BIRMINGHAM: Beaten Australia Twenty20 captain Michael Clarke said there was nothing `neutral` about the support Pakistan had received from a capacity Edgbaston crowd here on Monday.Australia lost the first of two Twenty20 internationals against Pakistan -- the second is at Edgbaston on

LONDON, July 5, 2010 (AFP) - Bangladesh were boosted ahead of the first of three one-day internationals against England on Thursday after a 141-run success against a makeshift Middlesex side at Lord`s on Monday.Bangladesh posted 301 for seven, then dismissed the hosts for just 160 with 10

BUENOS AIRES: Argentina coach Diego Maradona hinted he may resign as he returned home following his side`s World Cup elimination, according to a report from Argentine cable channel Cronica TV."That`s it, my cycle has finished," Maradona reportedly said as he arrived at his home here on

BERLIN:  A German man shot two Italians in a pub on Monday, killing one and leaving the other fighting for his life, after a row about past World Cup performances of their respective teams, police said."According to our current investigations, the three men got into an argument in the

ABUJA: Nigeria`s government on Monday lifted a two-year ban it imposed last week on its national football team after a dismal World Cup showing, just ahead of a FIFA deadline to do so, a presidential source said."The government has reversed the decision," the source told AFP. A formal

JOHANNESBURG: The European Footballer of the Year and FIFA World Player of the Year awards will be merged into the FIFA Ballon d`Or, award organisers France Football and FIFA announced here on Monday.French magazine France Football has been awarding the Ballon d`Or (Golden Ball) to the

PARIS: Rafael Nadal soared 3,840 points ahead of his rivals in the latest ATP men`s tennis rankings released Monday, following the Spaniard`s victory in Wimbledon.Nadal, who regained the number one spot after claiming the French Open title, now stands on 10,745 points, with Serbian Novak

LONDON: Rafael Nadal said he was going to spend time fishing and partying before setting his sights on the one Grand Slam title he has never won - the US Open.The Spanish world number one said he was heading home to his Mediterranen island of Mallorca to have fun with his friends on the

NEW DELHI: Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni married his girlfriend of two years at a resort hotel in the north of the country, newspapers reported on Monday.Dhoni, often described as India`s most eligible bachelor, exchanged vows with Sakshi Singh Rawat at a private ceremony

CAPE TOWN: After pulverising Argentina 4-0 in their World Cup quarter-final, Germany will be forced into at least one change for Wednesday`s semi-final due to Thomas Mueller`s suspension.A yellow card for handball means the 20-year-old Bayern Munich star, who has scored four goals at the

ABUJA: Nigeria`s football rulers on Sunday sacked three of its top executives following the team`s poor showing at the World Cup and appealed to the country`s leader to reverse his international ban on the squad.The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said it had resolved at an emergency

LONDON: Spanish Wimbledon winner Rafael Nadal said Sunday he would love to go to the football World Cup and watch Spain lift the trophy.Nadal said he was due to have treatment on his troublesome knees ahead of the US hard court season, but might be able to jet out to South Africa to cheer

BERLIN: Franz Beckenbauer on Sunday described Germany as the "perfect team" and said they will be favourites to defeat Spain in Wednesday`s World Cup semi-final."This team, it`s the masterpiece of Joachim Loew. He has placed his mark on its make-up and created a perfect team,"

BUENOS AIRES: Diego Maradona and his Argentina team received a warm welcome from thousands of fans who turned out to greet them Sunday despite the side`s World Cup quarter-finals elimination.Fans, dressed in the blue and white shirts of the national team, held up banners proclaiming

RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil coach Dunga was sacked on Sunday following the team`s World Cup quarter-final exit with charismatic Luiz Felipe Scolari, who won the title in 2002, immediately being tipped to take over."The cycle of work started in 2006 and which culminated with the elimination of

PARIS: Lionel Messi, Kaka and Wayne Rooney left their World Cup shooting boots at home, but David Villa and Miroslav Klose are on a hot streak of goalscoring form as the tournament reaches its climax.Both men have been averaging almost a goal a game as they battle with Thomas Mueller and

CAPE TOWN: The Netherlands go into their World Cup semi-final against Uruguay on Tuesday as hot favourites, but with the biggest prize in world football at stake anything can happen.Both sides will be missing key players for the Cape Town spectacle as a final looms against either Germany

LONDON: Rafael Nadal reclaimed the Wimbledon men`s singles title on Sunday, putting in a classy performance to beat Tomas Berdych 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 in the final.The Spanish world number one was too good for the Czech 12th seed on Centre Court and was rarely troubled as he won his second

MADRID: Tens of thousands of fans sang "Viva Espana" and danced in the streets in Madrid Saturday as Spain overcame Paraguay to move into the semi-final of the World Cup.A crowd which watched the match on giant screens outside Real Madrid`s Santiago Bernabeu stadium exploded with joy and

BERLIN: Germany`s papers could scarcely hide their glee Sunday after their team`s 4-0 rout of Argentina sent them into the World Cup semi-finals and got the whole nation dreaming of a fourth World Cup triumph."1954, 1974, 1990 ... " ran the headline on Sunday`s Tagesspiegel daily, the