IPL team owners enraged after BCCI cuts ties with IMGIPL team owners enraged after BCCI cuts ties with IMG

High-profile owners of team franchises in the Indian Premier League have reacted furiously to the Indian cricket board’s decision to snap ties with event management company IMG, reports said on Monday.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday terminated its contract with the International Management Group, which helped it launch the lucrative Twenty20 league in 2008.

Business tycoon Mukesh Ambani and Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan, both owners of IPL franchisees, have shot off angry letters to the BCCI.

“I am personally shocked at the unilateral decision of doing away with the services of IMG,” the Times of India quoted Ambani, who owns the Mumbai Indians team, as saying in his letter.

“It is also worrying to me that such a significant decision in relation to IPL has been taken without even so much as consulting the franchises.

“I strongly believe that this decision, if taken forward, will destroy substantial value for all the stakeholders, especially the franchises and dilute the success of IPL in the coming years.”

Kolkata Knight Riders owner Khan said IMG had been “an integral part of the tournament management and its success so far” and questioned the logic of the board in ending the deal.

The BCCI had entered into a preliminary agreement with IMG in 2008 to promote and manage IPL’s affairs. IMG was to be paid 10 per cent of the tournament’s gross revenue as commission.

But the board felt the amount was “disproportionate to services rendered”.

Eduardo facing two-match ban if Uefa charge him with diving

Uefa came under mounting pressure yesterday to take disciplinary action against Eduardo da Silva after the Arsenal striker’s alleged dive to win a penalty in Wednesday’s second leg of the Champions League play-off against Celtic. Gordon Smith, the chief executive of the Scottish FA (SFA), echoed the calls of several Celtic players for the Croatia international to be banned and Michel Platini, the Uefa president, confirmed that a suspension was possible.

Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager, has defended Eduardo, who has not made any public comment.

Uefa disciplinary officials are reviewing the incident before deciding whether Eduardo will be charged with diving. There is a precedent for action to be taken. European football’s governing body suspended Saulius Mikoliunas, the former Heart of Midlothian midfield player, for two matches after video evidence was used to show that he dived in a European Championship qualifying match between Lithuania and Scotland, and the SFA handed a two-match ban to Kyle Lafferty this month for feigning injury in a game between Rangers and Aberdeen at the end of last season.

Under Smith, the SFA has taken a strong line against simulation and will support Celtic all the way if they choose to take the matter farther.

“Eduardo is a terrific player who has battled back from a serious injury to resume playing at the highest level,” Smith said. “However, on Wednesday he showed disrespect to the game by his actions in winning a penalty against Celtic.

“Since I came into this post I have raised the issue of simulation time and time again — both in Scotland and with Fifa and Uefa. I don’t think that I have received enough support in my efforts to eradicate what I believe to be one of the most serious threats to the integrity of football.

“Last night showed exactly why we must take this issue seriously. Everything that can be done to stamp it out must be done — starting right now.”

Smith believes that such incidents increase the need for the use of video replays to help referees, but Uefa and Fifa are opposed to it so such a change is unlikely. “I see no reason why we cannot use technology to assist referees, particularly in live games,” Smith said. “I know that some people say that TV evidence would damage the flow of a game, but the proposal that I put forward to both Fifa and Uefa, whereby football would adopt a similar approach to tennis in offering a set number of challenges, can work.

“We need a serious debate on these issues. Everyone in football has a responsibility to set the right example to our youngsters. We can talk all we want about Fair Play campaigns, but taking action would be a much more powerful deterrent and would send the right message to players everywhere.”

Platini’s solution is to employ two additional assistant referees, known as Auxiliary Assistant Referees (AARs), who would be stationed behind each goal and help with decisions relating to the goalline, set-pieces and action in the penalty area. AARs will be used on a trial basis in this season’s Europa League and if the experiment is successful it could be extended to the Champions League next season, then the 2012 European Championship.

“There are disciplinary procedures at Uefa and a decision could be taken to suspend the player,” Platini said. “Scotland often starts these procedures. Last time it was against a Lithuanian player and the general secretary of Uefa, David Taylor, is Scottish.

“You know what I think? One day players will give up simulation. For many years players have been able to cheat because they know the referee will not see them. I’ve been saying this for 30 years, ten of them since I joined the executive committee. That’s why it’s a good idea to have five referees.

“Players only cheat because they know the referee cannot see them. Having more referees would reduce shirt-pulling, simulation and improve the quality of refereeing.”

Federer out to cap ‘most amazing year’

Roger Federer will go into next week’s US Open convinced he can continue what he called “the most amazing year” of his life.

The defending champion from Switzerland avoided arch rival and third seed Rafael Nadal in the main draw for the men’s singles on Thursday, Spain’s Nadal having been drawn in the same half as Britain’s Andy Murray, the second seed.

Federer will bid for a sixth consecutive US Open title starting next Monday, looking to cap a year in which he became a father for the first time, to twin girls five weeks ago, regained his world number one ranking from Nadal, completed a career Grand Slam by winning a first French Open and then won Wimbledon to move past Pete Sampras with a record 15th Grand Slam victory.

He also proved he was still in peak form by brushing aside Murray and Novak Djokovic en route to the Cincinnati Masters title last weekend and Federer, 28, said he had no plans to let up.

“If I look back at which is the most amazing year of my life this is definitely it,” Federer said before the draw ceremony in Manhattan.

“I have a wife, we’ve been together now nine years and we’re very proud parents now, two sweet girls and also with the success on court I couldn’t have planned it better.

“Winning my first French Open championship, and then getting the 15th (grand slam) at Wimbledon the way I did against (Andy) Roddick in the final, it was an amazing summer and I’m still playing very well.

“I played great in Cincinnati and I hope things are also going to go well here at the US Open.”

Federer spoke with pride at the way he returned to form in 2009 having surrendered his Wimbledon title to Nadal during a problematic 2008.

“I had some issues last year, with illness at the start of the year and then my back prevented from playing at my very best at the end of last year and the beginning of this year.

“But still, I hung in there and was hopeful the better times would come round and I always kept working hard and in the end success came back.

“We also had crisis in the financial world and I also went through a little bit of a crisis by dropping to number two in the world,” Federer joked. “People were writing me off which was kind of difficult to understand at times but I bounced back and hope the same happens to the economy.”

Top seed Federer will begin his bid for a sixth straight US Open title against American wild card Devin Britton with Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt, seeded 31, a possible third-round opponent, American James Blake (21) or Spain’s Tommy Robredo (14) in round four and eighth seed Nikolay Davydenko a potential obstacle in the last eight.

The bottom quarter of Federer’s half of the draw is highlighted by fourth seed Novak Djokovic, who was beaten by the world number one in the Cincinnati final, and fifth seed Roddick, the American who took the Swiss to a 30th game in the final set of the Wimbledon men’s singles final before eventually losing out 16-14.

Murray’s bid to reach a second consecutive US Open final was made harder when the British star was handed a difficult draw.

The world number two and second seed lost in straight sets to Federer in his first Grand Slam final last September and he has once again been placed in the same half of the draw as Nadal, putting them in line for a repeat of last year’s semi-final, when the Spaniard was beaten in a match drawn out over two days due to heavy rain in New York.

To reach Nadal, who is seeking a first US Open title and with it a career grand slam at age 23, Murray will first have to have to go through the big-hitting Ivo Karlovic, Marin Cilic and Juan Martin del Potro if he is to get to the business end of the championship.

The Scot’s first-round opponent will be Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis, against whom he has a 3-0 record, their last meeting coming in the second round at Wimbledon when Murray won in straight sets.

Croatia’s Karlovic is a potential third round opponent, and either Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka, seeded 19, or No.16 Cilic, another Croatian, could face Murray in round four.

Argentina’s rising talent del Potro is Murray’s possible quarter-final opponent with Nadal seeded to face him in the last four.

Murray facing tough US Open draw

Andy Murray’s bid to reach a second consecutive US Open final was made harder as he was handed a difficult draw.

The world number two and second seed was runner-up in last year’s championship at Flushing Meadows, losing in straight sets to world number one Roger Federer in his first Grand Slam final last September.

The draw for next week’s US Open has placed Murray in the same half of the draw with the man he replaced as world number two, third seed Rafael Nadal of Spain, putting them in line for a repeat of last year’s semi-final.

Yet Murray will have to have to go through the big-hitting Ivo Karlovic, Marin Cilic and Juan Martin del Potro if he is to get to the business end of the championship.

The Scot’s first-round opponent will be Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis, against whom he has a 3-0 record, their last meeting coming in the second round at Wimbledon when Murray won in straight sets.

Croatia’s Karlovic is a potential third round opponent, and either Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka, seeded 19, or No.16 Cilic, another Croatian, could face Murray in round four.

Argentina’s rising talent del Potro is Murray’s possible quarter-final opponent with Nadal seeded to face him in the last four.

Top seed Federer, who beat Murray last Saturday in the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Masters tournament, is coming off victories at both the French Open and Wimbledon that took his total career Grand Slam titles to 15, surpassing Pete Sampras’ record.

The Swiss star, who became a father for the first time five weeks ago when wife Mirka gave birth to twin girls, will begin his bid for a sixth straight US Open title against American wild card Devin Britton with Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt, seeded 31, a possible third-round opponent, American James Blake (21) or Spain’s Tommy Robredo (14) in round four and eighth seed Nikolay Davydenko a potential obstacle in the last eight.

The bottom quarter of Federer’s half of the draw is highlighted by fourth seed Novak Djokovic, who was beaten by the world number one in the Cincinnati final, and fifth seed Andy Roddick, the American who took the Swiss to a 30th game in the final set of the Wimbledon men’s singles final before eventually losing out 16-14.

Women’s top seed Dinara Safina has been drawn to play Australian wild card Olivia Rogowska in the first round and is seeded to face No.5 Jelena Jankovic, last year’s runner-up, in the quarter-finals.

No.4 Elena Dementieva is seeded to face fellow Russian Safina in the semi-finals, although former champion and compatriot Maria Sharapova, seeded 29th, is a possible third round opponent for Dementieva.

Second seed Serena Williams begins her title defence against fellow American Alexa Glatch, a wild card, with Russia’s Vera Zvonareva her highest seeded opponent at number seven in their quarter of the draw.

An all-Williams sisters semi-final is on the cards as third seed Venus Williams is in the same half of the draw, although her path to the last four could be complicated as wild card and 2005 champion Kim Clijsters is in her quarter and a potential fourth round opponent.

Crystal Palace 0-2 Manchester City

Carlos Tevez opened his Man City goals account after the BPL superstars were given a Carling Cup fright by Crystal Palace.

Joleon Lescott made his debut in a City side packed with £200million worth of talent, with boss Mark Hughes signalling his intent to justify the club’s lavish spending with a trophy this season.

But owner Sheikh Mansour could have been forgiven for checking some of his receipts at half-time with Neil Warnock’s no-nonsense Palace well on top.

City’s all-star forward line of Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor and Robinho were not relishing the experience as the Palace back four snapped and snarled at them at every opportunity.

At the other end, Lescott and Kolo Toure, wearing the captain’s armband with Richard Dunne set to join Aston Villa, struggled with Palace’s pacy attackers Freddie Sears and Victor Moses.

Palace, whose only summer signings have been loans and free recruits, had the scent of a major upset in their nostrils as the sides trooped off at the interval.

But whatever Hughes told his side in the dressing room paid off as Shaun Wright-Phillips finally found some space to hit the opener and Tevez struck a second to seal City’s passage into the third round of the competition they last won in 1976 – their last major trophy.

The visitors created their first chance after just two minutes, with Adebayor and Robinho combining well before teeing up Tevez, who fired wide from just inside the area.

But after that early wake-up call Palace began warming to their task and almost took the lead when Clint Hill was left unmarked to meet Darren Ambrose’s free-kick, only to head straight at Shay Given.

Palace were intent on unsettling City’s new-look back four and Moses’ low cross had to be palmed clear by Given before Paddy McCarthy’s header was kept out by the Irish goalkeeper.

The Premier League side were almost caught napping when Shaun Derry put Sears in behind, but the striker’s angled drive was too close to Given.

On the half-hour midfielder Ambrose was afforded too much space by a hastily retreating defence and fizzed a 20-yard shot inches over Given’s crossbar.

A slick counter from City almost paid dividends when Stephen Ireland played in Adebayor, who cut inside onto his right foot and curled in a shot which Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni blocked at full stretch.

Tevez then played a clever one-two with Ireland but Speroni was out quickly to deny his fellow Argentinian.

Given came to City’s rescue again just before the break after a high ball caught Toure dozing and Sears almost nipped in.

But City finally found their goalscoring touch five minutes into the second half, and it was two of their homegrown stars who made the breakthrough.

Ireland fed the ball across the pitch to Wright-Phillips, who had escaped the attentions of Hill for once and hit a fierce drive which beat Speroni inside his near post.

Two minutes later Ireland sent Adebayor through one-on-one with Speroni, but the goalkeeper spread himself well to keep his side in the tie.

Barely 60 seconds later City carved Palace open again, Robinho slipping in Wright-Phillips who dinked the ball over Speroni but against the crossbar.

Palace had a chance to level midway through the second half when Nathanial Clyne found Moses in the area, but the youngster skied his shot.

And the tiring hosts were made to pay in the 71st minute when Tevez tip-toed in between the centre-halves and nodded Wright-Phillips’ corner past Speroni.

Tevez almost doubled his tally when he danced past Hill and fired in a low shot which Speroni scrambled away.

At the other end, Given saved well from Alassane N’Diaye and Shaun Derry fired wide, but City did manage to record another clean sheet and maintained their 100% record this season.

Hughes: Tevez will get better

Mark Hughes backed Carlos Tevez to stay on the goal trail after the striker got off the mark in the 2-0 Carling Cup win at Crystal Palace.

Tevez, who hit 34 goals in two seasons for Manchester United, found the net for the first time since swapping red for light blue as City saw off plucky Palace.

“That was important for him,” said Hughes.

“I hoped he would get opportunities tonight and he was able to get off the mark. His energy and enthusiasm for the game shone through.

“The more he plays for us, the better he will become. We’ve got Emmanuel Adebayor and Carlos off the mark now so we are delighted.”

City were forced to weather a first-half storm from Palace, who came off at half-time on top having gone close through Freddie Sears and Darren Ambrose.

City’s all-star frontline of Adebayor, Tevez and Robinho did not look like they were relishing the experience as the Palace back four snapped and snarled at them at every opportunity.

At the other end, Joleon Lescott was handed a surprise debut alongside new captain Kolo Toure.

“He did fine,” added Hughes of his new £22million signing.

“He only had 24 hours and one training session with us. But we got clearance for him to play and it was important to get him in the team as soon as possible.”

It took until five minutes into the second half for City’s £200million line-up to show their quality – although the breakthrough came from two of their homegrown stars.

Stephen Ireland fed Shaun Wright-Phillips down the left and the England winger, who for once had shaken off Palace defender Clint Hill, rifled the ball past Julian Speroni.

Palace, whose summer signings consisted of loans and free transfers, nearly hit back through Victor Moses but the youngster skied his shot.

Tevez made the game safe when he met Wright-Phillips’ corner with a firm header in the 71st minute.

“It was once bitten, twice shy for us,” said Hughes. “Last season we went down to Brighton, made changes and got knocked out.

“We are not in Europe this season, that is one less competition for us and we want to do as well as we can in the ones we are in.”

Palace boss Neil Warnock, who once almost signed Lescott for £3million while manager of Sheffield United, was delighted his side gave City a fright.

“I thought we played as well as could be expected and I’m pleased to have given then a game,” he said.

“It was a great tribute to us the team Mark put out and I’m very proud of the way we played.

“It was great for the fans. I brought my son tonight because he wanted to see Adebayor – I told him he wouldn’t get a kick and I was right!

“The fans have enjoyed that tonight and that is how it should be, instead of talking about diving.

“It wasn’t a great start for Lescott, Crystal Palace away on a Thursday night, but it will stand him in good stead. He won’t come under any more pressure in the Premier League.”