England get top billing in World Cup draw but final act still presents danger

England will be one of the seeded teams in Friday's draw for the 2010 World Cup but with France and Portugal missing out and Ivory Coast, USA and Australia lying in wait Fabio Capello's side are not out of the woods yet, says the Bung

Potty training: England sneak in to the top class at the draw World Cup 2010 in Cape Town Photo: EPA
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THE DAILY BUNG LUNCHTIME HEADLINES






The failure of equine afterbirth to live up to its billing as a panacea for Robin van Persie’s knackered knee means Arsène Wenger will be braving the January sales in search of a heavily discounted striker of international class. “We will be out in he market, that is for sure,” admitted the usually frugal Arsenal manager.

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Manchester United’s kindergarten all-stars may be no match for the might of Besiktas but let them loose against Tottenham and they look like world beaters.

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And Kieron Dyer is poised to make his 1,794th return from injury for West Ham at the weekend after coming through 75 minutes of a reserve defeat to Birmingham without breaking his leg, twanging an abductor muscle or poking himself in the eye when no one was looking.

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BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

What goes on behind closed doors at Fifa’s head office in Zurich is a mystery to all but a few generally big boned suits who while away the hours between meals plotting new and unusual ways of meddling in the minutia of international football.

And so we approached today’s announcement of which teams would be seeded for Friday’s World Cup 2010 draw none the wiser as to who would get the nod and how they would be assessed. Would it be based on previous performances at major competitions, Fifa rankings, a logarithmic equation factoring in how lucky teams had been to qualify or a coefficient based on the number of opportunities their female fans would give for camera men to perv during group games?

In the end, according to Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke, we needn’t have worried. It was all decided long ago and based solely on the official rankings from October. “The decision was not made this morning (on which system was used),” said Valcke, unconvincingly. “The proposal was made to the president of the organising committee and it was a discussion we had prior to the whole event.”

Why they couldn’t have said that ages ago, if it was long since decided, only they will know. That they didn’t suggests all may not have been as straightforward as they would like you to believe.

Regardless, England, one of the eight seeded teams alongside South Africa, Germany, Brazil, Italy, Spain, England, Holland, and Argentina, can be grateful it was so.

Today England are ranked ninth, two places below France and four beneath Portugal. Two months ago, before defeats to Ukraine and Brazil, England were above that pair. So England get top billing and the pantomime villains that are Cristiano Ronaldo and Thierry Henry are relegated to the fourth pot.

And that’s what has the conspiracy theorists taking a break from peering out of the window of a disused book repository in down town Dallas or smashing the back windows of cars with golf clubs to see if that really is the best way of freeing someone from the driver’s seat of a vehicle shortly after losing an argument with a tree.

Could it be that Fifa are merely punishing France for Henry’s bit of handiwork against the Irish? A backhanded stab at restorative justice? It’s a seductive thought but what, then, are they punishing Portugal for? Being so pony they couldn’t score against Albanian at home even playing against ten men for most of the game? Ronaldo’s preening? A disastrous holiday when a young Sepp Blatter came up empty after trawling the bars and clubs of the Algarve?

Equally seductive as that is we will never truly know. Better, from an English perspective, just to be grateful and look forward to Friday. Where fresh dangers lurk...

France and Portugal in pot four; Ivory Coast and Ghana in pot three; USA and Australia – imagine the glee with which the Aussies would welcome a chance to put one over England – in pot two.

The dice, however, remain loaded in England’s favour. Imagine Charlize Theron whipping out the names of New Zealand, Cameroon and Denmark, or Honduras, Paraguay and Greece.

Another country possibly celebrating England’s elevation to the leading group may well be Slovenia. They have appeared on pretty much every ‘best possible scenario’ chart in the English press, along with Algeria and North Korea. Slovenia, you will remember, dumped Guus Hiddink’s Russia out of the tournament before it started. Be careful what you wish for.

Source: telegraph.co.uk/

Beckham crucial to England 2018 W.Cup bid: Blatter

CAPE TOWN — David Beckham is the key in selling England's struggling bid for the 2018 World Cup and he must be used at every opportunity, according to FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

Blatter met Beckham in Cape Town ahead of England's presentation of their bid credentials to the world's media and football's powerbrokers here this week.

The FIFA chief was quoted by Sky Sports as saying the "Beckham-brand" should be milked mercilessly as it could make the difference between success and failure.

"They have to use him for everything, forever. If they don't they are not very intelligent," he said.

"I've been working in FIFA for 35 years and I know a good guy for big occasions.

"He's one of the most important figures in football. He has a personal charisma that very few players have. He's a great man.

"Perhaps he is not the best player in the world but he is a good guy and he is also the best ambassador for fair play in football."

Beckham, who hopes to be in Fabio Capello's squad for the 2010 World Cup, has taken on the role of official ambassador for England's bid in an attempt to convince the FIFA executive committee to award them a first World Cup since 1966.

The LA Galaxy star is due to meet senior FIFA members here this week with England's bid under pressure after English Premier League chairman Dave Richards resigned from the board.

His move came as David Triesman, chairman of both the bid and England's Football Association, came under fire for having a dual role which his critics maintain does not leave him with enough time to do both jobs properly.

England are up against Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Netherlands-Belgium, Russia, and Spain-Portugal for the 2018 World Cup with a decision made a year from now.

Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h5CF6y4HsO4kxVaA2WnNincBtFUA

Milner stands out as Villa's England hopefuls hit form

Martin O'Neill was overlooked for the job of England manager back in 2006, yet he is still doing his bit to help the national side ahead of next summer's World Cup in South Africa.


Aston Villa progressed to the semi-finals of the Carling Cup with a convincing victory over Portsmouth in a gloriously entertaining cup tie last night and, to make it an intriguing evening for England manager Fabio Capello, four of Villa's England hopefuls – James Milner, Emile Heskey, Stewart Downing and Ashley Young – all scored.

Milner was the pick of the bunch, proving his versatility in an unfamiliar role in the centre of midfield. Capello is already aware of Milner's ability to play a range of positions, at home on either the left or the right flank.

The England manager even used him at left-back for 15 minutes of England's World Cup qualifier against Belarus. If Capello wants players who can perform in a variety of roles, then Milner is making a compelling case for inclusion in the 23-man squad.

Milner set Villa on their way to the semi-finals with a delightful pass which set up Emile Heskey to lift the ball over Portsmouth goalkeeper Asmir Begovic for Villa's opening goal. That cancelled out an own goal from Stilian Petrov from a Danny Webber corner two minutes earlier.

Milner again provided the inspiration as Villa moved through the gears and took the lead after 26 minutes. Ashley Young supplied the ball from the left flank and, with a deft first touch, Milner took the ball infield on to his right foot and struck a ferocious shot from 20 yards into the far corner of Begovic's goal.

O'Neill said of Milner: "He played terrifically well. He scored the goal but it was a great performance. It didn't cause me undue concern because I know he can play in there." Milner faded slightly after the interval, but Ashley Young stepped in with a vibrant display down the right to give Villa a serious chance of winning their first trophy since they last won this competition in 1996.

Downing, making his first start for Villa since moving from Middlesbrough for £10m in the summer, shrugged off the frustration of having been sidelined for six months with a broken bone in his foot by scoring Villa's third with a stooping far-post header from Ashley Young's cross.

The Portsmouth manager, Avram Grant, picked several reserves, and while his side lacked quality, they never gave up the fight, and managed to give Villa a scare with a late goal when substitute Kanu scored from close range after Hermann Hreidarsson chested the ball into his path. But no sooner had Portsmouth threatened to make a comeback than it was snuffed out by Ashley Young's no-nonsense finish from a cross by another England squad member Gabriel Agbonlahor.

Grant's primary concern, with Portsmouth rooted to the foot of the Premier League, will be that his side have conceded eight times in his first two games in charge. The Pompey manager said: "If you concede four in the last two games, of course you have problems. But it's about concentration, not just the defence. That's something I have to look at."

For O'Neill now there is the prospect of a two-legged semi-final next month. He said reaching a semi-final was overdue. "Aston Villa are a club that maybe, over the last 25 years since the heady days of European football, might not have been contesting as many semi-finals or finals that the club's size would warrant," O'Neill said. "So it's nice to be doing that now in that sense. It would be nice to win a trophy."

Portsmouth (4-4-2): Begovic; Vanden Borre, Kaboul, Ben Haim, Hreidarsson; Yebda, Brown, Hughes (Wilson, 84), Belhadj; Utaka (Piquionne, 76), Webber (Kanu, 65). Substitutes not used: Ashdown (gk), Mullins , Dindane, Basinas.

Aston Villa (4-4-2): Guzan; L Young, Dunne, Cuellar, Warnock; Downing, Milner, Petrov, A Young; Heskey (Delfouneso, 89), Agbonlahor. Substitutes not used: Friedel (gk), Delph, Reo-Coker, Beye, Gardner, Clark.

Referee: L Mason (Bolton).

Source: independent.co.uk/

Police spending in England and Wales 'to fall by £500m'

Police forces in England and Wales are to be told to make annual savings of more than £500m by 2014.

The details are in a White Paper on policing to be published later.

The Home Office document will also say officers should patrol the streets alone, rather than in pairs, to make them more accessible to the public.

However, chief officers are warning against plans to save £70m by cutting overtime, which they say is vital to "front-line" policing.

Meanwhile, the Home Office is expected to accept calls in a report on cutting bureaucracy, by former Police Federation chief Jan Berry, for forces to be given more discretion over the way they deal with less serious crime.

A pilot scheme in Surrey, Leicestershire, West Midlands and Staffordshire saw government targets abandoned in favour of a "common sense" approach.

For example, rather than arresting youngsters for vandalism or scrawling graffiti, officers would warn the youngsters and ask parents to pay for the damage.

BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw says the government has invested record amounts in policing over the past decade but with public finances under severe strain, ministers now expect forces to make significant savings.

It is understood the White Paper will say that by 2014 police could save £545m a year, about 5% of its government grant.

Home Secretary Alan Johnson said forces could save by working together to buy computer systems and day-to-day equipment, rather than ordering them separately.

"Police forces are collaborating to find ways to jointly procure - whether that's on uniforms, whether that's on cars, whether that's on air-support services," he said.

"There are always opportunities to do more."

About £400m was spent on extra policing hours last year but President of the Association of Chief Police Officers, Sir Hugh Orde, warned against too many cuts.

"Only sergeants and constables are paid overtime. Where the need is, is at the front line so I think we need to be careful about salami-slicing the budget," he said.

"We need to give chief officers the freedom to spend their money wisely, to focus on the front-end of policing, and overtime is a vital part of that."

'Hard trick'

Paul McKeever, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said he understood the financial pressures on the government.

However, he said it would be a "hard trick to pull off" to ensure cuts did not impinge on front-line services.

"The public expects officers to be there when needed and sometimes that means overtime is going to have to be paid."

Mr McKeever said more centralised procurement could stop "an awful lot" of money being "wasted" by individual forces and that some force mergers were "inevitable".

Other proposals include encouraging single patrolling to maximise visibility and engagement with the public, although the federation says that already happens routinely in many areas.

Former Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Ian Blair said the reforms did not go far enough and that a royal commission - a non-party political inquiry - should examine the issue.

"[The White Paper] talks about cutting overtime. It doesn't talk about restructuring the police service... restructuring the workforce," he said.


Source: bbc.co.uk/

Tax future house price bubbles, Bank of England tells Treasury

A leading Bank of England policymaker has called on the Government to raise taxes to prevent housing booms in the future.


Adam Posen, an independent member of the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee, said in a speech yesterday that the authorities should seek to limit house price bubbles because of the damage they inflict on the rest of the economy when they burst. He also suggested that property speculators and second home owners be subject to additional restraints.

Adam Posen, an American economist who joined the MPC this year, said: "Real estate bubbles tend to have much higher real economic costs than equity bubbles, perhaps because they involve illiquid collateral and local spillover effects."

Mr Posen suggested that real estate taxes, which include stamp duty and capital gains on properties apart from a main residential home, could be used as "automatic stabilisers" – rising during a boom but falling in a slump.

Mr Posen proposed: "Something modest, without any large implications for tax revenue over the cycle... It would mean having already existing title fees, capital gains taxes, stamp and transfer taxes, varying over time in line with price developments in the housing market more broadly, a simple blunt instrument targeted to lean against the wind in real estate prices in an automatic fashion."

Altering loan-to-value ratios and income multiple rules in the mortgage market could have a similar effect. Mr Posen added: "One could be more ambitious and complicate matters by taking into account second houses, speculative purchases, the amount of time owned before sale, and so on."

Mr Posen's intervention comes as evidence builds that the property market could be stabilising, if only for now.

The Nationwide said yesterday that house prices rose by 0.5 per cent in November, the same as in October, bringing the annual rate of house price inflation to 2.7 per cent, up from 2 per cent in the year to October.

It was the seventh successive monthly rise, and left average house prices only about 12 per cent off their October 2007 peaks. Even so, the rate of increase is now stabilising compared to the dramatic bounce back in the summer, and few expect it to pick up again in the near future. The average British home is worth £162,764.

Martin Gahbauer, the chief economist at Nationwide, put the improvement down to Britain's flexible labour market, as fewer job losses meant that the expected flood of repossessed homes had not materialised.

"The outlook for the housing market remains crucially dependent on labour market conditions," he said. "A part of the explanation for why unemployment has not risen to the levels implied by the recession's depth is that in many cases employers have opted to reduce working hours and pay rather than make employees redundant. Whether this strategy is sustainable depends on how quickly the economy recovers."

Some economists see the rise in prices as simply another example of asset price inflation resulting from the Bank of England's policy of quantitative easing – injecting £200bn of spending power directly into the economy.

Another factor that pushed prices higher is a relatively tight supply of desirable properties, as sellers are unwilling to crystallise losses and some find they cannot move because of lack of equity or mortgage finance. Opportunistic cash buyers, a revival in buy-to-let and some foreign interest in properties at the top end of the London market have also boosted values.

Source: independent.co.uk/

Primary school league tables 2009: rural school named England's best

Hampstead Norreys Church of England primary in Berkshire, which has only 105 pupils, gained better Sats results than almost 15,000 others across the country.

All 14 pupils taking Sats this year exceeded the standard expected of their age group in maths and science. Children are expected to gain “Level 4” in the key subjects, but at Hampstead Norreys all 11-year-olds reached “Level 5”.

In addition, some 93 per cent of pupils reached the higher standard in English exams.

It comes despite the fact that the school only has four teachers and a quarter of pupils have special needs.

Alexandra Butler, the head, who has been in charge for four years, said: “We know the children extremely well and that gives us the chance to challenge them all, whether that’s in sport, music or IT, on top of the non-negotiable English and maths.

“Every child is treated like an individual and, as a head, I'm able to have a personal understanding of all pupils and their parents.”

Miss Butler said the school ran 21 clubs including canoeing, cricket, cross-country, music lessons and an eco-club.

“In a bigger school, where the staff are perhaps a little more run, it is often harder to put that icing on the cake,” she said.

The disclosure comes despite the fact that primary schools are increasingly being forced to expand to take on more pupils.

The Telegraph told last month how parents across the country were revolting against proposals to add another class onto schools because of rising birth rates and immigration.

Mervyn Benford, from the National Association of Small Schools, said: “The Sats results of the very smallest schools are often far better than the national average.

“We need more small schools – of which Hampstead Norreys is a fine example – particularly in our towns and cities. Parents and teachers are much more likely to be on the same wavelength in a small school than a large one, and that can only be a good thing, particularly in a deprived area where children have many particular needs.”

Source:telegraph.co.uk/

Bank of England joins the doom and gloom party

Spencer Dale, the chief economist at the Bank of England, today issued a statement regarding the UK economy which on the surface appeared to be fairly upbeat and optimistic. However, on further investigation it appears there are a number of issues which need to be resolved in the short to medium term before the UK economy can "stand on its own 2 feet". Even though Spencer Dale would appear hopeful for the future even he has admitted there are issues which need to be addressed and issues which could possibly knock the UK recovery off track.

A number of surveys over the last couple of days have given mixed opinions on the UK economy although there is a general consensus that 2010 could be a very difficult year indeed. When you also take in the fact that the UK government will at some point need to end the various fiscal stimulus programs in place this could be a very telling period for the UK economy. Unemployment is certain to increase for the foreseeable future, banks are unwilling to roll out extra liquidity and there is a feeling that the UK consumer is being a little over-optimistic in the short to medium term.

Source: /financialadvice.co.uk/

HOCKEY: England slump to defeat against holders Australia in Champions Trophy

England threw away a lead to lose 2-1 to defending champions Australia in their third match of the Champions Trophy men’s hockey in Melbourne.

England led after 13 minutes with a goal from Iain Mackay before Australia replied through Grant Schubert and Des Abbott.

Defeat leaves England bottom of the table with just one point from three games


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-1232436/HOCKEY-England-slump-defeat-holders-Australia-Champions-Trophy.html#ixzz0YiiNMmNt



Source: dailymail.co.uk/

World Cup 2010: Fabio Capello yet to approve England's training camp

Fabio Capello will on Wednesday make a final inspection of the facilities that the Football Association want England to use as their training base for next summer's World Cup finals.





World Cup 2010: Fabio Capello yet to approve England's training camp
Fabio Capello will on Wednesday make a final inspection of the facilities that the Football Association want England to use as their training base for next summer's World Cup finals.

By Jason Burt in Cape Town
Published: 7:15AM GMT 02 Dec 2009

Grounds for concern: Fabio Capello, pictured at London Colney , is keen to check the quality of pitches at England's proposed World Cup base in Rustenburg Photo: REUTERS
However, the England manager is believed to be less convinced about the suitability of the Royal Bafokeng Sports Complex in Rustenburg, north of Johannesburg, which has been designed from scratch and includes a new hotel, medical centre and training pitches.

The owners of the complex, built on a game reserve and costing more than £20 million, have claimed that the FA has been consulted on everything from the dimensions of the hotel rooms to the upholstery.

As would be expected, Capello has taken great interest in the quality of the pitches that have been constructed but is also understood to have been concerned that the facility was not finished when he last visited and informed the FA that he could not make a decision on whether to use it until it was.

It is hoped that he will be convinced by officials at the complex which is supposed to be completed and ready for occupying in the new year. However, despite the widespread assumption that the Rustenburg base was Capello's first choice this is not the case.

The Italian is believed to be keener on a site in Pretoria which, like Rustenburg, is also at altitude where six of the 10 stadiums – including where the final will be played – are situated.

Although Capello is loath to disclose the location of the alternative venue he has been hoping that the FA would be able to persuade another nation, who are believed to have secured the first option, to stand aside. So far this has not happened although England general manager Franco Baldini will remain in South Africa after Friday's World Cup 2010 draw to oversee the preparations.

It now appears likely that the alternative venue is the High Performance Centre at the University of Pretoria which has been used by various countries, for a variety of sports, since it was opened seven years ago and has gained a reputation for being an elite location.

The HPS is more four-star than five-star but has a world-class reputation for providing facilities from athletes and helping them to acclimatise to local conditions and deal with specialised training and nutrition programmes.

Gallingly for England it appears that Argentina have first option on the HPC, after visiting the site during the Confederations Cup, with, at one stage, 14 countries making inquiries about using it. England were among that number and have negotiated the right to take over the HPC should Argentina decide to go elsewhere which is now unlikely to happen.

Italy, who used the Southdowns Sports Complex in Centurion, Pretoria, also hope to use the HPC but, again, are likely to miss out. Argentina are expected to sign an agreement this week for the complex which is close to the Loftus Versfeld stadium, one of the venues for the finals, and is 40 minutes drive from Johannesburg.

England will spend a week in Irdning in Austria, south-east of Salzburg, which Capello had previously used as a training camp while he was coach of Real Madrid, preparing for next summer's tournament. They will play at least one match, with a friendly pencilled in against Japan.

England, who should on Wednesday be confirmed as one of the top eight seeds for the World Cup finals, will also play a friendly in March at Wembley and possibly one more warm-up game before the tournament begins. The opposition will be decided after Friday's draw but the likelihood is England will play a South American or African team and then another European nation.

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Source: telegraph.co.uk/

Michael Vaughan calls on more England players to join IPL

Michael Vaughan will be commentating on England's upcoming Test matches against South Africa. Photograph: Tom Jenkins


England have never won a major international cricket trophy and according to Michael Vaughan they have no chance of ending that barren run unless they release their players for the entirety of next season's Indian Premier League.

"We should be making our players available for the whole of the IPL window," the former England captain said today. "We are not great at Twenty20 cricket. We've got a Twenty20 World Cup in May and at the minute we've got no chance. If it was my England team I'd be looking at the first-team players and thinking that I want them to experience playing in those IPL games, I'd want to have them playing in those packed stadiums and picking the brains of all those great players. That will give us a better chance of winning the Twenty20 World Cup.

"We have to give our players as much opportunity as possible to try and win a trophy," continued Vaughan, who was speaking at the launch of his new role as the public face of the Advanced Hair Studio. "England should take the guys who could do with a rest from Test cricket and send them to play in the IPL to develop their Twenty20 skills." Such a move, however, would mean that the players were unavailable for England's tour to Bangladesh in the spring.

The next IPL player auction is scheduled for 19 January, with each franchise having a budget of $750,000 [£451,000] to spend on new recruits. Eoin Morgan and Jonathan Trott are both believed to have been in contact with teams over their possible availability.

At the moment, the participation of England's players is likely to be restricted to a three-week stint running from 12 March to 25 April. That means it will clash with England's tour to Bangladesh, which begins in late February and finishes on 24 March. Vaughan, though, thinks England's key players should skip the tour and focus on preparing for the World Twenty20 in the West Indies in May.

"I don't have any quibble with senior players missing the Bangladesh tour," Vaughan said. "That tour is not going to be about developing the team for the Ashes. This winter will be about developing a side for the Ashes. Bangladesh is a very different kind of cricket. Sending players to the IPL would produce a few good performances and help develop a good network of players to come back and play for us in the Twenty20. One thing our Twenty20 players don't have is experience."

Aside from Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Flintoff and Paul Collingwood, who are all already signed up with IPL teams, Vaughan feels England should clear the schedules of Stuart Broad, Trott, Morgan, Graeme Swann and James Anderson to allow maximum exposure to the short form of the game.

"We're getting very good at the 50-over game now and that's because we're getting used to playing in it as a unit and as individuals," added Vaughan, who is about to leave for South Africa to commentate on the upcoming Test series and has kept a close eye on the see-sawing fortunes of the England team on the tour so far.

"This one-day team is one of the best I've seen," he said, "especially in the range of options we have. The fielding unit is very athletic and with the bat we've certainly got different styles of batsmen, which is crucial.

"I like the way the team are playing, and I don't think the back-up and management teams are being given enough credit for that. For a team to operate in such an effortless mode, the backroom staff are doing a lot right. The players are playing with an energy and a vibrancy and an enjoyment, which means that what they are doing in training is right."

Source: guardian.co.uk/

Frustrated Kevin Pietersen will come good soon, says England coach Andy Flower

For Kevin Pietersen, Durban had a warm welcome. For everyone else it was rain, and the roadworks and renovations that foretell the football World Cup, and a greyness which blended the sky and sea seamlessly.



Impatient: Kevin Pietersen's lengthy lay-off means he is taking his time getting back in the runs, according to England coach Andy Flower Photo: Alexander Joe/AFP/Getty
Pietersen had his pregnant wife Jessica waiting for his arrival. England's one-day series abroad now have a pattern of playing on Friday and Sunday, then travel and weight-training on Monday, a day off on Tuesday, middle practice on Wednesday, and light training on Thursday.

Pietersen at least will not be wondering what to do with his free time on Tuesday. Or, being the driven sportsman he is, Pietersen might prefer heavy netting. He has yet to score a fifty on this trip – in other words since his Achilles operation in July. And he has only the Friday day/nighter here, and a couple of innings in East London, before the four-Test series.

England coach Andy Flower offered a more persuasive rationale for thinking Pietersen will come good than the South African think tank when they publicly support their players.

"Four months is a long time off when you are used to playing cricket all the time," Flower admitted. "It will take him some time to get back into it. He's impatient because he is a high achiever. I'm sure he is frustrated because he chases success, and quite rightly. I'm sure he will score heavy runs at some stage of this tour. I don't think he'll be fretting – he is very confident."

Flower did not think Pietersen was being upset by the booing of the South African crowds, which has been restrained by comparison with his first England tour here.

"I think he's used to that sort of reaction. I really don't think it affects him. I didn't like hearing boos when [Ricky] Ponting walked out to bat, and it's really disappointing to hear them booing a great cricketer walking out to compete for his country."

Considering that Pietersen was England's only match-winning one-day batsman from the time Marcus Trescothick retired until this tour, it is all the more creditable that other players have improved substantially and carried him through this series. According to Flower, the Wednesday middle practices have helped the players become used to pressure as Ottis Gibson and Richard Halsall, the bowling and fielding coaches, devise scenarios simulating match conditions.

As an example, England have usually scored enough runs in the first 15 overs but lost too many wickets in the process: an average of exactly two in the year before this series. There was too much early desperation again in Cape Town when chasing 355, but when Jonathan Trott resumed his opening partnership with Andrew Strauss in Port Elizabeth, not a wicket was lost in the first 15 overs. Trott, in Flower's words, is "a consistent, solid man at one end".

Flower defended his choice of Graham Gooch as a batting coach who will work with England's players up to and including the first Test and "for chunks through the year". Flower said that Gooch did not want to help the players bat but to make runs – to put substance ahead of style.

As Flower no longer has time to do all the batting coaching, he is right to call in consultants, but maybe not Gooch alone. The Tasmanian Dene Hills is in charge of batting at Loughborough, although he has his hands full with the performance squad in Pretoria. Or there is Gooch's old opening partner Geoff Boycott, who could do a session – provided the BBC do not cover it live.

Source:telegraph.co.uk/

ENGLAND COACH ANDY FLOWER DEFENDS KEVIN PIETERSEN

ENGLAND coach Andy Flower has condemned South Africa’s crowds for their booing of Kevin Pietersen, saying it is time they gave the batsman the respect he deserves.
As Pietersen struggles to find his best form after his four-month lay-off with an Achilles tendon injury, the fans here continue to bait him over his decision to quit his home country and qualify for England.
In the early games, the jeers and boos were like those aimed at a pantomime villain but on Sunday at Port Elizabeth the reception Pietersen received as he walked out to bat took on a harder edge.
Flower said: “It is really disappointing to hear them booing a great cricketer walking out to compete for his country. That is sad.
“He is used to that sort of reaction and I don’t think it affects him, but I really don’t like hearing the boos, just as I didn’t when Ricky Ponting walked out to bat in England last summer.”
England think the less Pietersen says on the subject the better and blocked any interviews as he flew into his home town of Durban, where England play the final ODI on Friday. He certainly did not look too perturbed as he was joined by pregnant wife Jessica for this leg of the tour.
Five years ago when he first returned to South Africa as an England player, he was branded “a traitor” by the more volatile fans and given a hostile reception.
This time, he expected a smoother ride and said when he joined the tour three weeks ago: “I have been back here for the Twenty20 World Cup and the IPL since then and I have had a fantastic response, I think I have their respect because of the good cricket I have played in the last five years.” Curiously, while Pietersen continues to attract the abuse, Jonathan Trott, England’s latest South African recruit, has attracted little interest apart from the number of runs he is scoring.
That is something Pietersen has failed to do, making just 85 runs from his five one-day knocks so far, but Flower is confident there is no crisis of confidence for the team’s most destructive batsman.

“I thought he might be a little rusty.four months is a long time off when you are used to playing all the time,” said Flower. “It will take him a while to get back into it and we have to be patient.
“He is a high achiever and is impatient, but he is working hard and he will come right, I have no doubt.”
One person who will soon be on hand to offer Pietersen advice is Graham Gooch, the former England captain and opener, who is linking up with the squad at the weekend to help out with the coaching in the build-up to the Test series.
Flower knows Gooch well from their days together at Essex and says: “I have the utmost respect for him.
“I found it hard to give my time in this new position (team director) to all 15 batsmen in the squad. I needed some help and could not ask for better help than Graham. He brings experience, expertise, a competitive spirit and patriotism. He will be a great guy to have around.”
England, 2-1 up in the series, could become only the second country after Australia to beat South Africa in an ODI series on their own soil this week, an achievement that would provide substance to Flower’s belief that the 50-over team are making genuine progress at last.
A more competitive training regime and increased confidence were two factors, he said. He also singled out the contributions of two players, adding: “The emergence of Jimmy Anderson as a more consistent threat with the ball and Trott as a solid man at one end is contributing towards us progressing.”
Flower did reveal, however, that he had almost pulled Anderson out of the ODI series because of a persistent knee problem and had gone against medical advice to play him in the second match at Centurion. Flower said: “We took a bit of a gamble. We thought we’d better play him to see how his knee reacted and luckily he came through it well.
“He was very surprised how he came through it and so were the medical people and now it’s getting better every day.” Anderson also has a suspected cracked toe but it is not likely to hamper him on Friday.
Alastair Cook returned to action after his back injury with the England Performance Squad in Pretoria against the Highveld Lions. The home side scored 311-6 on the first day with Mark Davies taking 4-56. ‘It is sad to hear that sort of reaction from the fans’

Source:

England awaiting fate in World Cup finals draw

Just as the advent calendars being opened from the start of December start the countdown to Christmas, so Friday's Fifa 2010 World Cup finals draw in Cape Town will signal that football's global fiesta is fast approaching.

It has taken 3,600 hours of manpower to dress the Draw Hall. It will take the celebrities who pull the balls from the pots just a few seconds to signal England's destiny.

There's a dreaded possibility that England could face the old nemesis Portugal in the group stage. Didier Drogba, already this season a thorn in the side of Premier League defences, might also be thrown in against England in the opening phase with his in-form Ivory Coast.

England manager Fabio Capello must feel like he is sitting in a little cart at the start of a giant rollercoaster ride. He expects an adrenaline rush, but he does not know how thrilling the ride might be.

The cynics will claim the draw is fixed. It has its mysteries and its parameters. I don't know which teams will fall into which pot. I'm only guessing, but I hope it gives you an idea of what England could face.

It would be a huge boost to be seeded - and England should be. Everyone is in the dark until Fifa announces the method behind the seeding system.

South Africa, as hosts, will be one of the eight. The other seven could be formulated on their records over the past two World Cup tournaments, although there have been hints that it will be decided on Fifa's world rankings as at October of this year. That date has been chosen because the November qualifying play-offs could artificially elevate some countries at the expense of others who were not in competitive action this month.

October's list read: 1 Spain, 2 Brazil, 3 Netherlands, 4 Italy, 5 Germany, 6 Argentina, 7th England. Fabio would, then, get his seeding.

606: DEBATE
Have your say on the World Cup draw

If the Fifa executive committee decides to go down the previous tournament record, England should still be included. France, as finalists in 2006, might get the nod over the Netherlands. That would be a travesty.

Capello knows he'll have to get his team ready to face any of those big names at some stage. He'll want to be in the opposite half of the draw to Brazil and Spain though.

The Spanish show no sign of losing their European Championship form. They've won 40 of their last 44 matches. Torres and Villa are the most lethal strike pairing in the world. Alonso, Iniesta and Xavi form a sublime midfield trio. Their flaws are tiny.

Brazil have a frightening attack coordinated by Kaka. Luis Fabiano scored nine goals in 11 qualifying matches. Robinho, Nilmar or Elano could chip in with a few. Melo and Gilberto Silva anchor the midfield. They are sturdier in dealing with set pieces in their own box and deadly with them at the other end.

Having witnessed them both at close hand at the Confederations Cup last summer, they are my favourites for the final if they can cope with the altitude over a month's intense competition.


Messi won a trophy treble with Barcelona last season
Argentina were awful in qualification. Diego Maradona appeared clueless at times and used 50 players! But they've made it through to their 15th finals and if Guus Hiddink does agree to work with Maradona, they'll be a different prospect. Any side containing Europe's Footballer of the Year Lionel Messi, as well as Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero will get goals. But new keeper Sergio Romero is suspect. They are beatable.

Germany have won seven of their last 10 matches. They've only once failed to make the last eight in 17 World Cups. Many of the team will be at their third finals. Everyone knows how formidable they will be if not exactly sprinkled with stardust.

Italy have not failed to clear the group stages since 1974. Some of their players are over the hill and they may be suspect early on. They haven't beaten another country in Fifa's top five in their last five attempts. The reigning champions are ripe for the taking if England come up against them in the knockout stages.

It will be a cruel blow for Robin van Persie if his ankle injury keeps him out. But the Netherlands shared their goals between 11 scorers as they became the first European country to qualify. They are creative going forward and conceded just two goals in making it through. Their keeper Maarten Stekelenburg will be at his first majors as number one though. The pressure is on. They have buckled in the past at the latter stages but England won't want them too early.

On the other hand, South Africa will do nicely for Capello. If they are seeded, as expected in the A1 slot to kick off the tournament, England would love to be the seeds in Group B. The Bafana Bafana boys are the lowest-ranked hosts since Fifa started its ranking system. No other qualifier is currently ranked below them. Somehow they managed to make the Confederations Cup semi-finals but they still looked poor.

I cannot see them winning their group, but given mediocre opposition and tighter organisation brought in by Brazil's World Cup 1994 winning coach Carlos Alberto Perreira, now back for a second spell in charge, the hosts could squeeze into Round Two as runners up. It would be a dream ticket for England to meet them there.

Capello's men are assured of having another African or South American side in their group. They should all be assigned one pot together so as to keep them apart in the first phase. The Ivory Coast and Chile are the main dangers for me here.

"La Roja" amassed 30 points for the first time in South American qualifying. Humberto Suazo of Monterrey hit 10 goals in 18 matches. Alexis Sanchez of Udinese and Sporting Lisbon's Matias Fernandez are fine players. It's 47 years since they won a game at the finals yet they could create a stir next summer.


Ivory Coast striker Drogba is in fine form for Chelsea
The Ivory Coast are unbeaten in 18 matches. They have had good results in high-profile friendlies against top European countries. Drogba is on fire and their side is packed with players who have experience in the top European leagues.


There are other African threats. Cameroon have a settled side as they enter their sixth finals, with Samuel Eto'o leading their attack. Ghana was the first team from the continent to qualify. Any team with Stephen Appiah, Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari will be fluent and creative even if their form has dipped since qualification.

Probably the best opponents from this likely pot would be Algeria or Paraguay. Given their limited experience of playing sides from outside Africa - it is nine years since they beat a European team - Algeria will probably be out of their depth despite local backing. Paraguay have lost their way of late with seven defeats in 10 games. They have made it beyond the group stage three times in their last four finals - but not this time.

The third pot to consider will contain those countries ranked outside the top eight. Real threat lurks here.

Having won just one of their opening five qualifiers, a late burst of form took Portugal through via the play-offs. No England fan needs reminding of the penalty shoot heartache in the quarter finals in Germany or at Euro 2004. They are unbeaten in six against England, who won't want to meet Ricardo Carvalho, Deco, Simao or Cristiano Ronaldo.

The United States proved to be a tight, competitive unit at the Confederations Cup. These will be their sixth finals in a row. They have plenty of tournament experience. Tim Howard and Clint Dempsey will be worthy opponents. They are feisty and even if there may not be enough goals in the side to go far, they could prove awkward group opponents.

No-one will want Nemanja Vidic's Serbia in their group with wily old boss Raddy Antic. They are capable of springing a surprise. Australia with Mark Schwarzer in goal will be difficult to beat as Italy found in round two last time around when a last gasp and controversial Francesco Totti penalty decided it.


Anelka scored in the play-off against the Republic of Ireland

It is a lovely thought that England might be able to exact revenge on France for the dubious victory over Ireland. But in reality, Thierry Henry remains a wonderful player, Nicolas Anelka is inspired and Franck Ribery will be fit by the summer. Capello won't want them.

Having sacked Sven-Goran Eriksson, Mexico have strung together a run of just two defeats in 16 under Javier Aguirre. There could be one or two nasty little problems in this section.

The Swiss, though ranked 18th right now, would be the best looking opposition. They are obdurate as a 0-0 draw with Italy in August shows and don't forget they went out of World Cup 2006 without conceding a goal. But they're not really threatening.

That takes us to the final pot containing the lowest ranked countries. South Korea captivated the world in 2002 and considering they've lost just once in 29 internationals, could be tricky. Denmark are also likely to be in this section.

England hammered them in the Second Round seven years ago, but the Danes have won both friendlies between the two nations since are much improved. They won a tough qualifying section.

By far the weakest teams in the competition should be New Zealand and North Korea.

Supreme Leader Kim Jong-il may not let his people see much of the action on TV if they get walloped and despite the romantic memories of 1966, I can't envisage them creating too much of an upset this time around. They simply lack any sort of experience at this level.

The size of the World Cup is vast compared to 45 years ago. It can blow the minds of rookie players and fans.

It's lovely to see New Zealand at the finals for the first time since 1982. The side contains lots of players who've seen action in England and Scotland. They lost all three games in Spain and if they play like they did at the Confederations Cup, they'll lose all three again.


Nelsen made his New Zealand debut in 1999

The fitness of Ryan Nelsen is vital. He missed the summer tournament and their defence played like a Sunday morning pub side. Shane Smeltz scores goals readily in Australia's A-League, but this is a different level altogether. Spain brushed them aside in the Confederations Cup. England will do so too if they meet them.

One never quite knows what to expect with Fifa. The whole draw procedure may be changed. But if it does follow along similar lines to the ones I've drawn up here, England's 'group of death' would be with Portugal or France, the Ivory Coast and Denmark or South Korea. The easy route through would come if they're drawn with Switzerland, Algeria or Paraguay, and New Zealand or North Korea.

This will be the fourth Finals Draw I've covered. It is normally a chaotic affair. The most predictable thing about it is its unpredictability.

Remember the predictions in this column come from a man who strongly tipped France to defend their title in 2002 and Luca Toni to be the top scorer in 2006! I am a walking health warning to erstwhile punters!

Remember that I've gone for a Brazil v Spain final with Spain the winners! Expect then to see anyone else at Soccer City on 11 July 2010!

Source: bbc.co.uk/

England's cathedrals: 'heritage success story of our era'

England's cathedrals are the country's largest, most historic and most complex buildings yet they are generally in good repair and continuing to add to their glories by commissioning new works from fonts to fire doors and from choir schools to cafés, according to a new survey from English Heritage.

The English Heritage Cathedrals Fabric Condition Survey 2009 published today shows that cathedrals have spent more than £250 million on repairs since 1991 and most critical work has now been been done.

Over the next 10 years cathedrals need to spend some £100 million on mainly routine repairs, but relatively few of these are urgent, and more than £75 million of new developments are planned.

Only six cathedrals still need to carry out major repair programmes in the next 10 years: Canterbury - £16m, York - £8m, Lincoln - £13m or more, Salisbury - £15m, Chichester - £10m, Winchester - £4m. This leaves the other 55 cathedrals needing to spend an average of less than £1m each over the next 10 years

Dr Simon Thurley, Chief Executive of English Heritage, said: "Our Fabric Survey shows that cathedral bodies are taking excellent care of the heritage in their keeping. Our new publication shows what can be achieved with the aid of English Heritage advice and by individual cathedrals working with their Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches' governing bodies. Above all it shows that cathedrals continue to evolve, adding to their glories with a thriving tradition of commissioning the highest standards of new architecture, craftsmanship and design.

"Our first fabric survey in 1991 revealed that many cathedrals were in a dire state. Today, having spent £250 million, they are in much better shape though constant vigilance is still required if these national treasures are not to slip again into decline. English Heritage, recently in partnership with the Wolfson Foundation, has given £52 million and we remain as committed as ever. As a symbol of that commitment, I am delighted to announce today an English Heritage grant of £250,000 towards urgent work at Lincoln."

A new English Heritage publication, Creativity and Care: New Works in English Cathedrals, was launched yesterday in association with the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England, CoE, and the Roman Catholic Church's Patrimony Committee. It features new works such as mosaics at Westminster Cathedral, the education and music resource centre at Wells, Chester's song school, re-ordering and new confessionals at Leeds, a glaziers' studio at York Minster and disabled access to the shrine at St Alban's.

The report, which has a preface by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of Westminster, explores the way in which cathedrals are succeeding in remaining first and foremost places of Christian worship while also fulfilling roles as cultural centres and tourist attractions. Some of the works result from changes to liturgical practice - the way services are performed - and what today's worshippers want as a focus for their spirituality. The revivifying of Hereford's shrines to its local saints is one example. Some new works result from modern safety and accessibility requirements.

The Rt Hon Frank Field MP, Chairman of the Cathedrals Fabric Commission at the Church of England, said: "Roman Catholic and Anglican cathedral authorities alike are not only custodians of past splendours: they can also be wise and willing midwives to future glories. We hope Creativity and Care will encourage cathedral bodies to think in the boldest terms about their building's future, rather than scale down their ambitions to what they think will be approved."

The publication, Care and Creativity, a gallery of images of new works, information on the Cathedrals Fabric Survey and how to apply for a grant, are all available on: www.english-heritage.org.uk/cathedrals2009. Free hard copies of Care and Creativity can be ordered from English Heritage Customer Services on 0870 333 1181 customers@english-heritage.org.uk

Source: indcatholicnews.com/

Hick guides England Masters to easy win

BARABDOS: Graeme Hick’s stroke-filled, unbeaten 77 guided England Masters to a comprehensive seven-wicket win with five balls to spare over West Indies Masters in the Cricket Legends of Barbados International Cup.

Needing 137 to win, England sealed victory when Paul Nixon reserve-swept Jimmy Adams for a boundary. Nixon made 23 and added 66 with Hick for the unbroken fourth wicket in 7.1 overs. Hick faced 51 balls and set up the run-chase through a 69-run stand with Mark Ramprakash, after openers Mark Alleyne and Craig White were dismissed cheaply, both caught-behind by Courtney Browne. Ramprakash made 29 with two fours from 37 balls before he was also caught by Browne, attempting to pull.

West Indies Masters were earlier restricted to 136 for seven, a disappointing effort after an opening stand of 41 in 5.2 overs between Gordon Greenidge, who made an unbeaten 61, and Stuart Williams.

BRIEF SCORES: England Masters 140 for 3 (Hick 77*, Ramprakash 29) beat West Indies Masters 136 for 6 (Greenidge 61*, Headley 2-18) by seven wickets. agencies

Source: dailytimes.com.pk/

President Of Brazil Backs England 2018 World Cup Bid

The president of Brazil has announced his support for England's bid to stage the World Cup in 2018.

President Lula offered his backing at the end of a week that has seen Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards resign from the 2018 bid team.

England's bid had previously been hit by accusations of mediocrity, with ambush advertising, free handbags and the removal of six 2018 board members into advisory roles also making the news in recent weeks.

Lula believes, however, that it has simply been too long since the World Cup last came to the country where football was created.

"I believe that the last one that England hosted, the first and only one was in 1966," he told Channel 4 News.
"And so that's already been 44 years ago that the UK hosted the FIFA cup.

"I think now is the time for the UK to host a FIFA cup again."

Lord Triesman, the Football Association chairman and leader of the bid, was quick to emphasise the significance of Lula's support.
"I think it's really important," said Triesman.

"He's been a huge a fan, a huge advocate of English football; he loves it.

"I remember when he made his state visit he made a joke that we might have introduced Brazil to football and taught them how to do it, but they'd become the teachers and we'd become the pupils.

"He's always had a really strong, positive view of English football.

"When he was over a couple of weeks ago and I had the chance to have a conversation with him he was clear about wanting us to have the World Cup here."

The 2018 board reshuffle and Richards' resignation have made for an unstable face of the bid team, but Lord Triesman insisted that this should not hamper their efforts.


"I shouldn't think most English fans are interested in me or possibly even Dave," Triesman added.


"I think he'd [Richards] say that - they're interested in wanting the World Cup here.

"I took the view at the beginning, even by the time I'd first arrived, that there were different views about how to run the World Cup, and the World Cup bid, and some of those involved arguments.

"I thought it would be possible to get everyone into the room, do what you do do in meetings - you all have an argument.

"Heads get banged together, you come out with a position and you argue for that position.

"Perhaps I've tried for a consensus pretty hard and haven't succeeded - if that's my fault then I accept that.

"But what we've now got is a very slimmed-down, very focused group, and we are dividing the work up because we've got to win the votes of as many of the 24 as we can.

"So I think we've now got the right group, and the right enthusiasm.

"And indeed the people who are no longer on the board have already shown, they're going out and meeting the very people we need them to meet - and having a real impact as well."

Football's mandarins will meet in South Africa this week for the 2010 World Cup draw, and England's representatives are sure to use the opportunity to present their new, united front to the rest of the global game.

Edward Pearce

Source: goal.com/

Fans offered chance to play alongside legends from England and Pakistan

LONDON, Dec 01 (APP)- Cricketing fans have been offered a chance to play alongside former English Test cricketers Darren Gough and Nasser Husain in a Twenty20 match featuring other legends from England and Pakistan next summer. Tickets have gone on sale for every England home international fixture during the summer of 2010. According to a ECB announcement any fan who buys ticket before Christmas Day will be entered into a draw and could win the chance to join Gough and Nasser and play in the shortest version of the game.



As part of its new ‘Live it Live’ campaign the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is giving 10 lucky fans the chance to take to the field with some of their heroes on July 20 at Wormsley cricket ground.
There are also 40 pairs of exclusive VIP tickets to be won as well as 100 ground passes to attend this star-studded which includes PCA Master’s versus Rest of the World Masters XI match.
England’s international season starts with the arrival of Bangladesh who will play two Test Matches and a three match Nat West One-Day International Series.
Next summer also sees the return of Ricky Ponting’s Australian team to English soil.
“For the grand finale England welcome the current ICC World Twenty20 Champions Pakistan. The atmosphere in ground promises to be electric and the support fervent. With players of the calibre of Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, Mohammed Yousaf and Younis Khan it’s going to be a summer festival of big hits and plenty of wickets,” said ECB Head of Marketing Will Collinson

Source: app.com.pk/