Sport Shorts Ticket scam warning for CWC

NEW DELHI – West Indies Cricket World Cup (CWC) organisers have warned fans against unauthorised buying or selling of tickets after cancelling around 200 submitted for sale on auction websites.

In a statement on Wednesday organisers said the offenders would not receive any refunds. The tournament starts on March 13.”CWC has worked very diligently to track down the persons who have been undermining the tournament’s integrity by engaging in this black-market activity,” World Cup commercial manager Stephen Price said.”However, CWC believes an even stronger message must be sent regarding indulgence in such practices, both to persons selling and buying these tickets.Offenders will have to face the consequences of their actions – no tickets and no refunds either.Shoaib blow for India JOHANNESBURG – India’s success during the past weeks in South Africa will motivate Pakistan who arrived in the country on Wednesday to play the Proteas in three Test matches and five one-day internationals.”I believe our pace attack will play an important role,” Inzamam said.”It is therefore important that Mohammad Asif is back in the squad.However, it is a huge setback that Shoaib Akhtar is unfit and unavailable to tour.We will certainly miss him.”Asif and Akhtar were suspended last year for the use of illegal substances but their suspension was lifted last month.Inzamam denied that Akhtar’s absence had anything to do with disagreements he allegedly had with the coach, Bob Woolmer, last year.The touring team will play the Rest of South Africa in Kimberley from tomorrow to Monday.The first Test is scheduled to begin in Centurion next Thursday.Alonso stays a Reds LIVERPOOL – Midfielder Xabi Alonso deflated rumours linking him with a return to Spain by pledging his future to Liverpool on Wednesday.There have been persistent reports suggesting the 25-year-old was set to join Real Madrid this January, but he is targeting overhauling Chelsea to claim second place in the Premiership.”I do not speak about the rumours of my return to Spain,” he told the club website.”I have a contract signed with the Reds and I am happy at this club.”Now Liverpool are playing to our best level of the season.This is perfect for the beginning of the year with the next big challenges.To get to third place is very important for morale for us after the problems in the first months of the league.Now our objective is to consolidate the effort.”Madrid eyes Ribery MADRID – Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon is interested in French midfielder Franck Ribery and is also hopeful that former England captain David Beckham will stay at the club.”I’ve heard Pedja (Mijatovic, Real’s sporting director) saying good things about this French player,” Calderon said in an interview with the Marca sports daily.But Calderon added that the immediate priority of the Spanish giants was to sign a defender, like AS Roma’s Romanian international Cristian Chivu.According to a poll by Marca on Sunday, three quarters of supporters polled are looking increasingly to Ribery with Beckham’s star waning.Beckham, yet to win silverware with the club, is looking likely to leave the Bernabeu by the summer after four seasons in La Liga.Appleby aims fourth AUSTRALIA’S Stuart Appleby will be bidding to maintain his incredible record at the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Hawaii this week.Appleby has won seven times on the PGA Tour – and three of those wins have come at Kapalua’s Plantation Course over the last three years.The 35-year-old returns to the island of a Maui bidding to become just the fifth man in PGA Tour history to win an event four years in a row.Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, the two biggest draws in the game, have decided not to travel to Hawaii while Ernie Els – the last champion before Appleby in 2003 – has not qualified after failing to win in America last season.The tournament starts on March 13.”CWC has worked very diligently to track down the persons who have been undermining the tournament’s integrity by engaging in this black-market activity,” World Cup commercial manager Stephen Price said.”However, CWC believes an even stronger message must be sent regarding indulgence in such practices, both to persons selling and buying these tickets.Offenders will have to face the consequences of their actions – no tickets and no refunds either.Shoaib blow for India JOHANNESBURG – India’s success during the past weeks in South Africa will motivate Pakistan who arrived in the country on Wednesday to play the Proteas in three Test matches and five one-day internationals.”I believe our pace attack will play an important role,” Inzamam said.”It is therefore important that Mohammad Asif is back in the squad.However, it is a huge setback that Shoaib Akhtar is unfit and unavailable to tour.We will certainly miss him.”Asif and Akhtar were suspended last year for the use of illegal substances but their suspension was lifted last month.Inzamam denied that Akhtar’s absence had anything to do with disagreements he allegedly had with the coach, Bob Woolmer, last year.The touring team will play the Rest of South Africa in Kimberley from tomorrow to Monday.The first Test is scheduled to begin in Centurion next Thursday.Alonso stays a Reds LIVERPOOL – Midfielder Xabi Alonso deflated rumours linking him with a return to Spain by pledging his future to Liverpool on Wednesday.There have been persistent reports suggesting the 25-year-old was set to join Real Madrid this January, but he is targeting overhauling Chelsea to claim second place in the Premiership.”I do not speak about the rumours of my return to Spain,” he told the club website.”I have a contract signed with the Reds and I am happy at this club.”Now Liverpool are playing to our best level of the season.This is perfect for the beginning of the year with the next big challenges.To get to third place is very important for morale for us after the problems in the first months of the league.Now our objective is to consolidate the effort.”Madrid eyes Ribery MADRID – Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon is interested in French midfielder Franck Ribery and is also hopeful that former England captain David Beckham will stay at the club.”I’ve heard Pedja (Mijatovic, Real’s sporting director) saying good things about this French player,” Calderon said in an interview with the Marca sports daily.But Calderon added that the immediate priority of the Spanish giants was to sign a defender, like AS Roma’s Romanian international Cristian Chivu.According to a poll by Marca on Sunday, three quarters of supporters polled are looking increasingly to Ribery with Beckham’s star waning.Beckham, yet to win silverware with the club, is looking likely to leave the Bernabeu by the summer after four seasons in La Liga. Appleby aims fourth AUSTRALIA’S Stuart Appleby will be bidding to maintain his incredible record at the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Hawaii this week.Appleby has won seven times on the PGA Tour – and three of those wins have come at Kapalua’s Plantation Course over the last three years.The 35-year-old returns to the island of a Maui bidding to become just the fifth man in PGA Tour history to win an event four years in a row.Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, the two biggest draws in the game, have decided not to travel to Hawaii while Ernie Els – the last champion before Appleby in 2003 – has not qualified after failing to win in America last season.