CA refutes reports of new coach
melbourne: Cricket Australia (CA) has denied claims that former Test opener Justin langer will be appointed as Australia's head coach. The ‘West Australian' newspaper reported on Wednesday that langer, who played 105 Tests for Australia, would be ratified at a CA board meeting on Friday. However, CA have refuted the report but confirmed initial steps would be taken to find a replacement for Darren lehmann, who resigned in the aftermath of the ball tampering scandal. "The process to be undertaken for the appointment of a new coach will be discussed and agreed at the CA board meeting this Friday," a CA spokesperson said in a statement. "No appointment has been made, and nor will any candidate be put to the board for ratification on Friday. We expect to have a clearer understanding of the approach and appointment timelines following this meeting," he added. langer has coached Western Australia and the Perth Scorchers since 2012 and has long been considered the natural successor to lehmann.
Ind clubbed with maldives,sl in SAFF
new delhi: Seven-time champions India have been drawn in Group B with Maldives and Sri lanka at during the official draw of the 2018 SAFF Cup Football tournament. In group A, the tournament hosts Bangladesh, will go head-to-head with Nepal, Pakistan, and Bhutan after an exciting ceremony at the Pan Pacific Hotel Sonargaon. The SAFF Suzuki Cup, the region's premier football tournament, will be played in Bangladesh from September 4 to 15 - marking the third time it has been staged in the country. India have faced Maldives three times in the SAFF Cup final defeating them in 1997 and 2009 - when the event was last played in Dhaka. India are also the defending champions following their success in 2015, when they overcame Afghanistan in the final. The latter team are not competing this year having joined the Central Asian Football Association.
Bayern reach German Cup final
leverkusen: Thomas Mueller scored a hat trick as Bayern Munich booked its place in the German Cup final with a 6-2 win at Bayer leverkusen on Tuesday. Bayern, which eased to the league title with five rounds remaining, will face Schalke or Eintracht Frankfurt - who meet in the other semifinal in the German season-ending showpiece in Berlin's Olympia stadion on May 19. It will be Bayern's 22nd German Cup final. "The conditions are optimal," Mueller said of the side's remaining objectives. Bayern also faces Real Madrid in the Champions league semifinals. Bayern is going for a repeat of the treble it secured in 2013 in Heynckes' previous stint in charge. The veteran coach was coaxed back out of retirement in October for his fourth stint following Bayern's all but forgotten lackluster start.
Nasser tips Jemimah to be a star
mumbai: Former England cricket captain Nasser Hussain has tipped talented Jemimah Rodrigues to be a star for the Indian women's cricket team. The 17-year-old Mumbai all-rounder Jemimah, the second-youngest women's T20I half-centurion, and the youngest from her country, was part of India's double-series wins in South Africa. She is also the youngest centrally-contracted players with BCCI. "Remember the name... Jemimah Rodrigues.. did some throw downs with her today .. she's going to be a star for India," Hussain, who played 96 Tests, wrote on Twitter, posting a picture with Jemimah.