AIFF-Bharti academy on hold for now: Patel

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NEW DELHI: The ambitious AIFF-Bharti Academy, first proposed to be established in Goa and then in Haryana, is on hold "for the time being", national football federation acting chief Praful Patel said on Wednesday.

The academy, for which Bharti Airtel had to pump in Rs 100 crore, was to be established in Goa but a land dispute and tussle between two ministers in the state government led to the project being rendered a non-starter.

Later, it was proposed to be shifted to Haryana but Patel said the assurance given by the north Indian state government turned out to be an "oral promise".

"The academy was to come up in Goa but a land dispute arose and Bharti agreed to shift it to Haryana. But again the Haryana government could not give us land required for the academy," Patel said after an emergency committee meeting of the AIFF.

"It turned out that the earlier assurance given (by Haryana government) was an oral promise," he added.

Patel said he had requested Bharti not to scrap the project as the academy "can come up as and when the land is available".

"I had interactions with Bharti people recently and I had requested them not to lose interest in the academy. They have assured me they are for the project as and when land is available," Patel assured.

"I am still speaking to the Goa government to sort out the land issue. It is Goa which is going to lose out a state-of-the-art academy on account of petty issues," he said.

"I had interactions with Bharti people recently and I had requested them not to lose interest in the academy. They have assured me they are for the project as and when land is available," Patel assured.

"I am still speaking to the Goa government to sort out the land issue. It is Goa which is going to lose out a state-of-the-art academy on account of petty issues," he said.

TOI

Hodge left out as Australia name CT squad

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Melbourne, July 23 (PTI) With a view to build a team for the 2011 World Cup, Australian selectors today included three new faces while leaving out batsman Brad Hodge in the preliminary squad of 30 for the ICC Champions Trophy to be held in September in South Africa.

Tasmania wicketkeeper Tim Paine, Victoria spinner Jon Holland and New South Wales all-rounder Moises Henriques figured in the probables' list for the September 22 to October 5 tournament. The squad must be trimmed to 15 players by August 23.

The squad does not include controversial all-rounder Andrew Symonds, who was sent back home from England on disciplinary grounds just before the start of Twenty20 World Cup besides scrapping his Cricket Australia contract.

Fast bowler Brett Lee, who suffered a side-strain injury just before the first Ashes Test, and injury-prone all-rounder Shane Watson also made the cut

Sri Lanka face record chase to win final Test vs Pak

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Colombo, July 23 (AFP) Sri Lanka will need to set a world record to sweep the Test series against Pakistan 3-0 after the tourists piled up the runs in the final Test here today.

Shoaib Malik made 134 as Pakistan amassed 410-9 in their second innings by lunch on the fourth day at the Sinhalese Sports Club, an overall lead of 476 runs with one wicket in hand.

Pakistan are expected to declare soon after resumption to leave themselves with enough time to bowl Sri Lanka out and earn a consolation win after losing the first two Tests.

The highest successful fourth innings chase in history is by the West Indies, who scored 418-7 to beat Australia at St John's, Antigua in 2003.

The most runs scored in the fourth innings to win a Test at the SSC here is 326-5 by Sri Lanka against Zimbabwe in 1998.