Sagna: Fabregas seeking Arsenal exit

Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna claims club captain Cesc Fabregas wants to join Barcelona this summer, but hopes Samir Nasri will stay at the north London club.

Fabregas has once again been linked with a return to the Catalan club, where he came through the youth ranks before signing for the Gunners in 2003.
Barca have failed to sign their former player in each of the last two summer transfer windows, but Sagna believes it could be a case of third time lucky for the Catalan club.
"I can say it's true that Cesc wants to go to Barca," the right-back told former Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Fernandez on France's RMC radio station.
"Fabregas wants to return to his country of birth, to his city, where his family are; he wants to play for one of the best teams in the world, Barcelona, and that's understandable.
"At the moment, however, he is still Arsenal's captain."
While Sagna believes Fabregas may leave London, the defender is hopeful Nasri will stay at the English club.
"Samir is happy at Arsenal, but I don't know what the best thing is for his career," he said.
"He has been one of the best players in the team this season and he is one of the symbols of this team. I hope to find him there when we return for (pre-season) training."
Meanwhile, Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis has told his club's fans he shares a "profound disappointment" with them but has promised a busy summer in the transfer market as the club look to end their six-year trophy drought.
What had once looked to be a quadruple bid imploded once the Gunners lost the Carling Cup final to Birmingham, and they ended the Premier League season in fourth place.
Another season without success saw some fans voice their unhappiness with manager Arsene Wenger, especially over his apparent reluctance to spend big on new signings.
But at a question and answer session with the Arsenal Supporters Trust last night, Gazidis has pledged to start putting things right.
"Coming off the end of the season, I share with you a sense of profound disappointment," he said.
"It is very clear we had some shortcomings and in this close season we are going to see some turnover of players.
"Some new signings will be coming in and some of our existing squad will be going out. As Arsene has said, it will be a busy close season for the club.
"But also it is important to recognise that it has not been a disaster. We have a young squad and we don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water. The trick will be to identify which parts to keep and which parts to turn over. And we will do that within our financial capabilities."

South flies the flag for Britain

Melanie South was the only one of nine British players to progress on the second day of qualifying for Wimbledon.

World number 294 South defied her lowly status to upset Romania's Liana Ungur, ranked more than 100 places higher than her, 6-4 6-4 in their first-round qualifier.
It was the only success for the home contingent, however, as fellow women's hopefuls Tara Moore, Anna Fitzpatrick, Jade Windley, Samantha Murray and Francesca Stephenson all lost in straight sets.
In the men's draw, Jamie Baker lost to Andreas Beck, who beat him in the first round proper last year, to join youngsters Liam Broady and Oliver Golding on the sidelines.
Ireland's Conor Niland, though, came from behind to beat Australian Greg Jones 4-6 7-5 6-2.

Liverpool weighing bid for Dann

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish is considering bids for both Blackpool's Charlie Adam and Birmingham's Scott Dann.

The Scot has already splashed the cash with  £16 million on Sunderland's Jordan Henderson, and is expected to make a formal offer of £9 million to Blackpool for Adam.
However, according to reports in the Daily Mail, the Liverpool manager is keen to continue bolstering his defence, and considering a move for Birmingham's Dann, who is a childhood fan of the Anfield club.
Dalglish had previously been disappointed in his bid for Phil Jones, and has now turned his attention to Dann after the Englishman decided to sign for archrivals Manchester United instead.
However, Liverpool will have to fight off the attentions of Arsenal as well, with manager Arsene Wenger also keen on the player, as well as Blackburn Rover's Christopher Samba in an attempt to add heft and power to the Gunners.
Despite having a love for Liverpool, Dann is reported to be more keen on Champions League football with Arsenal, and this could prove a stumbling block that Dalglish cannot surmount.
However, should Arsenal snap up their man, Liverpool could extract some form of revenge by poaching Gunner Gael Clichy, who has been linked to the club after having only one year left on his current deal with the North London club.

Cricket Australia reinstates tri series; India, Sri Lanka to be visitors

After a four-year hiatus, Cricket Australia (CA) has reinstated the ODI tri-series with India and Sri Lanka in February in their summer schedule for the 2011-12 season.

The tri-series, dumped earlier due to lack of interest in matches not featuring the host team, has now made part of the international schedule for the first time in four years. It will start on Feb 5 with Brisbane and Adelaide hosting the finals, according to the schedule released on Tuesday.

India and srilanka australia

The schedule also has six Tests against New Zealand and India, two Twenty20 internationals and at least 14 one-day matches in the triangular series.

Australia will play two Test matches against New Zealand in Brisbane and Hobart and will take on India to kick-start the summer. This will be India’s first tour Down Under since their controversial tour in 2007-2008.

India will play four Tests, including the Boxing Day Test at the MCG and the New Year’s Test at the SCG. The final Test will be in Adelaide.

Sydney’s Olympic Park and the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will host two Twenty20 matches against India.

Leading Pak is not like a bed of roses: Misbah

Misbah-ul-Haq

 Misbah-ul-Haq has said that the job of leading the Pakistan cricket team is not ‘a bed of roses’. 

Misbah, who took over the Test leadership after Salman Butt was suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) last year, was also entrusted with the captain’s armband for ODIs after Shahid Afridi was removed from the post by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) last month.

“I never focused on long-term captaincy. Leading Pakistan is not like a bed of roses and as a Test captain, I’ve been trying my level best,” The Daily Times quoted Misbah, as saying.

“Leading the side in ODIs is an added responsibility, but it’s still an honour. My only focus is to do well as a batsman and captain,” he added.

He declined to comment on the ongoing row between Afridi and the PCB.

However, he did express satisfaction over the recent Ireland trip.

Misbah hoped that the performance of the young players would improve with the passage of time.

“The result speaks itself and I am satisfied with the performance. The team combination worked out very well and the young players are getting better with experience,” he said.

Chappell as coach 'worst' of my career: Zaheer

Indian pace spearhead Zaheer Khan considers the two years with Greg Chappell as national coach the worst of his decade-long career as the controversial Australian made him feel unwanted in the team.

Zaheer said he and other senior players were constantly worried about their place in the side and were unable to perform during that tumultuous period between 2005 and 2007.

"It was as if you've been framed. It was like 'we don't want you in the team. It's not about performance, we don't like your attitude, you're stopping the growth of cricket in the Indian team'. I felt it personally because I was dropped straight after the Sri Lanka tour, even though I had not performed badly," Zaheer said.

"I was fortunate enough to go to South Africa to represent the Asia XI (in the Afro-Asia Cup).

Hamilton to Red Bull rumours denied

A spokesman for Lewis Hamilton has denied rumours talks were held over the weekend regarding a potential move to Red Bull.

Hamilton's future has been the source of considerable debate this season, with speculation gathering momentum in light of the year he is currently enduring.
With another year remaining on his current McLaren contract after this one, it has often been suggested Hamilton could move to Red Bull or Ferrari from 2013 onwards.
Fuel has been added to the fire in light of Hamilton meeting with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner in the marque's paddock buildings at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Saturday.
It is understood the two men held a 15-minute conversation, which has sparked supposition that Hamilton is eyeing up a move.
However, speaking to Press Association Sport, a spokesman for XIX Entertainment that represents Hamilton, said: "Neither Lewis nor his management team have had any discussions with regard to Lewis moving to another team.
"He is happy at McLaren, and is positive he can still have a say in this year's world championship."
The suggestion Hamilton would sit with Horner in a building right next door to McLaren's plot in the close confines of the Montreal paddock and discuss his future would appear ludicrous.
The F1 paddock is, without a doubt, a haven of gossip, especially when it comes to the destination of one of the sport's top drivers such as Hamilton, and therefore the last place to conduct talks.
It would also be Machiavellian of Hamilton to do so right under the noses of his current team, with whom he has not ruled out signing a new deal.
Throw in the factor the 2013 campaign is poised to herald a major change in the regulations that could alter the current balance of power, and Hamilton would be foolish to commit himself to anyone right now.
Of course, the current whispers only add to his cause as and when the right time comes to negotiating a new contract with McLaren.
But then McLaren already know they have in their possession one of the sport's most gifted drivers who could walk into any team.
At present, if his performances in the last two grands prix are anything to go by, then Hamilton does appear distracted.
The Briton has been involved in four separate crashes, with two in Monaco with Ferrari's Felipe Massa and Williams' Pastor Maldonado, then a further two in yesterday's Canadian Grand Prix.
After tagging and spinning Red Bull's Mark Webber, Hamilton retired on lap eight of the rain-hit race after running into team-mate Jenson Button, who went on to claim a remarkable victory.
Hamilton has since admitted the incident was his fault, that he was "in the wrong place at the wrong time."
He also knows times are tough right now, but the tide will also turn.
"You know what, I think you make your own luck," Hamilton told BBC Radio 5 Live's podcast.
"I feel very blessed to be here still in F1, fit, healthy and alive and still racing. There are many, many drivers that wish they could be in our position.
"Of course, you could always hope for things to be better, but good times do come to those who wait. So I'll just bide my time and hope that at some stage it will be mine."
It is frustration that is almost certainly gnawing away at Hamilton as he believes he is the sport's best, that he should have won more titles and races by now.
Instead, he finds himself overshadowed by Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull, and hence the gossip surrounding a potential move.
Former McLaren driver John Watson told talksport: "Hamilton is very frustrated. I don't think he's in a good place in himself at the minute.
"He thought he could go to Canada and challenge Red Bull, but he ended up fifth on the grid and, to me, he's being driven by frustration, not by his race brain.
"Hamilton needs to sit down and think about what he's doing and try to get his season back on track.
"He thinks he's the quickest guy in a grand prix car, and he probably is, and that he should win every race and every world championship.
"And it's that frustration that's driving him into making these judgements that are getting him into trouble."