BCCI backs Srini for ICC chief post
New Delhi: With the Supreme Court refusing to restrain N Srinivasan from taking over as ICC Chairman, the BCCI has sent a final confirmation to the world body intimating that its President-in-exile will be the candidate to head the all-powerful Board. The Tamil Nadu strongman will officially take charge as the first-ever chairman of the all-powerful ICC Board on June 29 in Melbourne after the completion of its six-day annual conference starting June 23. “The BCCI needed to send a re-confirmation of who will be their candidate for the post of chairman of the ICC Board. The name of Mr Srinivasan was decided in February itself but as per ICC norm, we needed to send a re-confirmation a week before the start of the Annual Conference. Accordingly, we have sent Srinivasan’s name for the chairman’s post,” a senior BCCI office-bearer told PTI on condition of anonymity. As per the agenda, on June 26, which is the fourth day of the Annual Conference in Melbourne, the Full Council is expected to approve amendments to the ICC constitution, which were agreed by the ICC Board in its February 8 meeting in Singapore, which will confirm Srinivasan’s appointment to head the primary decision-making body. (PTI)
Nadal under Wimbledon cloud
London: Rafael Nadal heads to Wimbledon fearing the title may be beyond him as the season’s third Grand Slam tournament shapes up to be the most open in a decade. World No. 1 Nadal, fresh from a record ninth French Open title, was Wimbledon champion in 2008 and 2010 and runner-up in 2006, 2007 and 2010. But his last two visits have been humiliating disasters. The Spaniard suffered his first ever opening round exit at a Grand Slam in 2013 to Belgian journeyman Steve Darcis who was ranked 135 at the time and has not won a main tour match since. Twelve months earlier, the world’s 100th best player, big-hitting Lukas Rosol put him out in the second round, a defeat which precipitated a seven-month absence from the sport for the man from Mallorca. The 28-year-old hinted at another Wimbledon letdown in the immediate aftermath of his triumph over Novak Djokovic in the French Open final two weeks ago where he claimed his 14th major. “I am healthy, that’s the most important thing. I hope my knee will have a positive feeling on grass because I felt my knee was better last year on the other surfaces,” said Nadal, who has been seeded number two. “Grass is always a little bit harder for me after injury. I played Wimbledon in 2012 with my knee injury and I never played another match after. Last year I tried but I was not ready enough to compete. Let’s see how are my feelings this year.” (Reuters)
Purav Raja qualifies for Wimbledon
London: Purav Raja and Marcelo Demoliner booked a berth in the men’s doubles event of the Wimbledon Championships after shocking top-seeded Germans Gero Kretchmer and Alex Satschko in the final qualifying round, here. The fifth seed Indo-Brazilian partner came from behind for a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory in the second and final round of the Qualifiers. Now at least five Indians, with different partners, are set to compete in the doubles event of the grass court major. Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan are the other Indians who received direct entry. (PTI)
Red Bull bank on home advantage
Spielberg (Austria): Red Bull will be looking to extend their winning form and set the stage for a real title challenge to dominant Mercedes when the Grand Prix returns to Austria on Sunday after 11 years. Fresh from Daniel Ricciardo’s maiden win in Canada two weeks ago, the Austrian team will have home advantage at the Red Bull Ring amid the rolling hills of southern Styria. But the 24-year-old Australian still has a large gap to close if he is to catch up with current championship leader Nico Rosberg and his team mate Lewis Hamilton, who stand respectively at 140 and 118 points, to his 79. After taking all first six races of the season – putting them firmly in the lead in the constructors’ standings – Mercedes encountered power problems in Montreal, helping Ricciardo to victory. This will not happen again, Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff vowed ahead of F1’s return to the historic track: “We will be pushing harder than ever to ensure that we do not give away any more valuable points to our rivals.” (AFP)