Tears greet Sri Lanka team on return from Lahore

Sri Lanka's wounded and shaken cricketers returned home Wednesday to tearful hugs from their relatives, saying they were lucky to be alive after a deadly attack on their team bus in Pakistan. "There were just these images of life flashing through my mind -- all the while bullets were being sprayed at our bus, people around me were shouting," spin maestro Muttiah Muralitharan recalled. "I am glad to be back," he said, hugging his Indian wife Madhi Malar. Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge welcomed the side's safe arrival under tight security at Colombo airport.
"I never thought I will be able to come home alive," admitted skipper Mahela Jayawardene as he was greeted by his relieved wife Christina. Batsmen Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavitana, who were both treated in hospital in Pakistan, were among the first of the 25-member touring party to leave the airport to be taken to a private hospital in Colombo. the entire team "Both of them may need further treatment and surgery," said Geethanjana Mendis, a sports medicine specialist who travelled to Pakistan to assess the wounded before their return flight. He said the entire team needed medical evaluation while some would require more care, although none of the injuries were life threatening.
gun and grenade ambush A total of seven players and an assistant coach were hurt in Tuesday's gun and grenade ambush in the Pakistani city of Lahore which left six policemen and two civilians dead. Spin bowler Ajantha Mendis left the chartered aircraft with a plaster behind his right ear. Vice-captain Kumar Sangakkara, another of the wounded, told reporters that the players were "relieved to be back home." The parents of injured medium pace bowler Suranga Lakmal embraced and cried when their son walked out of the airport lounge. "He is our only son. We have not eaten anything since we heard the news," his father Albert said.
Before leaving Pakistan, Jayawardene extended his gratitude to their driver for possibly saving the team, who were being escorted to the Gaddafi stadium for the third day's play of the second Test. "We owe the team bus driver our lives for his remarkable bravery in the face of direct gunfire," he said in a statement. "Had he not had the courage and presence of mind to get the bus moving after the initial attack then we'd have been a far easier target for the terrorists." Jayawardene expressed the team's "deepest and heartfelt condolences" to the families of those killed. Sri Lanka agreed to tour Pakistan despite the high security risk. They replaced India, who refused to go following the deadly Mumbai assault in November which Indian authorities blame on a Pakistani militant group.
Sri Lanka won a three-match one-day series 2-1 in February, when everything passed off without mishap. They returned to play a two-Test series, drawing the first game in Karachi last week in what was Pakistan's first Test match in 14 months. Assistant coach Paul Farbrace told the BBC how he discovered that he was bleeding. "There was a lot of shouting and people hitting the floor and when I got to the floor I realised the blood that I could see was coming from me -- luckily superficial wounds," Farbrace said. While there has been no claim of responsibility, some Sri Lankan officials fear a link with an ongoing military offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels in the island's north. Others blame Pakistani Islamist militants or Al-Qaeda.

Man Utd Grabs League Cup, heads for quintuple

Manchester United clinches the English League Cup defeating Tottenham Hotspurs with a 4-1 penalty shootout, heading for a quintuple of titles. 

The Wembley stadium final finished 0-0 after extra time on Sunday with a final shootout with both teams having a chance to win. The man-of-the-match however was Man United goalkeeper Ben Foster who saved the day for the League leaders. 

Tottenham began the shootout, but Foster produced crucial saves to deny victory to the struggling Tottenham. Jamie O'Hara saw his kick, Tottenham's first, superbly saved by Foster, and when David Bentley rolled his penalty wide, United led 3-1 after three penalties. 

That meant a win for the Red Devils if Anderson scored, and he did, stroking his penalty to the left as Heuelho Gomes dived the wrong way. 

Anderson of Manchester United scores the winning penalty.

The victory gave United its second trophy of the season following December's Club World Cup title. The Red Devils, who also lead the Premier League by seven points, are in contention for the Champions League and will play Fulham in the FA Cup quarterfinals next weekend. 

After adding the League Cup to FIFA's Club World Cup in Japan, United is still chasing after a clean sweep of five trophies. However, Manager Alex Ferguson played down the quintuple chances, Reuters reported. 

"We will keep our feet on the ground," Ferguson told reporters. "That's just a media thing. We could go to Fulham next week and a deflected shot goes in off someone's backside and we will be out of the FA Cup."

Esteqlal no more in bed of roses

Esteqlal has been held to a 1-1 draw against Paykan to see its top position in danger ahead of a key Wednesday match with Zob Ahan. 

Paykan was the dominant side in the first half of the game and Morteza Aziz-Mohammadi scored the opener for the hosts 10 minutes before the break. 

Mojtaba Jabbari equalized in the 66th minute to keep Esteqlal in Iran Premier League's first place with 57 points, one point clear of Zob Ahan, which defeated Esteqlal Ahvaz 2-0 on Friday. 

Esteqlal's 4-1 loss to Moqavemat and Saturday's draw with Paykan has narrowed a secure 6-point gap with Zob Ahan to only one point as both sides are confident of winning the Wednesday match in Isfahan. 

Esteqlal will have its Brazilian midfielder Fabio Januario back for the Wednesday match after he failed to appear against Paykan due to an injury.View

Hull City through to FA cup quarterfinals

Hull City has gone through to the FA cup quarterfinals after snatching a 2-1 scrappy victory against Sheffield United at its KC Stadium. 

Hull City took the lead with a spectacular own goal from Sheffield's Kyle Naughton midway through the first half on Thursday. The 30-year-old defender fired a header on to the underside of his own crossbar while trying to clear a looping cross from Nathan Doyle. 

But Sheffield United was back on level terms within ten minutes as Billy Sharp netted the equalizer for the Blades. 

The Tigers then retook the lead ten minutes into the second half when Hungarian Peter Halmosi netted the winner by calmly sending the ball into the bottom corner from five yards. 

''The shoe has been on the other foot many times this season. I am happy because we have won the game, not because of refereeing decisions," said Hull City coach Phil Brown. 

''We have been done at that twice this season, inconclusive goals, and one has gone our way tonight," he added. 

Sheffield United manager Kevin Blackwell slammed the referee's decision over the disputed own goal. 

''We have lost a game we haven't lost,'' Blackwell said. ''That's one for the record books isn't it?" 

''The first goal isn't a goal. They can stand here and try to persuade me until they are blue in the face, but that isn't a goal," he added. 

''The official has made a decision and he is not 100% sure - that is what is the disgrace. Somehow we have lost and I don't know why it is.'' 

Hull City will face a crucial Barclays Premier League clash with Blackburn on Sunday.

Pak-Sri Lanka Test Series: Second day’s play underway

KARACHI: The second day’s play of the first test of Pak- Sri Lanka test series is in progress at the National Stadium here.Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s all claims of preparing a sporting wicket fell flat at he end of the first day play yesterday, as Pakistan team was caught in its cobwebs. The visiting team batsmen Jayawardene and Samaraveera’s undefeated centuries enabled Sri Lanka to pile up a huge total of 406 runs for the loss of three wickets, when the bell was drawn on first day. Jayawardene made record-breaking century emerging as the 10th batman of the world, who scored century against all test playing countries. Pakistan defence strategy of fielding seven batmen and four specialist bowlers on a batting wicket threw the host team on the back foot on the very first day. At the end of the first day Samaraveera scored 130 on 155 balls, while the captain Mahela Jayawardene made 136 runs and both of them were on the crease. The two batmen alone piled up 229 runs in their 4th wicket partnership.

Swann puts West Indies in a spin

ST JOHN'S: Graeme Swann's off-spin proved the undoing of West Indies as England took command of the third test by bowling out the hosts for 285 on the third day on Tuesday.

England lost captain Andrew Strauss in reaching 31 for one in their second innings at the close, a lead of 312 runs with nine wickets remaining.

Swann became the first England off-spinner in 10 years to take five wickets in a test innings, completing figures of five for 57 on a ground where slow bowlers usually have little joy with his well-flighted and positive bowling.

Ramnaresh Sarwan's stylish 94 was the only bright spot in a largely poor West Indies batting display but he was one of a number of batsmen who got out to loose strokes.

Chasing England's 566 for nine declared, West Indies could ill-afford any recklessness but although they may have feared England's pace bowlers being able to make the most of the ridge on the wicket it was Swann who proved their downfall.

After West Indies resumed on 55 for one overnight, the spinner made two breakthroughs before lunch.

Opener Devon Smith and nightwatchman Daren Powell resisted well for over an hour before left-hander Smith was bowled by Swann playing an awful shot across the line.

Powell, normally a tailender, produced his longest test innings before he edged a well-flighted, turning Swann delivery to Paul Collingwood at slip.

Ryan Hinds helped Sarwan add 70 for the fourth wicket until Andrew Flintoff moved a ball sharply away to have the left-hander caught for 27 by a diving Matt Prior behind the stumps.

Then Shivnarine Chanderpaul, so often the anchor of West Indian batting, made just one before he edged an outswinging half-volley from Broad straight to Prior.

Sarwan batted beautifully, timing the ball crisply, but having survived a risky single when Stuart Broad missed the stumps with the batsman stranded, he had another escape when Broad spilled a caught and bowled opportunity.

Just six runs short of his century, Sarwan came down the track in an attempt to drive Swann over the top only to loop the ball to Flintoff at mid-on who snaffled the chance.

With his next ball Swann dismissed Denesh Ramdin, gleefully taking a caught and bowled from a poor full-toss.

Flintoff removed Brendan Nash before Swann picked up his fifth wicket by trapping Sulieman Benn lbw.

With a tired bowling attack, Strauss decided to bat again and force West Indies to try and save the game batting last.
Strauss did not make it through the session, though, edging Fidel Edwards to Devon Smith at second slip.

Nightwatchman James Anderson entered the record books with his 46th test innings without making a duck but he was lucky to get through to the close as he was dropped by Hinds at third slip off Edwards.

The last off-spinner to take five wickets in a test innings for England was Peter Such against Australia in Sydney in 1999.

Inter sweeps Milan 2-1

Inter Milan, the Serie A leader, sweeps AC Milan 2-1 at San Siro and moves on to 56 points from 24 games to close-in on a fourth straight title. 

Inter widened its gap on second-place Juventus by nine points, while Milan trails on 45 points. 

Brazilian Adriano at the 29th minute opened scoring for Inter with a clumsy header that sent the ball against his own arm before inflating the net. 

Dejan Stankovic fired home off an assist nodded by Ibrahimovic two minutes before the break and made it 2-0. 

Adriano could have settled the match early in the second period after a slip by Georgia center-back Kakha Kaladze but the Brazil striker curled his shot narrowly wide. 

Inter were cruising until 19 minutes from time when a perfect Ronaldinho through ball put in Marek Jankulovski who pulled the ball back for Pato to tap home. 

Substitute Filippo Inzaghi had two good chances to turn the game into his team's favor but failed both times. 

The first was a stunning left foot volley, which was controversially chalked off for offside and another chance in stoppage time, but goalie Julio Cesar saved with an outstretched boot. 

Meanwhile earlier in the day Juventus saw its title hopes dealt yet another blow as it was held to a 1-1 home draw by Sampdoria. 


Fiorentina's Felipe Melo of Brazil, cheers with teammate Adrian Mutu after scoring.

Fiorentina held on to the fourth spot and the final Champions League qualifying position as it came back from 3-0 down at Genoa to snatch a 3-3 draw with captain Adrian Mutu's equalizer deep into injury time completing his hat-trick. 

AS Roma, who has won 10 of its previous 13 matches, dropped to sixth after it fell 3-0 to Atalanta.

Real Madrid tops soccer's rich list

Spanish giants Real Madrid has claimed the top spot in the list of the world's richest soccer clubs for the fourth year in a row. 

According to an annual survey which was issued by global accounting firm Deloitte on Thursday, Real Madrid generated 365.8 million euros (C$585.5 million) in the 12 months to June 30, 2008. 

The study ranked European Cup champion Manchester United in the second place by making 324.8 million euros (C$520.1 million) by last June. 

"Whilst Real Madrid's four per cent revenue growth in 2007-'08 is more modest than recent years, the club has now doubled its revenues since 2002 and enjoys a lead of 41 million euros (C$65.7 million)over Manchester United," said Dan Jones of Deloitte's sports business group. 

"With the club having announced that it is budgeting for revenues of 400 million euros (C$499.2 million) in 2008-09, it will be difficult for rivals to replace Real at the top of the Money League next year," he added. 

Meanwhile, Spanish league leader Barcelona came third with revenue of 308.8 million euros (C$494.5 million). 

Deloitte's world's 20 richest soccer clubs based on revenue is as follows: 

1. Real Madrid, Spain, 365.8 million euros (C$585.5 million on June 30, 2008). 

2. Manchester United, England, 324.8 million euros (C$520.1 million). 

3. Barcelona, Spain, 308.8 million euros (C$494.5 million). 

4. Bayern Munich, Germany, 295.3 million euros (C$472.8 million). 

5. Chelsea, England, 268.9 million euros (C$430 million). 

6. Arsenal, England, 264.4 million euros (C$423.6 million). 

7. Liverpool, England, 210.9 million euros (C$337.9 million). 

8. AC Milan, Italy, 209.5 million euros (C$335.6 million). 

9. AS Roma, Italy, 175.4 million euros (C$281 million). 

10. Inter Milan, Italy, 172.9 million euros (C$277 million). 

11. Juventus, Italy, 167.5 million euros (C$268.3 million). 

12. Lyon, France, 155.7 million euros (C$249.4 million). 

13. Schalke, Germany, 148.4 million euros (C$237.7 million). 

14. Tottenham, England, 145 million euros (C$232.3 million). 

15. Hamburg, Germany, 127.9 million euros (C$204.9 million). 

16. Marseille, France, 126.8 million euros (C$203.1 million). 

17. Newcastle, England, 125.6 million euros (C$201.2 million). 

18. Stuggart, Germany, 111.5 million euros (C$178.6 million). 

19. Fenerbahce, Turkey, 111.3 million euros (C$178.3 million). 

20. Manchester City, England, 104 million euros (C$166.6 million).