‘Mastering English pitches rather than fitness Lee’s main concern’

September 25th, 2009 LONDON - Computers are to be used to mark English tests set by the parent company of one of England's main exam boards. Pearson, the American-based parent company of Edexcel, is introducing the artificial intelligence-based, automated marking of exam essays in Britain next month.

September 22nd, 2009 LONDON - A saucy pole dancing champ was left facing disappointment after she was beaten by a man in a bid to become the UK's top performer. Brunette Aileen Daniel, 26, who won the title three years ago, was gutted after pole dancing judges announced hairdresser Paul McGill, 38, as the new Scottish champion.

September 17th, 2009 LONDON - A new British TV station, dedicated entirely to fitness, is offering a string of classes, including those on Bhangra. The Fitness TV, a 24-hour station, also hosts a high heel workout class for the women who refuse to get out of their beloved stilettos.

September 8th, 2009 LONDON - The secret behind Michelle Obama's perfect figure including finely sculpted arms is finally out. Cornell McClellan, America's First Lady's long-time personal trainer, has revealed that she is sincere about her fitness regime and is very hardworking.

May 6th, 2009 KARACHI - The Pakistan team management has rejected claims that the national team lost its five-match one-day series against Australia in United Arab Emirates (UAE) because of poor pitches and has instead blamed lack of international cricket for the defeat. Sources in the PCB told IANS Wednesday that the team management in its initial report has said that their players suffered a 2-3 loss in the series because of a lack of international cricket, adding that the team's batsmen failed to live up to expectations.

April 26th, 2009 LONDON - Russell Brand seems to be cheating on Laura Gallacher. He has been caught getting loved-up with Cambridge graduate Emma Lees in Italy, a week after it was revealed he seeing old flame Gallacher again.

April 17th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar, who has been included in the national team for the UAE one-day international series against Australia after passing a series of fitness tests, may not be able to play in all five games. According to the Dawn, Akhtar may have cleared all fitness tests' following a nod from the team's medical staff, but the 33 year old bowler seems far from fit.

April 10th, 2009 LAHORE - Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam and captain Younis Khan have different views about playing conditions and pitches in the UAE. While Alam, recently, visited Abu Dhabi and Dubai to inspect the pitches for the series against Australia, and said Pakistan will have an advantage over the visiting team, Khan made it clear that performance will matter even if provided home conditions in the UAE.fter inspecting the pitches in the two cities where five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match is to be played, Alam looked pleased with the preparations.

April 9th, 2009 LONDON - The quality of Test pitches worldwide has suffered due to excessive One-dayers and Twenty20 games, feels International Cricket Council (ICC) pitch consultant Andy Atkinson. Atkinson, the former Warwickshire and Essex groundsman who advises the ICC on pitch preparation, also said the volume of One-day and Twenty20 cricket may be affecting Test pitch preparation.

April 6th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Troubled fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar is set to be included in a 15-man Pakistani squad for the upcoming one-day series against Australia after he passed a fitness test in Lahore. Chief selector Abdul Qadir expressed satisfaction with Shoaib's fitness, and said team trainer David Dwyer and the Pakistan Cricket Board's medical officer, Dr Sohail Saleem, had also cleared him.

April 3rd, 2009 KARACHI - Controversial Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has managed to pass through the first of series fitness tests before the Pakistan Cricket Board declares him fit for the national duty against Australia. According to The News, Akhtar looked in great shape during the test.

March 28th, 2009 KARACHI - Pakistan pacers Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Gul, who are expecting a call for national duty ahead of the one-day series against Australia, will have to go through an extensive fitness test to prove their match-fitness. According to sources, the Pakistan team management is planning to organize a fitness test before the squad for the UAE series is announced.

March 27th, 2009 LAHORE - Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar may have announced that he is fully fit to be a part of the national squad, but coach Intikhab Alam has made it clear that Akhtar still needs to prove his fitness ahead of the one-day series against Australia in the UAE. Akhtar's securing a place back in the team may not be that easy as he is considering because Alam has clearly suggested that the past record would certainly be looked into along with the fitness level before announcing the final team for five ODI's and a Twenty20 match for the upcoming series.

March 13th, 2009 MELBOURNE - Injured fast bowler Brett Lee's place in the Ashes 2009 squad is under serious threat after the unexpected success of Australia's pace attack against South Africa. Lee is slipping further down the queue with each impressive performance from the trio of Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus in the on going series against the Proteas.

January 15th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Spaniard Jose Brasa, widely tipped to take over as the national coach, has traced the ills of Indian hockey to the introduction of synthetic turf that affected the match fitness of players. Brasa feels the downslide of Indian hockey began in 1975 with the artificial pitches being made mandatory for all international games, thus pitting the subcontinental players against the supremely fit Europeans.