IFA Shield thrown into disarray
Kolkata: With two of the three foreign teams yet to check in, the 118th IFA Shield was thrown into disarray even as the tournament got off to a quiet start here on Wednesday. Geylang International FC of Singapore and Bangladesh side Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club did not receive visa clearance, leaving the IFA red-faced as the organisers were forced to reschedule the matches involving the two teams. “We’re yet to get the details about the Bangladeshi side, while the Singapore side are expected to arrive tomorrow morning,” an IFA official said, even as secretary Utpal Ganguli could not be contacted. The Singapore outfit were scheduled to play against defending champions United SC on Wednesday, while the Bangladeshi side were drawn against Mohun Bagan on Thursday, but both matches have been postponed. There will be only one match on Thursday with Mohammedan Sporting taking on second division side United Sikkim FC in a Group II match. Sandwiched between the Federation Cup and the final phase of the I-League, the tournament has already lost its sheen without some top local clubs. Meanwhile, East Bengal survived a jittery first-half before James Moga’s late strike from a goalkeeping deflection earned them a 1-1 draw against a spirited Busan SunMoon FC in the Shield opener. (PTI)
Vettel’s Jerez test ends early
JEREZ: Technical problems brought Sebastian Vettel’s involvement in Formula One’s first pre-season test to an early close on Wednesday with the quadruple world champion’s lap tally barely into double figures. Red Bull said they had halted running of the new RB10 car on the second day of the test to give themselves time to fix a problem with the Renault energy store. Vettel, who was scheduled to take part in the first two days only, stayed for a technical debrief at the circuit and then headed home to Switzerland. The quadruple champion leaves with just 11 laps on the board, eight completed on Wednesday. New team mate Daniel Ricciardo is due to be in the car for the remaining two days of the test. Vettel had been sidelined for most of Tuesday after a setup problem emerged before the new car was unveiled to the media. Formula One has replaced the old 2.4 litre V8 engines for a new turbocharged 1.6 litre V6 unit this season, with the complicated energy recovery systems and batteries proving a challenge for teams.
Seb keeps Schumi in his thoughts
Meanwhile, Vettel is keeping Michael Schumacher in his thoughts with the legend still in a coma one month after a skiing accident. Vettel said he was still shocked by what had happened to the sport’s most successful racer. “I pray and hope he will just come back and a miracle will happen and he will be the person he has always been before,” the 26-year-old told reporters on Tuesday. Schumacher, a seven times world champion and winner of a record 91 races, suffered brain injuries when he fell and hit his head on a rock while skiing off-piste in the French Alps on December 29. “He is still in a coma and we still don’t know in what shape he will be when he wakes up, which is horrible for his family and close friends,” Vettel added. (Reuters)
Bosses taken aback by double points storm
JEREZ: Formula One may have to ‘revisit’ a controversial rule change awarding double points for the final race of the season because of the backlash from fans, according to Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff. “I think obviously the s***storm we got afterwards was something which was not expected,” the Austrian told reporters at pre-season testing in southern Spain when asked about the decision. “We discussed it up and down and the reason (for the decision) was that for the last years we have seen the dominance of a driver and team and the (television) audiences were not as expected. Was it the right move or not? Ninety nine percent of our fans and spectators, and this is what counts, told us it was the wrong move. So perhaps it is something to revisit.” (Reuters)
Ex-Lotus boss Boullier joins McLaren
JEREZ: Former Lotus Formula One team principal Eric Boullier is joining McLaren in the newly created role of Racing Director, with Ron Dennis in overall control. McLaren said in a statement released during pre-season testing in Spain that the Frenchman would start work at Woking on February 3. The team said Boullier would report to a yet-to-be-appointed McLaren Racing Chief Executive Officer, who would in turn answer to group chairman, shareholder and former principal Dennis. McLaren had a miserable season last year, failing to secure a single podium in their worst performance since 1980. (Reuters)
Jayawardene’s double ton floors B’desh
Dhaka: Mahela Jayawardene became Test cricket’s sixth-highest run-getter with a glorious unbeaten double-century as Sri Lanka compounded Bangladesh’s misery in the first Test in Dhaka on Wednesday. The veteran right-hander made 203 not out, his seventh double-century, as the tourists piled up 730/6 declared on the third day. Having gained a mammoth lead of 498 runs, Sri Lanka reduced Bangladesh to 35/1 in nine overs before stumps to step closer to an overwhelming victory in the first match of the two-Test series. Jayawardene (11,236) leapfrogged Allan Border (11,174 runs) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (11,219) to move behind record-holder Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, Rahul Dravid and Brian Lara in the all-time list. (AFP)