The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have announced today that Edgbaston and Emirates Old Trafford have awarded International matches.

Edgbaston will host a NatWest International T20 against India next summer and Emirates Old Trafford will host a NatWest Series ODI against Australia in 2015 to Emirates Old Trafford.

Both these matches were originally scheduled for the Emirates ICG Durham but have been re-awarded following further discussions between ECB and Durham CCC.

ECB Chief Executive David Collier said: “We congratulate the two venues on being awarded these fixtures which will form part of a very exciting programme of international cricket both next summer and in 2015.”

The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) have announced the 2012 Wimbledon Championships achieved a record profit of £37.753million.

This marks a seven per cent rise from last year’s margin of £35.174m, which is invested back into British tennis through the LTA.

The LTA annual report confirmed the success, which showed an increase of combined income from the LTA and the Tennis Foundation stood at £65.634m up from £63.153m the previous year.

Their combined expenditure stood at £66.533m, with £12.3m spent on the development of existing talent and £17.4m on encouraging participation levels through a range of projects.

Alongside increasing profits, participation levels have also been on the up with a Sport England survey showing an 11 per cent rise to 417,700 in the 16-plus age group, with the LTA also claiming growth from 51,900 to 58,400 in the number of juniors competing.

In a joint statement, LTA president Peter Bretherton and chief executive Roger Draper underlined the importance of world-class success in strengthening the sport at its grass roots level.

“When will we see such a collection of world class tournaments in one country again, from the AEGON Championships, through The Championships, Wimbledon, to the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals?

“Special mention must go to Andy Murray for his Olympic singles gold medal, and of course, for his grand slam singles triumph at the US Open – the first by a British male player in 76 years.

“His success is born out of hard work and determination, and he is an inspiring role model for youngsters in tennis and across British sport.

“We’ve also seen notable performances from Jonny Marray, the first British Wimbledon men’s doubles champion for 76 years, and further Olympic and Paralympic medals from Laura Robson, Lucy Shuker, Jordanne Whiley, Peter Norfolk and Andy Lapthorne. These inspiring results and events have led to a growth in interest in our sport.”

They added: “We’ve also been working with the Tennis Foundation (TF) to attract people from all ages, abilities and communities, by making tennis a more accessible and inclusive sport, as well as emphasising that it is a fun and affordable family sport, with fair play at the heart of all our competitions.”

The legacy from the UK hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games is already well underway for cycling, denture British Cycling’s President Brian Cookson said today.

Speaking about cycling’s successes, Brian Cookson OBE, said:“The plans for cycling’s legacy from the UK hosting the Games were underway long before the Olympic torch was lit at the stadium in London. Since the amazing success of our cyclists in Beijing we have been planning for this surge in interest and we’re already starting to reap the rewards.

“Participation continues to rise with almost two million regular cyclists, our membership is at a record high, and we’ve created a massive 350,000 free opportunities to ride in the last year for people of all ages and abilities. Through Sky Ride, we have set up hundreds of free community bike rides for anyone to join, together with 16 mass participation city centre events, a community of 1,300 ride leaders and over 500 validated routes. Over 8,000 people are now setting up their own rides through our Social Cycling Groups network.

“This success is all down to the hard work and support of our network of volunteers, clubs, coaches, ride leaders, funders and partners – without whom our sport wouldn’t function. The fact that we’ve now got our first Tour de France winner in Team Sky’s Bradley Wiggins and our cyclists scooped eight Olympic gold medals in London is sure to inspire thousands more to take up cycling – and we’re ready for them.

“Britain has fantastic state of the art cycling facilities covering every discipline – be it a velodrome, a closed road circuit or a BMX track. It’s not a case of build it and they will come, we’ve built it and they are coming in their droves, with more new facilities planned over the next 12 months.

“And let’s not forget that cycling doesn’t have to be a structured activity, be it cycling to work as a form of transport or going for a family ride on a towpath at the weekend, we are doing all we can to campaign for better road conditions for all cyclists.

“With the continued support of Sport England, UK Sport, Sky, our sponsors, and local authorities, Britain is well on its way to becoming a true cycling nation and our ambitions for the next four year cycle remain high.”

Following a string of investigations by the Italian police Lazio captain Stefano Mauri and former Genoa midfielder Omar Milanetto have been arrested by police today in connection with a match-fixing probe in Italy.

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) confirmed that Mauri and Milanetto have been held over allegations of “criminal association and sporting fraud”.

Officers are searching more than 31 homes in Italy and abroad, unhealthy including those of coaches and players of clubs in Serie A, site Serie B and lower divisions.

Police also showed up this morning at Italy’s training ground in Coverciano, medic Florence, to question former Genoa defender Domenico Criscito, who now plays for Zenit St Petersburg.

A statement from the FIGC read: “As part of the investigation carried out by prosecutors of Cremona regarding match-fixing, prosecutor Guido Salvini has issued 19 procedures: 14 people arrested (including Mauri and Milanetto), 31 home searches and two people questioned.

“Police agents also arrived to Italy’s training ground in Coverciano this morning to hand a notification of impeding investigation to defender Domenico Criscito, who is investigated for acts that would have taken place while he was a Genoa player.”

Today’s operation is part of an investigation called “Last Bet” carried out by prosecutors in Cremona which focuses on 33 games over the past two seasons, the majority of which were in Serie B.

Earlier this month, the FIGC released a comprehensive 48-page list naming 22 clubs along with 61 individuals that have been reported to the football authorities in connection with a match-fixing ring and betting investigation.

Seventeen people were arrested by Italian police last year, including Atalanta captain Cristiano Doni.

Atalanta, who had been promoted to Serie A at the end of the 2010-11 season, began the recently completed campaign with a six-point deduction as punishment for match-fixing.

Doni was banned from football for three and a half years by the FIGC’s disciplinary committee.

Tickets for the London 2012 Olympic football tournament have gone back on sale today.

Around one million tickets have already been sold for the football, capsule but there are still 1.5m left.

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) will also announce later this week arrangements for the sale of remaining tickets for all sports at the Games.

Football tickets have gone on sale since 11am today and will be available until 11pm on Sunday, ampoule May 6 on a first come, generic first served basis at www.tickets.london2012.com.

The Olympic Football Tournament will take place at six venues across the UK – Hampden Park in Glasgow, Old Trafford in Manchester, Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, St James’ Park in Newcastle, City of Coventry Stadium and Wembley Stadium in London.

The draw for the football tournament took place last week. Team GB’s women’s team will start the Olympics with a match against New Zealand in Cardiff.

In the men’s tournament, current world champions Spain will play Japan at Hampden Park while New Zealand will face Brazil at St James’ Park.

LOCOG commercial director Chris Townsend said: “Now that the draw has taken place, we are delighted to put remaining tickets on sale to see some of the world’s most exciting young footballers in the Olympic Games.

“This is a great opportunity for people across the UK to be part of the Games, and see great matches at great prices.”

Tickets for the football start at £20 for adults, with special prices available for under 16s and over 60s at many matches.

by Ismail Uddin

Vector International has announced today the launch of British powerboat team Vector Offshore Racing.

The team, adiposity whose crew is comprised of three experienced English powerboat specialists, will compete in a series of challenging Endurance Racing and World Record attempts over the course of the next two years including the much coveted Cowes to Monte Carlo ‘Venture Cup’ race and a highly anticipated London to St. Petersburg nautical World Speed Record.

Vector Offshore Racing’s crew will be led by multiple-World Record holder Peter Dredge. Veteran racer Peter is the current holder of 15 World Endurance records and has two World and three European Championships to his name. Team co-Founder Mal Crease joins Peter as the second member of the crew. Mal has long held a passion for the sport and worked closely with the Sunseeker XS Racing Team before founding XSMG and Offshore Quest. Tom Montgomery-Swan makes up the permanent three-man crew. Tom was the youngest person to circumnavigate the British Isles in a powerboat, and since then has gone on to take 29 podiums in professional racing, both in circuit and offshore competition.

Vector Offshore Racing will announce its arrival on the world stage when it competes in the highly-prized Cowes – Torquay race in August. This will be followed later in the year by the team’s first World Record attempt, from London to St. Petersburg. This fully UIM-sanctioned attempt will see the crew complete a 2000 nautical mile challenge passing Esbjerg, Copenhagen, Visby and Helsinki along the way. The London to St. Petersburg attempt will break new ground, as no powerboat team has yet made a bid to conquer this route.

An ambitious competition schedule will also see the crew race in the Venture Cup in 2013.  At 2400 nautical miles, the Venture Cup, also known as the Cowes to Monte Carlo Grand Prix, is widely regarded as the most prestigious and toughest powerboat race in the world. At 14 days long, the race is likely to provide the sternest test for the team’s experienced crew in its new V40R powerboat, currently under construction at Vector’s factory in Canada.

The Company also continues to develop in the corporate entertainment and hospitality market. Throughout its busy racing calendar the crew will be offering corporate brands and passengers a chance to participate in its exclusive iRace Programme. Vector Offshore Racing is unique in that it is the only powerboat team in the world insured to carry corporate passengers at high speed, where individuals have the opportunity to become a fully certified member of a World Record breaking crew. The team will offer VIP guests the chance to ride ‘shotgun’ with the drivers and become a fully trained crew member during any of its World Record attempts. Throughout the programme, Vector Offshore Racing will also be enlisting the help of high profile ‘celebrity pilots’ who will also be trained to participate in these World Record attempts. The Vector Offshore twitter feed has already achieved an impressive following, with over 2400 joining in its first few hours of operation.

Tom Montgomery-Swan, Global Sales and Marketing Director commented: “After 12 months of hard work behind the scenes, we are delighted to launch Vector Offshore Racing with so many exciting plans already in place for both the 2012 and 2013 seasons.

“As a team, we have significant experience and pedigree in this sector and I am confident this will help us in our quest to push the boundaries of man and machine, whilst providing strong credibility to support the retail product. We believe that our future achievements on the water will translate into commercial success; once people see what the powerboat ‘lifestyle’ is all about and how accessible it really is, they will want to participate.

“What we offer through our iRace programme is a completely unique and unprecedented opportunity for corporate guests to actually experience, rather than watch from the side-lines. We have already sold seats in the London to St Petersburg record attempt and that’s only the beginning. Our platform can be transported easily all over the world and we are already in discussion with representatives from Qatar, China, India and even Japan about a number of high profile record attempts along their respective coastlines.”

Australian cricketer, Brett Lee’s partnership with H&A, an Alok Group enterprise has reaped its rewards as he launched his sports and casual wear collection.

H&A would show case Brett Lee (BL) active wear and other products in select Mumbai’s stores, and roll out to other stores in the coming weeks, said Mr H&A head Varun Jiwrajka.

The BL product range to be retailed through H&A stores include tees, track pants,  Capri, shorts, bags, sippers and a complete range of accessories. BL Active Wear will be available in $17-$31 price range.

H&A has as on date 204 EBOs (Exclusive Business Outlets) and 173 SIS (Shop-in-Shop) stores on an all India basis and plans to expand its footprint to 241 EBOs and 259 SIS stores by 2012.

Jiwrajka said: “Brett Lee is one of the well known Australian cricketers in India and enjoys huge popularity. With a focused sales and marketing efforts, H&A would help reach out the Brett Lee collection to customers across India.”

H&A president Reshabh Raizada added further, “Brett Lee Active wear line would be a value premium offering. We are offering BL branded active wear products at select stores in Mumbai from today and would like to scale it up to other cities at the earliest.”

Launching his BL clotheslines, Brett Lee said, “I am very proud to present my brand to Indian fans and customers. My association with H&A is in sync with my desire to reach out to all of my fans across India. I am very happy and humbled by the large fan-following in cricket-loving India and hope that they would like and support my active wear line.”

“India with its huge youth population is all set to emerge as a great retail market for active wear and accessories and I am confident that my product range would be a great hit.”

Meanwhile, H&A, which reported revenues of $8.7 million in FY 2011 said it is eyeing over major jump in revenue to $22.220 million this fiscal year.

Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Los Angeles Dodgers, who have been driven into bankruptcy by what the teaam called “a perfect storm,” is to seek court permission to draw on a US$150m loan in a bid to salvage its finances.

According to court documents, the Dodgers have a US$150m financing commitment to support operations while trying to complete a television-rights deal.

MLB Commissioner, Bud Selig, last week rejected a proposed deal with News Corp’s Fox Sports, leaving the Dodgers unable to pay its staff. Frank McCourt, the owner of the franchise, said the 17-year agreement, valued by him at about US$3bn, would have assured the financial stability of the Dodgers.

William Snyder a managing partner at CRG Partners Group LLC and former chief restructuring officer for the American League’s Texas Rangers, said: “He has to get financing in place and according to the financing immediately enter into an arrangement to sell the media rights and get that done in the next six months.”

At the court hearing, the Dodgers are set to ask U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Gross for permission to borrow US$60m on an interim basis. The financing is provided by JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Highbridge Capital Management LLC.

The Dodgers said in court papers: “The team is now on the verge of running out of cash, the result of a perfect storm of events.”

McCourt claimed that the bankruptcy was triggered by Selig’s refusal to approve the deal with Fox.

He said: “He’s turned his back on the Dodgers, treated us differently, and forced us to the point we find ourselves in today.”

Selig, in response, said the bankruptcy “does nothing but inflict further harm to this historic franchise.

“We have consistently communicated to Mr McCourt that any potential solution to his problems that contemplates mortgaging the future of the Dodgers franchise to the long-term detriment of the club, its loyal fans and the game of baseball would not be acceptable.”

The team is the third most valuable baseball team, with its worth stated at about US$800m.

The Dodgers aim to agree a sale of the TV rights while in bankruptcy, the team said in court papers. The Fox Sports agreement included a US$385m loan, of which US$211.5m was to go toward the team’s operations and working capital.

Earlier this year, McCourt obtained a US$30m personal loan from Fox Sports and used US$23.5m of it to fund the Dodgers’ payroll and other expenses.

The team’s bankruptcy attorney, Bruce Bennett, said that the team is “very substantially solvent” given the value of the rejected Fox Sports contract. He added that the aim of the Dodgers’ bankruptcy is to buy time to negotiate a new TV rights contract and use the money to exit court protection.

Snyder, who acted as chief restructuring officer during the Rangers bankruptcy, predicted McCourt will be successful in selling the TV rights.

He concluded: “He is taking a good approach in auctioning the rights so no one can point a finger.”

The National Hockey League (NHL) has announced it will stage games in Finland, Sweden and for the first time, Germany, to launch its 2011-12 regular season.

The Anaheim Ducks will take on the Buffalo Sabres in Helsinki and the New York Rangers face the Los Angeles Kings in Stockholm on October 7. The Sabres and Kings will then bring the NHL’s first regular-season game to Berlin the next day when the Rangers also meet the Ducks in Stockholm.

The games will represent the fifth consecutive season the League has played games in Europe and NHL Players’ Association executive director Donald Fehr said in a statement: “We want to grow the NHL game around the world, and the games are an important part of that effort.”

Anaheim and Los Angeles will additionally stage exhibition games on October 4 against Jokerit in Helsinki and the Hamburg Freezers in Hamburg, respectively.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman added: “The games underscore the strength of our game, the popularity of our players and the international appeal of our brand.”