Wayne Rooney says gambling threatened his career

LONDON: Former England captain Wayne Rooney has revealed a gambling addiction threatened to damage his glittering career.

Rooney, who made his debut for Championship side Derby this week, said he was sucked in by his initial success as a gambler.

Manchester United´s record goalscorer then lost large amounts of money and started "chasing his bets" to try and win it back.

Speaking on a video for 32Red´s Stay In Control gambling awareness campaign, the 34-year-old Rooney said: "I was a young lad who´d just come into a lot of money.

"For an away game with Manchester United you stay in a hotel -- and with England you´re in a hotel for seven to 10 days. You get bored and do things to fill the time. At that time gambling was one of them."

Rooney, who has since managed to quit gambling, decided to speak out about the problem after facing criticism over Derby´s decision to give him the number 32 shirt in association with a betting sponsor.

"It was easy to place bets by phone. It didn´t feel like real money. It wasn´t like I had to go into a bookies and put bets where there are limits," he said.

"Before you know it you´ve lost a good bit and you don´t realise the amount you´re putting on at the time. I won at the start and thought it was easy money. It sucks you in a bit more and I ended up losing, ended up down.

"I was chasing my bets trying to win my money back. You´re there to play for your country or club and when you´re losing money the way I was, then it will affect you.

"Thankfully I managed to pay up what I lost and I didn´t gamble again. I´ve learned from my mistakes. If you carry on gambling, you lose more. That´s when you can get sucked into a bad situation."

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PCB tells players to raise fitness standards or take 15pc pay cut

KARACHI: Pakistan's cricket board on Friday warned the national players to meet fitness standards or lose up to 15 percent of their salary, as officials seek to address the team's fall in the international rankings.

Pakistan failed to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup in England last year, and won only one of their six Test matches.

They also fared badly in one-day internationals, winning just nine of their 25 and just one of their ten Twenty20 internationals, leaving the team as low as seventh in Tests and sixth in ODIs.

They did manage to cling to their world number one rankings in Twenty20 internationals – but by just one point.

New head coach Misbah-ul-Haq had stressed fitness will be paramount as he tries to lift standards.

"All the available centrally contracted players will attend the two-day testing on January 6 and 7 in Lahore and any player failing to meet the minimum fitness requirements will be fined 15 percent of his monthly retainer," said a Pakistan Cricket Board release Friday.

The cut will be maintained until the player gets fit again, it said.

Any player failing consecutive tests "will risk the chances of retaining his central contract category and may face demotion," warned the PCB.

The fitness tests will cover fat analysis, strength, endurance, speed endurance and cross-fit, and will carry equal weightage.

Currently 19 top players are under contract in A, B and C categories and get monthly salaries ranging from 1.1 million to 0.5 million rupees based on their contract.

Pakistan are scheduled to play three Twenty20 internationals and two Tests at home against Bangladesh starting later this month, but pending clearance from Bangladesh Board.

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England lose four wickets against South Africa in second Test

South Africa's Keshav Maharaj (2nd R) celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of England's Joe Denly. Photo: AFP

England captain Joe Root was unable to take advantage of a dropped catch as England lost four wickets before tea on the first day of the second Test against South Africa at Newlands on Friday.

England were 149 for four at tea after winning the toss.

Root had an escape with his score on 31 when a flying edge off Anrich Nortje burst through first slip Rassie van der Dussen's hands and went for four runs.

But two balls later Root ducked into a fast bouncer from Nortje and gloved the ball to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock.

Root's 35 was one of three scores in the thirties by English batsmen as the touring team struggled to take advantage of an easy-paced pitch. Dom Sibley made 34 and Joe Denly 38.

Ben Stokes was unbeaten on 28 at the ground where he made a career-best 258 four years ago.

Four South African bowlers claimed a wicket each.

Vernon Philander — who has announced that he will retire from international cricket after the series — struck in the third over of the match when he had Zak Crawley caught behind for four.

Crawley was playing in place of Rory Burns, who was ruled out of the rest of the series when he damaged left ankle ligaments while playing football on Thursday. Fast bowler Jofra Archer was also missing because of a right elbow injury.

Kagiso Rabada broke a second-wicket stand of 55 between Sibley and Denly when he had Sibley caught behind shortly before lunch, while left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj bowled Denly when he found a way between bat and pad as Denly played forward defensively.

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Haris Rauf catches flak for controversial wicket celebration in BBL

The fast bowler is being criticised for his aggressive celebratory style. Photo: Twitter

Melbourne Stars fast bowler Haris Rauf has been the talk of the Big Bash League (BBL) as he garnered attention with his lethal pace and wicket-taking ability but lately the bowler has been subjected to criticism due to his rather controversial celebration.

Rauf, a product of Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Lahore Qalandars' talent programme, has emerged as a far more productive bowler in the BBL, thanks to a correction in his previously flawed bowling style.

The express pacer has taken the BBL by storm, picking up 10 wickets in just three matches, including a five-for.

The Rawalpindi-born has, however, caught some flak because of his over exuberant celebration, which concludes with a cut-throat gesture.

Some critics on Twitter are not taking the celebration lightly, and calling for Rauf to discontinue the post-wicket show.

Even former Australian rugby league footballer Darryl Brohman could not hold back and deemed Rauf's celebration as "over the top".

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Burns becomes latest cricketer to get injured playing football in warm-up

 Rory Burns in action. Photo: Reuters  

In an age of sport science, expert physical conditioning and meticulous planning, watching Test cricketers clumsily kick a soccer ball around as they warm up defies belief.

Not only because they look as if they are going hurt themselves, but because that is often what happens as their child-like enthusiasm for a kick-about clashes with the tenets of professional sport.

The latest casualty is Rory Burns, England’s opening batsman who top scored in the first Test against South Africa but who will now return home with a serious ankle injury, missing out on the rest of the four-match series.

He hurt ligaments on Thursday trying to kick the ball away as his captain Joe Root bore down on him.

It came only 24 hours after Ollie Pope had taken angry exception to a crunching tackle from teammate Matt Parkinson that in a real game of football might have earned the leg spinner a red card.

"If you look at what football does, the benefits from a psychological and fun point of view are outstripped by the dangers from it, but we will discuss that. I am not coming in with an iron rod right now," said Ashley Giles — a year ago when he was appointed the new England director of cricket.

But England have now added yet another name to a growing list of soccer casualties.

Just over a year ago, Jonny Bairstow lost his place as wicketkeeper on a tour of Sri Lanka after damaging ankle ligaments in a kick-about.

A decade ago, then England coach Andy Flower banned the warm-up soccer routine after Joe Denly damaged a knee because of an unwieldy tackle before a one-day international match against Australia at The Oval.

Like Bairstow, Denly is on tour in South Africa and might have offered some caution, as might have James Anderson, who turned his ankle playing soccer on tour in New Zealand in 2008.

Opponents South African can relate. Ace bowler Vernon Philander was out for eight months after he damaged his ankle in a pre-match kick-about in India.

But South Africa also still continue to play an awkward version of a rondo, where a few players in the middle of a circle of others try to intercept a soccer ball being passed between the players on the outer ring.

Australia’s culture is reflected in their choice of touch rugby rather than soccer to get the blood flowing.

But this proved even costlier. In was during such a game that Glenn McGrath stood on a stray cricket ball left on the outfield at Edgbaston and ripped the ligaments in his right ankle, changing the course of the Ashes in 2005.

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India reiterates 'game-changing' offer to host culled Commonwealth events

India's Tejaswini Sawant during the Commonwealth Games. Photo: Reuters 

India's top sports officials have said that the  offer to host a separate Commonwealth championships for two absent disciplines in the 2022 Birmingham Games could be a "game-changer" as it could pave the way for facility-sharing among member countries. 

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had threatened to boycott the Birmingham Games over shooting's exclusion before their climbdown last week.

The Indian shooting federation has offered to host a Commonwealth shooting championship in 2022 and the IOA also wants to organise a similar competition for archery, which will not feature in Birmingham either.

"We are in the process of sending our proposal for the shooting and archery competitions to the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF)," IOA secretary general Rajeev Mehta told Reuters.

"As of now, shooting federation will finance the shooting competition and we're seeking government fund for archery."

Indian officials also want the medals won in both the tournaments to count in the final table in Birmingham.

IOA was most upset at the exclusion of shooting which supplied 16 of India's 66 medals, including seven golds, at the 2018 Gold Coast Games.

In its absence, India, who finished third in the 2018 medals table, could slip to anywhere between fifth and eighth in Birmingham, according to IOA estimates.

National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), which led the outrage against shooting's exclusion, came up with the idea of a separate Commonwealth championship.

"It's a simple proposal to have an adjunct competition, either in New Delhi or Chandigarh, three months before the main Games in Birmingham," NRAI president Raninder Singh told Reuters.

The proposal follows CGF president Louise Martin's meeting with her international shooting federation (ISSF) counterpart Vladimir Lisin in Munich last month.

"Although a Commonwealth Shooting Championships is amongst one of several ideas being discussed with the ISSF, nothing has been formally proposed, let alone agreed upon..." CGF chief executive David Grevemberg said in a statement last month.

"...speculation around what this event could look like, and what medals won at such an event could mean in the context of the Commonwealth Games, is extremely premature."

Singh, who attended the Munich meeting as ISS vice-president, said India's offer could lead to infrastructure-sharing among CGF members nations.

"This is a very exciting and unique offer, which can be a game-changer. It may not have happened in Commonwealth Games, but co-hosting is not unprecedented in sports.

"Why waste money creating new infrastructure which may rot and not use the existing ones even if in another country? It gives flexibility.

"There will always be some sports which will be left out. It's shooting now, it maybe badminton's turn next time.

"Adjunct competitions can take the Games to a much bigger and larger audience and help retain the popular but optional disciplines," Singh added.

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Bangladesh Cricket Board expected to close discussions on Pakistan tour

Sources say that Bangladesh, like Sri Lanka, wish to spend as little time as possible in Pakistan. Photo: AFP

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday announced that discussions with Bangladesh regarding their tour,  scheduled later this month, would soon reach to a signed agreement.

According to the proposed schedule, the PCB intended to host three T20 matches and two Test matches, which would be part of the ICC World Test Championship. However, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have not been too keen about the idea and, instead, proposed that the team take part in a shorter format and play Test series on neutral ground.

The BCB also did not provide any formal reason for their suggestion.

On the other hand, sources said Bangladesh, like Sri Lanka, wish to spend as little time as possible in Pakistan.

Sources close to the PCB have said the board maintained its original stance to prioritise Test cricket over a T20 series as it was need of the hour for Pakistan.

The dates Bangladesh proposed for a Test series were not suitable as they would fall in the month of Ramadan, the sources said. Another suggestion was for to schedule one Test match and while the number of T20s be increased to three, they added.

'If team is given clearance, then I'll go'

Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo had said he had no issues touring Pakistan, provided the BCB agreed to send their national team.

"If the team is given clearance to go, then I will go. If the team isn’t given clearance, then I definitely won’t go," Domingo had said in an interview with New Age.

Read more: If team is given clearance to tour Pakistan, then I will go: Bangladesh head coach

Bangladesh were scheduled to play three T20Is and two Tests later in January; however, doubts over the tour surfaced when BCB President Nazmul Hassan said certain members of the fraternity were uncertain of the tour.

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