to the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 Cup," said Cricket South Africa chief executive Gerald Majola.

Selection convener and former star Test batsman Andrew Hudson added: " Johan has an excellent record as a leader and proved an inspirational captain when he stood in for Graeme during a ODI series victory in Australia last year."

Botha welcomed the challenge: " I really enjoyed the captaincy when I stood in for Graeme, an proud to be offered the job, and I'm looking forward to working with such a special team." Believing he has too many responsibilities, Smith will step down as ODI skipper after the 2011 World Cup in the sub-continent but plans to continue captaining the 'Proteas' Test team.

Chelsea's impressive start continue

Chelsea's ominously impressive start to the defense of their Premier League crown continued on Saturday with another six-goal thrashing of hopelessly outclassed opponents. After beating West Brom 6-0 in their season opener last weekend, Carlo Ancelotti's side inflicted an identical scoreline on Wigan at the DW stadium. 

Chelsea's win at Wigan had French foundations with Florent Malouda opening the scoring in the first half before a Nicolas Anelka double killed the contest in the space of four minutes shortly after the restart. Salomon Kalou then claimed two late goals both made by man of the match Didier Drogba before fellow substitute Yossi Benayoun wrapped things up in the 90th minute.

        

Nepal jumps at 27th position

Nepal climbed two spots up at the International Cricket Council (ICC) ranking after finishing third at ICC World Cricket League Division 4 defeating Tanzania in the play off match.After failing to book their ticket for the Division 3 in Hong Kong, Nepal have to satisfy in the third spot at Division 4.Nepali batsman fail to impress in this tournament resulting defeat to Tanzania by 9 runs where Nepal wasn't able to chase the total of just 118 leads to this disappointing tournament.

According to the press statement issued by Cricket Association of Nepal, Nepal elevated to 27th position from 29th.This will bring some joy to Nepali fans and hopeful the Nepali Cricket team will be able to take another opportunity to qualify for the World Cup 2015. Nepali Cricket team will return home on Monday evening.

Hamilton vows to hit back

The McLaren driver lost the lead in Hungary last time when Mark Webber clinched the victory while Hamilton retired from the race.

Only four points separate the two drivers and but Hamilton feels McLaren need to up their pace out after falling behind the Red Bulls and Ferraris in recent weeks

"Although it's been great for the whole team to have had the factory shutdown and a well-deserved holiday, I think we're all really looking forward to getting back into the title fight," he told the official McLaren website.

"The break gave us some valuable thinking time to consider how to improve our car for the remainder of the season - and we head into these two races not only optimistic of some better results, but also of stronger pace for the rest of the year.

"Neither Jenson or I had a great race at Spa last year - I didn't see much of it from the cockpit, but I think Jenson was pushed into a spin from behind at Les Combes and the resulting accident took me out too. So it was weird to watch the whole race back in the garage.

"For this year, too, I head to Spa off the back of a disappointing non-finish in Hungary. We've investigated the causes, and think we've identified the reason and are confident that it shouldn't happen again.

"Personally, I think Spa is one of the 'great' Formula 1 tracks, and one I'd really love to win. I'll be going flat-out to try and get us back into the hunt again in Belgium, and it would be fantastic if we could take home another win at the end of the weekend."

McGrady eyes fresh start in Detroit

McGrady, who is a seven-time NBA All-Star and two-time NBA scoring champion, played just 30 games last season with the Houston Rockets and New York Knicks averaging only 8.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 22.4 minutes per game. A far cry from his career averages of 21.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 814 games.

The 31-year-old McGrady told Pistons.com that while he might not be the same player he was during the NBA's 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons when he led the league in scoring, nevertheless he is still effective.

"I might not be dunking on anybody like I used to, but I’m still effective.

"I know I can put the ball in the hole. … I’m not changing anything. I’m 31 years old. I’m not 44, 41 – I’m 31. There’s still a lot left in the tank.

"At this point in my career, 14 years, it’s a competition. You come off the bench – if that’s what it is, that’s what it is. I’m just ready to play basketball, y’all. Seriously. That’s what I wake up thinking about. That’s what I love to do. For these last two years, I’ve been kind of alienating my family a little bit because I’ve been fighting so hard to get back."

McGrady's career has been blighted by injuries but last season the forward showed glimpses of the type of form which established him as an NBA star for nearly a decade - including a season-high 26 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Joe Cole: It was a bad penalty

The mighty Reds managed to walk away with a 1-0 win at Anfield in the Europea League qualifier against the Turkish side courtesy of a Ryan Babel goal.

Roy Hodgson's men could have doubled the lead in the second-half but Cole stepped up to the spot, only to see his weak effort saved by the goalkeeper.

After the game, Cole told ITV Sport, "It was a bed penalty, I hold my hands up. It was predetermined [the penalty], but you can't dwell on them things. We won the game 1-0 and we take positives from that."

The England star who has had a terrible week having received a straight red card in his Premier League debut against Arsenal at the weekend is refusing to dwell on the past, claiming that his assist that set Babel up for the goal is a stepping stone to better things ahead.

He added:"[I'm] finding my feet in there, its my job to do that and make goals and it was nice to do that for Ryan and I'm enjoying my start here,

"I'll try and do my best every game. I'm enjoying my football, getting fitter and getting stronger every game."

Liverpool will now shift their focus back to the domestic side of things with a trip to the Eastlands to take on Manchester City on Monday.

Rossi's "love story" with Yamaha ends

Valentino Rossi described his decision to leave Fiat Yamaha for Ducati as the end of a "beautiful love story".

Ducati confirmed the reigning MotoGP world champion had signed a two-year contract to ride for the Italian team from 2011. Rossi will part company with Yamaha at the end of the current campaign, bringing to an end his hugely successful seven-season association with the team. He has won four MotoGP world titles with Japanese manufacturer Yamaha since joining the factory squad from Honda in 2004.

"It is very difficult to explain in just a few words what my relationship with Yamaha has been in these past seven years," said the 31-year-old.

"Many things have changed since that far-off time in 2004, but especially 'she', my M1, has changed. At that time she was a poor middle-grid position MotoGP bike, derided by most of the riders and the MotoGP workers.

"Now, after having helped her to grow and improve, you can see her smiling in her garage, courted and admired, treated as the 'top of the class'.

"Now the moment has come to look for new challenges; my work here at Yamaha is finished. Unfortunately even the most beautiful love stories finish, but they leave a lot of wonderful memories, like when my M1 and I kissed for the first time on the grass at Welkom, when she looked straight in my eyes and told me 'I love you!'"

Gabriele Del Torchio, president of Ducati Motor Holding: "We are delighted to announce that Valentino Rossi will be with us from 2011.

"He is a paragon of excellence in the world of motorcycling."

Filippo Preziosi, Ducati Corse general director, added: "Working with Valentino is one of the most exciting things for every engineer, and it's good to know we will have this great opportunity next season."

Lin Jarvis, managing director of Yamaha Motor Racing, paid tribute to the departing rider.

He said: "On behalf of the Yamaha Motor Group, I would like to express our sincere gratitude for the amazing seven years that we have spent together."

Yamaha are expected to draft in American Ben Spies as Rossi's replacement in the factory squad.

Spies' place in the satellite Tech 3 Yamaha team is likely to taken by Britain's Cal Crutchlow, who currently rides for the Japanese manufacturer in World Superbikes.

Federer lifts Cincinnati Masters title

Roger Federer warmed up for the US Open in style by clinching his 17th Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati.

The Swiss world number two got the better of home favourite Mardy Fish after coming out on top in a war of attrition.

In a match dominated by the serve, Federer secured the only break deep into the deciding set to clinch a 6-7 (5/7) 7-6 (7/1) 6-4 triumph in two hours and 40 minutes.

The outcome means Federer will be in perfect shape to regain the crown at Flushing Meadows after his run of five successive titles was ended by Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro in last year's final. Fish can also take a great deal of confidence to New York after a wonderful week in which, after entering as a wild card, he saw off Andy Murray and Andy Roddick en route to the final.

The American certainly held his own against Federer although the few opportunities which did arise fell the way of the former world number one. Federer held four break points in the first set - including one set point - but was unable to execute. And he paid the price as Fish upped his game to clinch the tie-break.

The second set followed a similar pattern with both players struggling to gain any fluency on their returns. Fish had the only break point which came and went. This time it was Federer who found the reserves to up the tempo in the breaker, clinching it for the loss of just one point to take the match all the way.

A third tie-break seemed on the cards only for Fish to lose concentration for a moment, allowing Federer a break point at 4-4 which he converted when the American netted a routine backhand.Federer showed his opponent no mercy by serving it out with ease to claim his fourth title in Cincinnati. "It was a perfect match for both of us," Federer said afterwards, "but only one can win it.

"Mardy played fantastic."

Manchester City 3-0 Liverpool

Manchester City flexed their enormous muscles at Eastlands to deliver their biggest beating of Liverpool since 1937.

Sheikh Mansour could not have picked a better night to watch the team he has spent £1billion on in a league game for the first time. With James Milner enjoying an outstanding debut, City were far too good for a Liverpool side who have a week to get themselves into some sort of shape given Javier Mascherano's absence seems like the next step in a big-money move to Barcelona.

Milner set up Gareth Barry for City's opener before Carlos Tevez claimed to have got a touch to Micah Richards' goalbound header just after half-time. A brilliant double save from Joe Hart snuffed out any chance of a revival before Tevez sent Pepe Reina the wrong way from the spot after Martin Skrtel had fouled Adam Johnson.

It capped a performance that proves City have the credentials and the talent to win the biggest prize they can this season, if manager Roberto Mancini can keep his vast squad happy.

Long-standing City fans are still pinching themselves at having the opportunity to watch the likes of Yaya Toure and Tevez. But down the years, they have taken a huge amount of pride in their academy, which has produced so many first-team players, Richards among them. The level City are operating at now means continuing that work is going to be tough. Instead, pleasure has to be derived in different ways.

Johnson spotted Milner advancing just beyond the Liverpool skipper and found him with a smart pass. Milner delivered the perfect cut-back into an area he hoped a team-mate had filled. Barry obliged and did the business from 10 yards with a neat side-footed finish. It was the high point of a one-sided first-half.

Tevez and Johnson both found the side-netting from an acute angle. Johnson had earlier driven a fierce shot wide and Milner's running was intelligent and incisive. Liverpool could certainly not have complained if they had been further adrift. 

Roy Hodgson's men struggled to retain any source of possession, which just confirmed the gaping hole Mascherano will leave should he get his wish to start another phase of his career away from Anfield.

Liverpool appear too deficient in too many areas for Hodgson to waste much time persuading someone intent on leaving that his future remains on Merseyside.

In a meagre first-half, the visitors created just a single chance, which the returning Fernando Torres set up for Gerrard, who wasted it.

The only time Liverpool got any nearer after half-time was in the flurry of activity that followed Gerrard's explosive free-kick that thudded against the post. Hart was beaten on that occasion but not when David Ngog had a go.

England's new number one palmed that away, straight into Torres' path. It seemed a certain goal but Hart stood firm again, repelling the Spain striker with a magnificent save with his left hand.

That this all came after a second City goal, which Tevez claimed even though any touch to a Richards header from Milner's corner was so faint as to render it impossible to spot. Reina could not keep it out anyway. All summer, the football talk around these two clubs has centred around breaking into that top four.

Nick Clegg hails England's 'unbeatable' World Cup bid

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has told Fifa inspectors England's bid for the 2018 World Cup is "unbeatable".

The Fifa delegation, which will write a report on England's bid to host the World Cup, began its four-day visit with a reception at Downing Street. Clegg said: "I believe this is an exceptionally strong, unbeatable bid. We in this government believe in it, we hope that you will believe in it." The hosts for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups will be revealed on 2 December. England face stiff competition in the battle to stage football's premier tournament in eight years' time, with Russia considered to be among the strongest rivals.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter is not part of the visiting bid delegation and although he admitted from Singapore that England would represent the "easiest" option, he also said Russia would be a powerful contender. Blatter said: "The easiest way to organise the World Cup is to go to England. Everything is there - fans, stadiums, infrastructure." But he added: "You cannot deny Russia if they bid for something. They are more than a country. They are a big continent, a big power."

A tournament in England will deliver a global legacy that will produce greater football and social benefits for more people than ever before. We will show that a Fifa World Cup in England is not just about what it can do for England, but about what a Fifa World Cup in England can do for the rest of the world.

Anson also disclosed that Prime Minister David Cameron, currently on holiday in Cornwall, would be hosting a visit by Fifa president Sepp Blatter in the autumn. He added: "All candidate host cities have a valuable part to play during this week and they have all been exceptionally supportive and co-operative during our planning. We believe our bid book reflects a strong proposal to Fifa from a country that can deliver on facilities, commercial opportunities and general infrastructure, for the overall benefit of the tournament, its players and officials and the fans.

England's bid is based around stadiums and facilities that are already in place and already being used on a regular basis and so there is minimal construction and planning required. Meanwhile, sports minister Mr Robertson told BBC Radio 5 live: "There is a fantastically exciting period in front of us. We really want to win this 2018 World Cup bid, it would be fantastic for football in this country. I think we have got a really good offer to take out to Fifa and we are all determined to do everything possible to bring this home.