Beckham launches England's World Cup bid

LONDON: David Beckham launched England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup by insisting no other country can match their passion for the globe's biggest sporting event.

England midfielder Beckham was at Wembley on Monday as the English Football Association began their attempt to convince FIFA, the world game's governing body, that they should stage the four-yearly tournament.

England hosted their only World Cup in 1966 when Sir Alf Ramsey's team won the event, but the nation's appetite for football is so strong that Beckham believes it is only right the competition should finally return 52 years after that historic victory.

"To have the World Cup in your own country is the dream of any player. I know first hand the passion of our fans and they would provide an incredible atmosphere at every game," said former England captain Beckham, who holds the record for most appearances by an England outfield player.

"There's no bigger support than our fans. There are full stadiums everywhere. Some of the biggest players in the world, (Zinedine) Zidane and Ronaldo, ask me what it's like to play in England. They love that passion.

"The passion doesn't just stop at Premier League level. It's from the grass-roots and the amateur leagues right through every league.

"When we stage big competitions it shows around the country how excited people get. Our country is renowed for getting excited by big events. I don't think any country in the world can compete with us for that.

"A World Cup in England would inspire a generation of younger players and capture the imagination of everyone."

Beckham was joined at the English national stadium by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, current England team-mate Wayne Rooney, as well as Sir Bobby Charlton and Sir Geoff Hurst, who both played in the 1966 World Cup final victory over West Germany.

Manchester United striker Rooney said: "I know how much the crowd can lift you here and how much the country would get behind us. It would be a dream come true for any England player.

"Hopefully I'll still be playing at that time. I'll be 32 but you look at some of the players at Manchester United like Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes. They are the perfect example to me to keep myself fit."

England, who failed to win the race to stage the 2006 World Cup, face competition from Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Russia, the United States and joint bids from Belgium and the Netherlands and Portugal and Spain.

FIFA's 24-man executive committee will deliver their verdict in December 2010 and the FA's bid leaders are well aware that they must win over delegates in Europe, Africa, the Caribbean and Asia.

FA chairman Lord Triesman said: "Our job in the next 19 months is clear; we need to put together the strongest bid possible. We believe that England can stage a wonderful event," Triesman said.

"We are determined that England 2018 will assist the development of football globally and meet FIFA's aspirations that the World Cup leaves a legacy of positive change."

England has already secured the 2012 Olympic Games and British Prime Minister Brown is keen to land another prestigious event.

"This Government is fully committed to this bid," Brown said. "It would be an absolute privilege to host this fantastic sporting event and I know this country, with its first-class stadiums and tremendous passion for football, would host an incredible tournament.

"It's fitting that we are launching the bid in England, the home of football, and at Wembley - the greatest stadium in the world."

Prince William, President of the English FA, added: "Hosting the World Cup would give the whole nation the opportunity to demonstrate our generous hospitality to teams and fans from all over the world."

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Bhutia decides to leave Mohun Bagan

KOLKATA: Baichung Bhutia on Monday served a quit notice on Mohun Bagan after the club officials questioned his commitment to the team.


The India captain called on the club's finance secretary Debashish Dutta and sought a release with immediate effect. The striker still has a year left in his two-year contract with the club.

"I no longer have any desire to play for Mohun Bagan after all that has happened. It's good, both for me and the club, to part ways in a peaceful way," Baichung said on Monday, on the sidelines of the team's practice session for the AFC Cup match against Al Karamah.

Mohun Bagan had on last Thursday slapped a showcause notice on Baichung, accusing him of remaining not "fully committed" to their I-League cause and skipping practice sessions repeatedly to shoot for a dance programme (Jhalak Dikhla Ja).

"It is evident that your focus has shifted from football and it has now become your secondary interest," club secretary Anjan Mitra had stated in the letter.

Baichung, however, didn't reply to the letter and instead, decided to take it on the chin, seeing in it an attempt to make him the "scapegoat" for Bagan's I-League failure.

"After playing for 17-18 years, I don't need to prove my commitment. From Day I, the club was aware of my schedules for the dance programme. I had been absent from practice only on Saturdays but never missed a match (in the I-League).

"It is there for everybody to see how I fared in the (I-League) matches against Chirag United, Dempo and Vasco at home. It's just that we had a bad game against Mahindra (in the final round).

However, when we learnt at half-time that Churchill were leading (against Mohammedan Sporting), we lost motivation in the second half," the Mohun Bagan captain admitted.

"But I'm extremely disappointed with this attempt to make me the scapegoat. It's an internal matter and the club should not have made the letter public. I've been humiliated and now, I feel no urge to play for the green and maroons," a visibly peeved Baichung thundered before leaving the ground.

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England win second Test by an innings and 83 runs

CHESTER-LE-STREET (England): James Anderson took nine wickets in a Test for only the second time in his career as England crushed the West Indies by an innings and 83 runs to win the second Test at the Riverside on Monday.

Victory, in their last Test before the start of July's Ashes series, meant England took the two-match series 2-0 after a thumping 10-wicket win at Lord's and saw them regain the Wisden Trophy they'd lost in the Caribbean this year.

The West Indies, following on, were bowled out for 176 in their second innings, having made 310 first time around after England had piled up 569 for six declared.

The tourists were 167 for eight at lunch on having lost five wickets in the session in total.

And after the break the match lasted just three overs.

Star batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul fell for 46 when he edged man-of-the-match Anderson through to Paul Collingwood, who took his first Test catch as a wicket-keeper having taken the gloves on Sunday after Matt Prior sustained a finger injury.

And Tim Bresnan, who before lunch had taken his first two wickets in Tests, ended the match when he had Fidel Edwards caught at fine leg by substitute fielder Karl Turner, who was appearing in front of his home crowd.

Anderson, who took four for 38 in this innings, had match figures of nine for 125 - his second-best in Tests after his nine for 98 against New Zealand at Trent Bridge last year.

Bresnan had an innings return of three for 45 in 14 overs.

West Indies, who resumed Monday on 115 for three, lost five wickets in the first session

Anderson, the only other bowler used alongside Bresnan on Monday, added three more wickets before lunch to his first innings haul of five for 87, including left-hander Suliemann Benn whom he bowled for nought off the final ball of the session.

After a pair of rain breaks saw nearly half an hour lost, the West Indies lost three wickets for five runs in 15 balls with Bresnan, in his second Test, taking two for none in three balls.

Lendl Simmons was out for 10 when he guided Anderson straight to substitute fielder Scott Borthwick at point to leave the West Indies 141 for four.

And they had added just one run when seamer Bresnan, who'd seen some chances missed off his bowling, took his first Test wicket with Nash clipping him straight to square leg where Durham's Borthwick took his second catch.

Bresnan, who along with Graham Onions made his debut in England's 10-wicket first Test win at Lord's this month, then reduced West Indies to 146 for six.

Denesh Ramdin, who made a first innings fifty, exited for nought when he edged a genuine outswinger from the 24-year-old Yorkshireman to Anderson at third slip before Anderson himself bowled Jerome Taylor.

England had been in charge here from the start with opener Alastair Cook's Test-best 160 the centrepiece of their total.

Ravi Bopara, who made 108 and helped Cook add 213 for the second wicket, was named man of the series after he also made a hundred at Lord's.

But how much England had gained ahead of the sterner challenge set to be presented by Australia, against a West Indies side only drafted in because of Sri Lankan players' Indian Premier League commitments and who did not take to early season English conditions, remained to be seen.

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Bangalore face must-win game against Delhi

JOHANNESBURG: An uphill task awaits Royal Challengers Bangalore when they take on formidable Delhi Daredevils in their do-or-die Indian Premier League match on Tuesday.


The Bangalore outfit, who are at the sixth spot in the table with 12 points from as many matches, has everything to play for as a loss would undoubtedly throw them out of the semifinal race.

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Delhi, on other hand, are sitting pretty at the top having already qualified for the semifinals with 18 points out of 12 matches and will be hoping to carry forward their winning momentum to the last four stage.

Besides the semifinal spot up for grabs, the match also provides Anil Kumble's men an opportunity to take revenge of their previous six-wicket loss against the Daredevils.

Although the Bangalore oufit are on a high after their last match win over second placed Chennai Super Kings, they would need something spectacular tomorrow to halt a consistent Delhi which boasts of innumerable match-winners.

AB de Villiers has been the pillar of Delhi batting, while Tilakaratne Dilshan and Dinesh Karthik provide the much neded fire power in the middle-order.

However, what remains a matter of concern for the Daredevils is the form of skipper Virender Sehwag and opener Gautam Gambhir.

Both Sehwag and Gambhir are still to fire in the tournament and the Delhi skipper expressed optimism of returning to form before the semifinals.

"I hope I will get runs in next couple of matches that we have to play before the semifinal. And if Gautam and I manage to find our form, that will be bonus for us," he had said.

With a rejuvenated Asish Nehra and Dirk Nannes up front, Delhi's bowling has been more than impressive.

Young Pradeep Sangwan has been consistent throughout picking up crucial wickets, while Amit Mishra provides the sting in Delhi's spin department.

In contrast, Bangalore does not have equal riches at their disposal and it would take quite an effort to upset Delhi.

Bangalore's top order has been pretty inconsistent with Jacques Kallis playing well in patches, while both Jesse Ryder and Robin Uthappa have been a big disappointment.

Overall, it has been a pretty slipshod display by their batters, but Ross Taylor's return to form would please Kumble, who would be expecting the Kiwi to come good again on Tuesday.

Although Bangalore's bowling has looked quite mundane, Kumble and Co. would take heart from the fact that they managed to restrict Chennai Super Kings to mere 129 in their last encounter.

And Kumble would be expecting a similar show from his bowlers against Delhi on Tuesday to brighten their winning chances.

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