Hot Spot not to be used in India-England ODI series

The controversial Hot Spot has been a disappointment in the recent India-England ODI series and it will not be used in the five-match one-day contest between the two countries starting on October 14, according to the head of the company behind the technology.

BBG Sports chief executive Warren Brennan said that his company has decided not to bring the
Hot Spot technology for the upcoming ODI series after it did not find BCCI`s support.

"BBG Sports is disappointed at how the Hot Spot performed in the UK during the England vs India series. There were several incidents where we were hoping for better outcomes from the technology," Brennan said.

"Following the comments by Mr Srinivasan on September 20th in relation to Hot Spot and the DRS process, BBG Sports believed it did not have the support of the BCCI and promptly decided not to bring the Hot Spot to India for their upcoming home series," Brennan was quoted as saying.

During India`s ODI series in England in August, Hot Spot had proved inconclusive during referrals of several appeals for caught-behind and was subsequently criticised by the BCCI.

In July, the BCCI had agreed to a compromise with the ICC wherein the Hot Spot was made mandatory in the use of DRS while ball-tracking technology was made optional.

But upon taking over as BCCI president, N Srinivasan reverted to the Board`s original stance against the DRS following Hot Spot`s performance on the England tour.

"It is not necessary for me to dwell on the accuracy of Hot Spot, it was there for everybody to see. The BCCI will, at the next ICC meeting, raise the issue. We want to revisit it because we feel that Hot Spot is insufficient. We do not wish to use the DRS in its present form, even in its minimum standard," Srinivasan had said after the BCCI`s Annual General Meeting last month.

Brennan hoped that the Hot Spot technology will continued to be used in the series outside the subcontinent.

"BBG Sports has continued to invest in Hot Spot technology and has purchased four new Hot Spot cameras in the past six months which we believe could improve the system dramatically," he said.

"These new cameras will be put to good use for series in South Africa, New Zealand and Australia this southern summer," he added.

Most exciting T20 game of my life: Kohli

Royal Challengers Bangalore batsman Virat Kohli said that his side`s two-wicket win over South Australia Redbacks in the nail-biting Champions League Twenty20 was the most exciting T20 game he has played in his career.

"Never been in such an exciting T20 match all my life. I also played one of my best T20 innings," an ecstatic Kohli said after RCB`s win last night which took his side to the semifinals.

"I was calm and relaxed, but of course you can`t stay assured chasing a target such as 215," said Kohli who hit a 36-ball 70 with the help of four fours and six sixes to raise the foundation of RCB`s run chase.

Asked to relive the moment when Arun Karthik hit that stunning six, he said, "I had my eyes closed on the last ball. I was talking to our coach when two balls were left. Thought if we could get boundary and a two so that scores are tied."

Kohli, who won the man-of-the-match award, said that the team management relied a lot on the start that Chris Gayle and Tillekaratne Dilshan provided.

"We thought if Chris and Dilshan could bat five or six overs, we had a fair chance."

Kohli`s skipper Daniel Vettori was at a loss of words due to excitement at how his side chased down the formidable target.

"Pretty amazing game of cricket. One thing about this ground is you can chase anything here. The last five overs that we bowled were really poor. Harris and Callum and Dan Christian batted extremely well," he said.

Mikel Arteta says it would be foolish to think he could be as good as Cesc Fabregas

MIKEL ARTETA says it would be foolish to think he could ever be as good as Cesc Fabregas.

The Spanish schemer joined Arsenal in a £10million deadline-day deal from Everton following Fabregas' £40m move to Barcelona.

And Arteta, 29, insists he knows his limitations as he battles to help Arsene Wenger's team recover from their worst start to a Premier League season.

He said: "I am not here to replace Cesc and I would be wrong to try that.

"Cesc was the best player at Arsenal and one of the top three in the entire Premier League.

"I have no aim to become that. My target is simply to try to reach my highest level as a player and to help the team.

"Cesc was at Arsenal for seven y
ears. I have been here for a few weeks. If I try to be equal to or better than him, I would be confusing myself.

"We're different personalities with a different style. I must find my own way to do well for Arsenal."

The Gunners lie 15th in the Premier League after losing four of their first seven games.

Arteta is still coming to terms with his new surroundings after six years at Goodison Park — and revealed that his big move almost never happened.

He said: "There was a lot of stress and uncertainty on deadline day. At three o'clock, I thought I was an Arsenal player then, at 6pm, it was all off.

"At 8.30, the move was back on again but there was no time for me to have a medical.

"I went to Arsenal's offices and told them they had to trust me.

"Then, at 11.10, when they were registering my transfer with the Premier League, the fax machine broke down.

"Thankfully, everything went well in the end.

"David Moyes understood my situation with Everton. When we got the offer from Arsenal on August 31, he looked into my eyes and said, 'You want to go, don't you?'

"I told him this was my big chance and that the club would be getting a big cash injection by selling me, so it was best for both parties."

Another new signing, Per Mertesacker, admits he is still having language problems at the Emirates.

The defender, 27, said: "I've only been gone a month from Germany. I have not yet properly acclimatised.

"Sometimes it feels like an extended holiday. Only slowly am I starting to get used to the fact that the centre of my life is now actually in London.

"I still have communication problems but given the circumstances this is inevitable."

Wayne Rooney Ready For England Duty Despite Father’s Arrest

England manager Fabio Capello has no worries over selecting striker Wayne Rooney against Montenegro tomorrow despite his father’s arrest today.

The 25-year-old’s dad, also named Wayne, was bailed pending further inquiries tonight after being arrested over an alleged football betting scam.

But Italian coach Capello has no worries after talking to the Manchester United forward.

“I spoke to him just five minutes ago,” Capello said. ”I found him relaxed and calm.

“There is no problem for the game, he will play tomorrow against Montenegro. He told me there are no problems.”

As well as Rooney’s father, eight other people, including his uncle Richie and Motherwell midfielder Steve Jennings were also arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud.

Merseyside Police said the arrests were the culmination of a joint operation with the Gambling Commission into “suspicious betting activity”.

With his focus on tomorrow’s Euro 2012 qualifying match, Capello could pair Rooney with United team-mate Danny Welbeck in attack.

“I need to sleep tonight and will decide tomorrow morning about the forward to play with Rooney and about Welbeck,” said the coach. “I need to choose.”

Capello has no new injury concerns for the match after training in Montenegro.

“We have no injuries, we’re really good and trained really well in the last three days,” he said.

“I selected 24 players and all of those players are fit to play tomorrow.”

Arsenal to Offer Double Player Swap Plus Cash for £25m Rated Playmaker

Arsene Wenger will continue his attempts to land Lille starlet Eden Hazard this January and is ready to offer the Ligue 1 champions striker Marouane Chamakh and centre back Sebastien Squillaci in part exchange for the 20 year old playmaker.

The Arsenal boss has long tracked the young Belgian international and may feel that a move for the youngster in the January transfer window may bear fruit, not least if the Stade Metropole side is not in the running to retain their title, which given the resurgence of cash rich PSG may well prove to be the case.

Wenger will feel he can afford to offload Squillaci, who has failed to adapt to life in the Premier League, as he has brought in experienced German international Per Mertesacker over the summer. The 31 year old Frenchman may be interested in a move back to Ligue 1 after three years away.

Marouane Chamakh had an up and down season last term, starting with a succession of goals but ending with a goal drought. The Moroccan international has barely had a look in during the current campaign and is yet to start a Premier League match and therefore can be happily used as a makeweight in a deal to sign Hazard.

The Lille attacking midfielder has been in fine form this term, netting four goals and three assists in nine matches, and is a player being pursued by many of Europe’s elite and even though Arsenal’s potential purchase of Hazard in January would result in the player being cup tied and ineligible to play for the North London side in the Champions League this season Wenger is eager to snap up the player before he is lured elsewhere.

Hazard is valued at around £25m and Wenger will hope that the inclusion of two international level players, both with significant Ligue 1 experience, may aid any move to tempt Lille boss Rudi Garcia into allowing his prized asset to leave the club.