Sony World Photography Awards Puts Sport in the Picture

Calling all budding sport photographers…

Have you got what it takes to be the next Heinz Kluetmeier? The Sony World Photography Awards - the global competition which honours both professional and amateur photographers - is inviting all budding sport photographers to submit their work for the 2009 SWPA Sport amateur category. Sport has long provided us with some of the most arresting photographic opportunities, and this is your chance to get your work seen by some of the world’s leading photographers.

In addition to the SWPA Sport Amateur Category, Sony is proud to introduce a brand new category this year with the 2009 Campaign Award, joining together a global obsession for football with an enthusiasm and passion for photography. The award seeks to uncover and celebrate the beauty of football that many people might miss or overlook: extraordinary football moments where you would least expect to find them. The winner of this award will receive tickets to Cannes, and also to the World Cup in 2010.

The Sony World Photography Awards are entirely international, welcoming people from across the globe to submit their photographs into an exciting amateur competition, which is run alongside the Professional Awards. They are judged by some of the most renowned names in the industry including Tom Stoddart and Elliott Erwitt.

· The competition is free to enter and the submission deadline is 31 December 2008. The winner will be announced on 17 March 2009. There are eight amateur categories in total

· The SWPA Amateur Sport Photographer of the Year will be showcased as part of the official 2009 Finalists exhibition in Cannes and be part of the annual SWPA Global Tour

· One grand prize winner will be selected from the eight category winners by the 2009 Judging Committee and will be awarded The Sony World Photography Awards Amateur Photographer of the Year. The overall winner and a guest will be flown to Cannes, receive two nights’ accommodation in a luxury hotel on the famous Croisette, receive VIP tickets to attend the evening gala awards ceremony on 16 April 2009, and will receive $5000 and a Sony prize 16th

http://www.worldphotographyawards.org/enterhere.asp

Thailand International Cricket Sixes Tournament Final Day Report

Sunday saw the conclusion to the inaugural Thailand International Cricket Sixes, and what a dramatic day it was. The scriptwriters could not have made up a better ending for the organisers, the Asian Cricket Sixes Tour in conjunction with Southerners CC of Bangkok.

Teams returned from a well-deserved rest at The Chaophya Park Hotel to a damp Harrow International School ground to complete the preliminary games.

Saturday’s late games saw Shanghai Dragons post 1/110 (Jon Newton 31*) against Bounty Buccaneers 2/26. Richard Oster recorded his second retirement of the day for Southerners Gold who ended up with 0-87 against Jakarta Rebels 2/46. CBB SC’s scored 2/81 with Saurav Chattergee starring with 30* opposed to Southerners Black’s 52 to bring proceedings to an end for the day.

On Sunday morning CBB Postels could only muster 2/33 against Southerners Gold who knocked off the target without loss. CBB SK’s (3/20) didn’t fair any better chasing Shanghai’s 0/83 for whom Jon Newton hammered another undefeated innings. CBB SC’s 0/72 consisted of a fine Mark Woods knock while the Bounty Buccs could only reply with 4/26.

Etihad Airways made hard work of chasing down the CBB Postels 1/44, finally reaching their target with two balls to spare. Jakarta only just overcame the Rough Edged Gents before a real nail biter, and indeed shock ended the prelims. When Southerners Black reached 5/53, it appeared to be game over against winless CBB SK’s. However, how wrong could the aficionados be? Cathy Gavin had taken a wicket before her husband Carl, smashed a retirement. It was then left to CBB stalwart, Swiss Cyrus Maybud to hit the winning runs with a ball to spare.

The semi finals of the Plate saw CBB SK’s 1/44 fell well short of Jakarta’s 1/65 while CBB Postels 2/43 was never going to be enough to trouble Southerners Black.

The Cup semi’s produced cricket of the highest quality. Southerners Gold’s 2/66 looked as though it was going to be too many for CBB SC’s until one superb over of hitting from old stager Ian Liddell turned the tide. The winning runs were scored from the last ball. Shanghai’s 0/68 consisted of another great knock from Sanjay Anagula against Etihad and it looked like it was going to be enough. However, amazing knocks from Sanket Nayak and Azam Qazi saw the Abu Dhabi based outfit home with a ball to spare.

The Bowl Final saw the Rough Edged Gents defeat the Bounty Buccaneers by 22 runs to lift silverware at the first attempt. Lee Keohane contributed 21 but Stuart Tasker took the man of the match award with 31*.

Southerners Black lifted the Plate title chasing down the spirited Rebels target of 4/49 with just 2 balls remaining. Jakarta were severely hampered by a bad injury to Robbie Whiteman who battled on to the end. The hosts Jay Lamey took the man of the match accolades for his 31 not out.

The best was yet to come as the Cup Final was a brilliant advert for the tournament and sixes cricket. In a vibrant atmosphere CBB SC’s 2/70 (made up of some monster hits from Saurav Chattergee and Imran Indrees) was always going to be a stiff target for Etihad in fading light. With an over to go they still needed 16 which they reduced to 9 from two balls. Azam Qazi hit a six before two were scrambled from the last ball leaving the scores level. The tension mounted before ACST Chairman, Michael “Cat” Maher declared Etihad the winners on virtue of losing fewer wickets in the game. Sankat Nayak was man of the match.

The presentations, which also saw Southerners Gold, Richard Oster named as Player of the Tournament, brought the hugely successful event to a close.

www.thailandsixes.com

A1GP Signs Up New Talent for its TV World Feed

London, Great Britain – The millions of A1GP World Cup of Motorsport fans who follow the fortunes of the series on their tv screens will have two new personalities to watch and listen to in Season Four. The series will have Diana Binks and James Hinchcliffe as its world feed pit lane reporters, working alongside its regular, vastly experienced commentary team of John Watson and Ben Edwards.

This will not be totally new territory for Hinchcliffe, who raced for A1 Team Canada in Seasons Two and Three. He has been a co-commentator for Champ Cars’ international TV feed and also made a guest appearance in the A1GP pit lane as a reporter last season in Sepang. He views taking on the role full-time as a natural next step: “I am thrilled that A1GP has asked me to be part of the pit lane line up for Season Four,” he commented. “I got the opportunity to work with A1GP TV last season and it’s great to now be on board full-time. This is shaping up to be the best season of A1GP yet, with the introduction of the new car, and it's awesome to think that I get to watch all the action unfold from pit lane. “

Talking about how his A1GP experience behind the wheel will help, he commented: “Obviously having driven in A1GP I hope I am able to bring a little bit of the driver’s perspective to the fans watching at home. There is so much that is happening in the driver’s seat and being able to relay all that excitement to those watching on television will definitely be a new and fun challenge for me.”

Diana Binks, who was born in Scotland, is no stranger to the world of motorsport, as she has worked in various categories from bikes to cars and currently fronts the British Formula 3 and British GT Championship for Channel 4 in the UK. She also hosts late night sport for Five and is a regular reporter on sportscars, triathlon and endurance sports events. Binks knows how tough being a pit lane reporter can be, having spent 22 hours of a Le Mans 24-hours in the pit lane. She has a wealth of experience working both in front of and behind the camera for the likes of Channel 4, Five, ITV, Sky Sports, Speed TV in the USA and Motors TV in Europe.

After following the previous seasons of A1GP on Five, she is excited about joining the team in China: “I am delighted to be joining the A1GP Team. I am equally looking forward to teaming up again with Ben Edwards having worked with him previously in the British Touring Car Championship. To be joining the team is very exciting, it will present many new challenges and I can't wait. I look forward to the prospect of working with John and James and hope that my experience will add to what is already a great team."

Richard Dorfman, Director of Broadcasting commented: “we are delighted to welcome both Diana and James to A1GP's broadcast team. Diana will bring some fresh new insights into our pit lane reports and James , being an active driver, will be able to provide our viewers with a unique viewpoint as to what it really takes to run the new A1GP Powered by Ferrari car around some of the world's most exciting motor racing venues.”

The first time the new team can be seen in action will be in A1GP Chengdu, China, 7-9 November 2008.

SRI LANKA LOOK TO FAB FOUR IN TITLE DEFENCE

Four of the players who helped Sri Lanka to their maiden Hong Kong Cricket Sixes triumph last year have been included in the team that will defend the title next week.

Captain Indika De Saram – the hero of Sri Lanka’s stunning final victory over the All-Stars – will lead the team once more.

He will be joined by three other members of the victorious 2007 squad, Jeewantha Kulatunga, Dilhara Lokuhettige and Kaushalya Weeraratne.

The three newcomers include talented all-rounder Gayan Wijekoon, who has played for his country at test level and in last year’s Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa.

“It’s a strong squad, packed with experience, and they’re bringing back players with a proven track record at the Sixes,” said tournament director Mark Burns. “They are going to be very difficult to beat.”

De Saram scored a tournament high of 40 not out when Sri Lanka recorded an imposing 127-3 in last year’s final.

Lokuhettige then played his part by dismissing Craig McMillan – the Player of the Tournament – with the first ball of the All-Stars innings.

Sri Lanka went on to win by 16 runs for their first Sixes success in 11 attempts.

The 2008 Hong Kong Cricket Sixes will be staged at the Kowloon Cricket Club on 8-9 November.

Sri Lanka have been drawn in the Sobers Group together with the 2008 All-Stars, Australia and Hong Kong.

This year’s All-Stars team will include test greats Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies), Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka), Justin Langer (Australia), Stephen Fleming (New Zealand) and Matthew Hoggard (England).

The Bradman Group contains India, Pakistan, England and South Africa.

Hosts Hong Kong have included in their squad five of the players who helped them win the ACC Trophy in Kuala Lumpur in August.

They include Najeeb Amar, who scored 100 and took four wickets as Hong Kong stunned the United Arab Emirates in the final.

He is joined from that winning team by Hussain Butt – Player of the Tournament at the 2004 Sixes – together with Monir Dar and the Ahmed brothers, Irfan and Nadeem.

Hong Kong will once again be captained by Manoj Cheruparambil while the squad is rounded out by Phil Pemberton.

Cheruparambil, Pemberton and Dar all played in last year’s Sixes.

“We’ve got guys who are good strikers of the ball and obviously our strength is our spin bowlers,” said Hong Kong coach Aftab Habib.

“It will be a case of making sure we hit our straps early and get some good totals on the scoreboard.

“The Sixes is a tremendous spectacle and I’m sure it will be a great weekend for everyone involved in Hong Kong cricket.”

Australia have chosen a squad containing some of the country's most promising young cricketers, including Michael Hill, who captained Australia's U19 ICC World Cup team last year.

The squad will be led by player-coach John Davison, who hit the headlines in 2003 when, playing for his native Canada, he stunned the West Indies with the fastest World Cup century in history.

“It should be a great experience for our team,” said Davison.

“We’ve got some very good up and coming cricketers in our side and it will be a fantastic experience for them to travel to Hong Kong and play against some talented opposition from around the world.

“The tournament does a fantastic job to help raise the profile of cricket in Hong Kong. I know they get great crowds, which shows the popularity of the sport and I’m sure this year’s tournament will be no exception.”

26 October 2008

Somerville to join All Blacks squad for ANZ Hong Kong Bledisloe Cup Test.

Canterbury prop Greg Somerville is to join the All Blacks squad for the ANZ Hong Kong Bledisloe Cup Test against Australia next weekend.

Somerville will provide cover for John Afoa, who is still recovering from a knee injury, and will join the squad tomorrow.

The All Blacks have assembled in Auckland to prepare for the tour to Hong Kong, the UK and Ireland and will leave for Hong Kong tomorrow night.