Leicester don’t want to be a ‘selling club’, says Shakespeare
LEICESTER, United Kingdom: Leicester City should be able to hold on to its key players as they prepare for the upcoming season without European football, rather than just selling them off, manager Craig Shakespeare has said.
Reigning Premier League champions Leicester were knocked out of the Champions League quarter-finals by Atletico Madrid last week and are currently 15th in the Premier League ahead of Wednesday’s trip to seventh-placed Arsenal.
With striker Jamie Vardy and winger Riyadh Mahrez, midfielder Danny Drinkwater and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel tied down with long-term contracts, Shakespeare believes he has no reason to worry about key players leaving at the end of the campaign.
“We have said before we don’t want to be a selling club,” Shakespeare told reporters on Monday.
“All the players are happy here.
They are a very unique group.
We have created something here which is quite special, so they have said they are quite happy.
“I have no problems with players being ambitious, but they are at a good club here and get looked after well.
“Shakespeare, who took charge from Claudio Ranieri in February for the rest of the season, said a decision is yet to be made on his future but the board has involved him in its pre-season and recruitment plans for the next campaign.
“I am in charge of pre-season.
I have had one meeting about recruitment, which I really enjoyed,” he added.
“We need to make sure we get enough points to stay in the league first, and the time will come to sit down.
“Shakespeare has led Leicester to five league victories in their last seven games, moving the club six points clear of the relegation zone.
Radcliffe urges Griffiths not to rush in search for coach
LONDON: Josh Griffiths, the fastest Briton at the recent London Marathon, must not rush into a search for a coach, women’s world marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe has said.
The self-taught amateur beat elite runners and became the fastest British male to complete the marathon with a time of two hours 14 minutes and 49 seconds on Sunday and will be named in Great Britain’s team for the World Championships.
Radcliffe, a former Olympian and the women’s world record holder for marathons with a time of two hours, 15 minutes and 25 seconds, said that Griffiths must take his time before hiring a coach.
“I would not rush into getting a coach because whatever he is doing is working well,” Radcliffe told British media.
“It can become a weight when you make a breakthrough, so he needs to keep working and build on this at championships. He does not need to put too much pressure on himself.”
Griffiths, who also qualified for the Wales Commonwealth Games team, will join British Athletics’ holding camp to prepare for the World Championships in August in London.
Taimuria Sports beat National Gymkhana in cricket tourney
KARACHI: Taimuria Sports beat National Gymkhana by six wickets and Metropolitan Cricket Club thrashed Orangi Muslim Cricket Club by 211 runs in Fazal Mehmood National Club Cricket Championship.
Batting first at KCCA Stadium, National Gymkhana were all out for 165 in 33.5 overs.
Muhammad Ali top scored for the side with 38 runs. Meer Saeed Ullah captured four wickets for 21.
Taimuria Sports achieved the target with six wickets in hand in 26.2 overs. Meer Saeed Ullah scored 60.
At Lawai Cricket Stadium, Metropolitan CC batted first and put on board a huge total of 354-8 in 50 overs. Arsalan Waseem (58 runs), Abdul Rehman (53 runs), Muhammad Taha (58 runs), Shoaib Ahmed (38 runs) and Anas Ilyas (36 not out) batted well.
Orangi Muslim CC were all out for a paltry 143 in 35.1 overs. Mujtaba Qadir top scored for the side with 31 runs. Muhammad Taha, Muhammad Usman, Ali Khurram and Abdul Basit picked two wickets each.
Young cueist Naseem to get Rs50,000 award
By our correspondent
KARACHI: The Pakistan Billiards & Snooker Association (PBSA) has announced a cash award of Rs50,000 for young cueist Mohammad Naseem Akhtar in recognition of his outstanding performances in the junior events earlier this year.
PBSA president Munawwar Hussain Shaikh informed the media that Naseem was being rewarded for winning the National Under-18 and the National Under-21 snooker tournaments and for reaching the semi-finals of the Asian Under-21 snooker championship in Chundigarh, India, earlier this month.
The decision in this regard was taken in the recently held Executive Committee meeting of the PBSA.
Eibad, Murad move into Pak Bahria Tennis semis
By our correspondent
KARACHI: Eibad Sarwar and Murad Khan moved into the semi-finals of 2nd Pak Bahria Open Ranking and Inter Collegiate Tennis Championship at Karsaz here on Tuesday.
In the men’s singles quarter-final, Eibad beat Abdullah Khan 6-2, 3-1 (retired), while Murad got walkover against Hania Naveed.
Mahatir Muhammad beat Ashmaal Khan 8-1 in the under-11 round robin. In the under-9 round robin, Zain Ehtasham beat Hassan Jamal by 8-5 and Sabrina Khan by 8-0.
Sabrina defeated Ashammal 8-2 in ladies singles first round match. In soft tennis round robin, Hassan Siddiqui beat Saad Ahmed 5-3; Eibad Sarwar beat Saad Ahmed 5-2; Aqeel Shabbir beat Saad Ahmed 5-0; Hassan Siddique beat M Usama Saeed 5-0; and Aqeel Shabbir beat M Usama Saeed 5-0.
National Seniors Northern Region final today
KARACHI: The northern region final of 18th National Seniors Cricket Cup will be played between Amar Cables and Golden Eagles on Wednesday (today) at Ali Ghar Cricket Ground in Model Town, Lahore.
Former International Cricket Council (ICC) president Zaheer Abbas will be the chief guest during the match. The winner of this final will meet Karachi Omar Associates, who won the southern zone final.
Dr M A Shah Night Trophy from 1st Ramadan
KARACHI: The 22nd edition of Dr M A Shah Night Trophy will begin from the first of Ramadan here at Asghar Ali Shah Stadium.
A total of 16 teams, divided into four groups, will take part in the event. The winners will get Rs600,000 and the runners-up will pocket Rs300,000. The Man of the Tournament will receive Rs25,000 and the Man of the Final Rs20,000.
