Sports News

The Premier League is the second best, and Spain’s La Liga is the strongest on the planet, claimed World Player of The Year 2009 Lionel Messi.

Barcelona''s Messi, 22, insisted: "The arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka at Real make the Spanish league stronger than the English. Players want to come to Spain."

But he admitted: "We have to recognise it is the English clubs who have reached the latter stages of the Champions League recently."

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has said that the club has given up its plans to sign Manchester City striker Robinho during January’s transfer window.

He said that Barcelona did make a formal offer for Robinho, but the club’s owners have turned it down.

“Our offer for Robinho has not been accepted and with the squad that we have, we will not be signing anyone in the winter window unless something highly unexpected happens,” The Mirror quoted Laporta, as saying.

“We are happy with the squad that have and only if there is a real need to add to it will we do that,” he added.

England skipper John Terry has downplayed his side’s status as one of the favourites for the 2010 football World Cup in South Africa, saying that there is no one outstanding contender.

Terry said that seven or eight teams have the potential to win the trophy.

“I''m not going to stand here and say, ‘We are going to win the World Cup. We''re not going carried away. We have a chance, as long as we keep people fit and strong, and we go out there with the right mentality,” The Mirror quoted Terry, as saying.

“Everyone can see the potential that we have, but it''s the same with Portugal and other teams; Brazil, Argentina and Spain are very strong. It''s going to be interesting. One of seven or eight teams can go on and win it,” he added.

He also raised a warning flag to those who think that the United States will be a pushover in the teams'' group opener in the tournament.

“Everyone''s getting carried away saying it''s an easy group, but the USA is a very tough game and we have to be on our toes,” he added.

England has a 7-2 record against the Americans, including wins in the last two friendly meetings - 2-1 at Chicago''s Soldier Field in 2005 and 2-0 at Wembley last year.

With reports suggesting that the pitch at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) would offer some help for the spinners, Pakistan are mulling over the option of playing two spinners in the first Test against Australia starting December 26.

The final decision regarding the team’s build-up would be taken in next couple of days, but team officials have not ruled out including both leg-spinner Danish Kaneria and off-spinner Saeed Ajmal in the final eleven for the Boxing Day Test.

“Playing (in the first Test) with two spinners is certainly an option for us,” The News quoted Pakistan team manager Abdul Raqeeb, as saying.

“Both Danish and Saeed have been bowling well. And the fact that Australia faced a few problems against West Indian spinners recently has made us think about having two spinners in the playing eleven,” he added.

England middle-order batsman Jonathan Trott has vowed to continue his go-slow tactics as he believes playing it safe is his side’s first target, before going for victory against their opponents.

Trott infuriated the Proteas, including several of his schoolboy friends - during his 69 on Sunday, which helped England save the First Test.

They complained and cursed his method of taking ages to prepare himself between deliveries and keeping the bowlers waiting.

Trott walks towards square leg, makes exaggerated scratches in his crease and composes his mind before resuming his stance for the next ball.

South African skipper Graeme Smith revealed that the umpires warned Trott - as he was during the one-day series. The Proteas players were throwing up their arms in anger and hurling abuse in Trott''s direction.

Trott, however, insisted he has no intention of changing.

His 316-minute vigil on Sunday, during which he put on 145 for the fourth wicket with Kevin Pietersen, was the key factor in England escaping with a draw.

No. 11 Graham Onions who survived the final over of the match from Makhaya Ntini finished the job.

The Sun quoted Trott, as saying: "I go about my business the way I think gets me prepared the best way and mentally ready for the challenge. I don''t intentionally take my time to try to get under the skin of anyone, I am just getting myself prepared. I haven''t had any complaints in the past - it has never been an issue in county cricket.”

"But I suppose this is Test cricket and it is very competitive. I just worry about my game and am trying to win games for England,” he added.

Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan has said that he would now maintain a ‘low-profile’ as an international cricketer for the remaining of his career Khan, who returned back to competitive cricket on Monday after a month long self-declared exile, said he was fed of numerous controversies surrounding his stint as the captain of the national and stressed that he now only wants to concentrate on playing cricket.“It was not an easy decision (to opt out of the New Zealand Test series). But I felt a break from the game was necessary to revitalise myself for the sake of my future in the game. I’ve stopped reading papers after inappropriate stories started appearing in the media because it was hurting me. Reports about me going on fishing were baseless, and were published to malign me,” he said

In an apparent bid to come clear from the charges of slack security preparations during Sri Lankan cricket team’s visit earlier this year , Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Chairman Ijaz Butt has said that he was not in favour of hosting the Test match inLahore during which the Lankans were attacked by terrorists.

Butt told a private television channel that he had urged the government to host the match in Karachi instead of Lahore, as Punjab’s conditions was not appropriate for hosting an international event, but he said his suggestions were sidelined.

“A top government official rejected our suggestion and said the Test would be held in Lahore. The implementation of the security arrangements for the visiting team was also that of the government, the board could do nothing about it,” The Daily Times quoted Butt, as saying.PCB chief added the inquiry by the Lahore High Court had found out the people who were responsible for the lax security arrangements.

“I can’t name anyone but the inquiry report is there for everyone to see,” Butt said.

He strongly opposed suggestions that he is promoting nepotism in the board, and said that appointing former Test players on important posts in the board was a big mistake.

“This is a wrong impression that I prefer people who pander to me or are my relatives or friends. I want people who can deliver because I run a big business house. Appointing former players was my mistake,” Butt said.

Pakistani batsman Imran Farhat thinks that Ricky Ponting is still a fantastic batsman and rejected suggestions that the Aussie captain is becoming vulnerable to the short ball.

"I don''t think he is getting weak on this point. I think he is a fantastic batsman and he has a lot of achievements. So don''t I agree he is becoming a weak player, because he has injured elbow, so maybe that was bothering him. Otherwise he is fantastic player,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Farhat, as saying.

Ponting, who suffered tendon damage last week, will undergo a fitness Test on Wednesday to determine whether he''ll be fit to play in the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan.

If Ponting doesn’t play, Phillip Hughes will replace him, and Farhat reckons it would be good for Pakistan.

"Obviously he (Hughes) is an experienced player and if some new player comes in to replace Ricky Ponting it will be pressure for that person. It will be good for us in many ways, but I hope he (Ponting) will get better because he is dangerous," Farhat said.