India simply not up to scratch, says Dhoni

Defending champions India were "not up to international standards" at the Twenty20 World Cup, according to their captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
India lost by 12 runs to South Africa in their final match on Tuesday after chasing just 131 to win, their third defeat in three Super Eight games.
"This was not really expected of us and everyone thought we would do well," Dhoni told reporters.
"It's not about what you can achieve, it's about what you do achieve. We were not really up to the mark or at 100 per cent. Our performance was not up to the international standard."
Dhoni said his players never played consistently.
"There never was a time when the majority of the guys performed in one match, it was usually two bowlers in one game or three in another, with an off-day for a couple of them, or one man scored and the rest didn't so we never performed as a unit," he said.
The honest assessment may take some heat off Dhoni after he received fierce criticism back home but how the team responds to their below-par showing is what matters most.
India, whose players were involved in a tiring six-week Indian Premier League schedule before the World Cup, get a three-day break in England before flying out to the Caribbean for a four-match one-day series against West Indies.

Man Utd have made offers for winger Valencia, say Wigan

Manchester United have tabled offers for Wigan Athletic's Ecuador winger Antonio Valencia, the Premier League club's chairman Dave Whelan has said.

"They (United) have been in touch with us and we will be starting negotiations very shortly, I would imagine," Whelan told Sky Sports News when asked about Valencia.

"United have been in touch with us over Antonio for the last two or three months, expressing an interest and actually putting cash offers on the table.

"Those things have got to be picked up now. I think they were waiting to see if Ronaldo actually went to Real, which has happened."

United said on Thursday they had accepted an 80 million pound ($132 million) bid for Ronaldo from Real Madrid.

The 23-year-old Valencia, who has featured 34 times for his country, plays in a similar position to the Portugal winger.

British media said on Saturday that Valencia would command a fee of about 17 million pounds.

"Things will develop over the next seven to 14 days," added Whelan. "The master, which is (United manager) Sir Alex (Ferguson), he makes his moves when he is ready.

Whelan said he was not desperate to sell Valencia.

"If I can keep that lad, I'm going to keep him. He is one brilliant player.

"So there is no pressure on me, or our football club to sell him. If Man United don't want to make a (written) offer, I'll be delighted and we will have him in our team next season."

However, Whelan added he would not stand in Valencia's way if he wanted to move to Old Trafford.

"If Antonio Valencia says to me, 'Chairman, I want to go to Manchester United' and we get the right fee, the deal will be done."

Pace bowler Umar Gul captured a record five wickets on Saturday to propel Pakistan to an overwhelming six wicket victory over New Zealand in their Twe

Pace bowler Umar Gul captured a record five wickets on Saturday to propel Pakistan to an overwhelming six wicket victory over New Zealand in their Twenty20 World Cup second round match at the Oval.

Gul's five for six from three overs, the first five-wicket haul in a Twenty20 international, destroyed the New Zealand middle order as the Kiwis collapsed to 99 all out in 18.3 overs.
It was the lowest score of the tournament from a test playing nation after South Africa bowled England out for 111 at Trent Bridge on Thursday.

Pakistan were unrecognisable from the under-prepared side who lost by 48 runs to England in the first round last Sunday.
Abdul Razzaq, recalled to the side after two years in the Indian Cricket League in place of the injured Yasir Arafat, made the early breakthrough by dismissing the dangerous Brendon McCullum for 12.

Shahid Afridi was again a constant threat with his flat leg-spin, varying his pace cleverly to take one for 17. He also took a brilliant catch to dismiss Scott Styris (top scorer with 22), racing towards the boundary with his back to the pitch to grab a lofted on-drive.

Pakistan knocked off the runs from 13.1 overs, completing a miserable day for New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori who was making his first appearance of the tournament after a shoulder injury.

Vettori bowled the fourth over of the innings, with the fielding restrictions still in place, and saw his third ball disappear over his head for six.

He rallied, along with his team, to finish with a respectable two for 20 from his four overs but the result was neve1r in doubt.

Ronaldo sale does not affect sponsor deal, say Aon

Manchester United's proposed record sale of Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo does not affect Aon Corp's new shirt sponsor deal with the English Premier League champions, the company said.

"Our agreement is with Manchester United, not over any particular player, but more the franchise and the brand," Aon spokesman David Prosperi said late Thursday. "News of this type does not impact our agreement at all."

United said on Thursday they had accepted Real Madrid's staggering offer of 80 million pounds for Ronaldo.

Last week, Aon, the world's largest insurance broker, agreed to a four-year deal to sponsor the shirts of United starting with the 2010-2011 season.

United's current sponsorship deal with U.S. insurance giant American International Group pays 14 million pounds annually and expires in June 2010. U.S. media reports have pegged Aon's deal at 20 million pounds a year.

The deal with United was seen as a coup for Aon due to the soccer club's huge, global fan base that continues to grow, especially in Asia. Aon chief executive Greg Case described United one of the most recognized sports brands in the world.

United rely on sponsorship for about a third of their revenue, and the club pays about 43 million pounds a year to service 660 million pounds in debt created when U.S. owner Malcolm Glazer bought the club in 2005.

South Africa beat New Zealand by 1 run

South Africa beat New Zealand by one run in their Twenty20 World Cup Group D match at Lord's on Tuesday.

Score: South Africa 128-7 in 20 overs

New Zealand 127-5 in 20 overs

Maradona bids to avoid another altitude trap

Argentina, beaten 6-1 by Bolivia at 3,600 metres above sea level in April, face another high altitude World Cup qualifier in Ecuador on Wednesday. Coach Diego Maradona appeared to underestimate the effects of altitude as he faced the Bolivia with almost the same team which had played another match only four years earlier.

His side crashed to their heaviest defeat in 15 years and Lionel Messi was among players who admitted afterwards that he could not cope with the conditions. The failings of Maradona's team were put into perspective on Saturday when Venezuela beat Bolivia 1-0 in La Paz after making painstaking preparations which included three weeks' training at altitude.

Quito, at 2,800 metres, is not as extreme as La Paz but, unlike Bolivia, Ecuador have qualified for the last two World Cups and are still in the hunt for a place in South Africa. The top four in the 10-team South American group qualify directly for South Africa and the fifth play off against the fourth side from CONCACAF.

Kaka's exit a fresh blow for Italy

Kaka's departure from AC Milan to Real Madrid is another indication of the decline of Italian soccer and may prompt an exodus of other top Serie A players. 

Unprecedented financial worries have prompted the Rossoneri to sell their best player when they had almost always been a buying club. 

In just over a week they have watched Paolo Maldini retire, coach Carlo Ancelotti move to Chelsea and Kaka head for Spain. 

Further damage could follow if reports are true that Ancelotti is keen on taking striker Alexandre Pato and midfielder Andrea Pirlo to London with him. 

Serie A top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic has also said several times that he is restless at champions Inter Milan, with a move to Barcelona mooted by his agent. 

"I don't see myself in the shirt of the same club for lots of years," Ibrahimovic told reporters. "I've won everything in Italy, I don't know what I still have to achieve here." 

Italian football, hit by a match-fixing scandal and hooligan problems in recent years, had hoped the arrival of Ronaldinho and David Beckham at Milan and charismatic coach Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan would signal a return to Serie A's glory days. 

Ronaldinho, however, has continued to struggle, Los Angeles Galaxy refused to be cowed by Milan and dragged Beckham back to the United States, while Mourinho found winning the league a little easy in his first season and links with Real persist.