Cook and Trott make Aussies pay for missed chances

STAFF WRITER 9:32 HRS IST

Adelaide, Dec 4 (AFP) England made Australia pay for fielding bungles to make steady progress after the home side's modest first innings total on the second day of the second Ashes Test on Saturday.

The Australians, defending 245, their lowest Adelaide first innings total for 17 years, struck in the day's opening over to remove skipper Andrew Strauss but there was no further joy as the temperatures climbed at the Adelaide Oval.

First Test centurions Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott were building a solid partnership and steering England to a burgeoning innings.

At lunch, Cook was unbeaten on 35 with Trott on 39 in England's 90 for one to trail by 155 runs.

Strauss fell cheaply and Trott had two lives in a shaky start for England chasing Australia's modest first innings total.

American media shocked at FIFA World Cup snub

STAFF WRITER 9:45 HRS IST

New York, Dec 4 (AFP) American media reacted with shock to FIFA's decision to snub a US bid for the 2022 World Cup in favor of Qatar, some dubbing the move a "money grab" from a nation rich in oil and natural gas.

"Qatar? Really? Has the FIFA cartel seriously lost all of its soul? Is it only about the dirty oil money? Does it really care about growing the game? Or lining its pockets?" asked Seattle Times columnist Steve Kelley.

"This decision is strictly a money grab. All this announcement does is fuel the already-existing suspicions of collusion that have haunted the entire bid process."

Comments about Qatar's extreme heat and lowly football status, 113th in the FIFA rankings, were common.

"It's not like Qatar has been growing a domestic league the way the United States has," Kelley said.

Gambhir elects to bowl against New Zealand in 3rd ODI

STAFF WRITER 8:54 HRS IST

Vadodara, Dec 4 (PTI) India skipper Gautam Gambhir won the toss and elected to bowl against New Zealand in the third One-day international at Reliance Stadium here today.

India have made two changes to their side with paceman Zaheer Khan coming in place of S Sreesanth and Ravindra Jadeja taking place of Suresh Raina.

New Zealand line-up has been bolstered by comeback man Brendon McCullum, who takes place of indisposed Jamie How.

Paceman James Franklin replaces Tim Southee.

India are 2-0 up in the five-match series.

Teams:

India: Gautam Gambhir (C), Murali Vijay, V Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan, Ravindra Jadeja, Wriddhiman Saha, R Ashwin, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel and Zaheer Khan

New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (C), Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Scott Styris, Kane Williamson, Gareth Hopkins?, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Andy McKay and James Franklin.

HC extends IPL's deadline for signing up 4 star players

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Friday extended the deadline for the IPL franchisees to sign up their respective "marquee" players till December 8.

The High Court passed the order during the hearing of petitions filed by Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab against termination of its contracts by the Cricket Board (BCCI).

Each IPL franchisee can sign up four players from its earlier season's squad. The BCCI had set a deadline of December 6 for submitting list of signed up marquee players.

Kings XI on Thursday said that deadline must be deferred, because at present players would not be willing to negotiate with it, since the franchise's contract with BCCI stands terminated.

Rajasthan Royals has secured a stay on its termination of from independent arbitrator Justice BN Srikrishna, which the BCCI has challenged before the High Court.

Kings XI, on the other hand, could not get relief in arbitration, as Justice Srikrishna recused himself.

BCCI terminated contracts with Kings XI and Rajasthan Royals on the ground that both franchisees changed their respective ownership patterns without informing the board.

Refuting this charge, senior counsel Darius Khambata on Friday argued that Lalit Modi, "who was the face of IPL", was aware of changes in ownership of Kings XI, and he consented to them, when actor Preity Zinta, one of the share-holders of Kings XI, intimated him about it.

BCCI's lawyer said that cricket body did not accept copy of Modi's endorsement on which Kings XI was relying. Arguments would continue on December 6.