Centurion Umar puts Pakistan in control

The left-handed opener made 109 not out and shared century partnerships with Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali as Pakistan piled up 259 for one at the close, a lead of 62 runs at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

It was a patient innings by the 30-year-old Umar who faced 296 balls and hit eight boundaries.

Resuming overnight on 27 for nought, Hafeez and Umar put on 118 for the first wicket.

Hafeez was the more aggressive and struck eight fours and a six before falling just after lunch, trapped leg before for 75 by left-arm spinner Rangana Herath.

Umar and Ali then put on an unbroken 141 for the second wicket and Pakistan now look like building a substantial first-innings lead.

Mahela Jayawardene failed to take a low catch when Ali, on seven, edged Herath to slip.

Sri Lanka’s pacemen toiled hard on a lifeless pitch as edges several times fell short of fielders.

Pakistan play ‘home’ tests in the Gulf region because of security fears in their own country.

The game is the first in a three-match series.

Schiavone doesn’t blame fatigue for tennis defeat

MELBOURNE (AFP) – Superfit Italian Francesca Schiavone refused to blame fatigue for her narrow quarter-final loss to Caroline Wozniacki on Tuesday, despite playing for nearly five hours two days earlier.
Schiavone, who played the longest match in women’s Grand Slam history on Sunday, was up a set and a break at 3-1 in the second, before the world number one fought back to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
The determined Schiavone saved three match points before pushing a backhand just wide to hand Denmark’s Wozniacki the match.
The reigning French Open champion was coming off Sunday’s marathon fourth-round match, when she beat Russia’s Kuznetsova in a record 4hr 44min, the third and final set alone lasting three hours.
However, the 30-year-old said she simply failed to take her chances against Wozniacki and dismissed suggestions tiredness played a big role.
“I had my chance anyway,” she said. “Maybe in the third set I felt a little bit something physically, but it’s not an excuse.
“I think I gave the best that I could do it.”
Despite her heartbreaking loss, Schiavone was anything but devastated even though her quest for a second Grand Slam title had come to an end.
Her pain was eased by news she was set to reach a career-high ranking of world number four, the best ever achieved ever by an Italian woman. It’s also equal with the highest ever by an Italian male, Adriano Pannatta in 1976.
“I am happy,” she said, with a clenched fish raised in triumph. “I worked hard to arrive here (fourth ranking), so I’m very happy, it’s fantastic. I want to keep going.”
The veteran, who hit 41 winners to Wozniacki’s 14 but made 46 unforced errors to the Dane’s 15, said she was also enjoying her new-found celebrity as one of the players the fans love to watch.
“I’m happy for this,” she said of her fan favourite status. “I’ve waited all my life, so now I’ll take it.
“Last night I was walking and they said, ‘Francesca, you give me a lot of emotions, thank you, I hope you win tomorrow’.
“I think it’s something fantastic for me or any player.”

Redskins’ Hightower out for season, Moss 5-7 weeks

ASHBURN, Virginia: From healthy, first-place surprise to battered and struggling, the Washington Redskins had their fortunes take another dive Monday when running back Tim Hightower was declared out for the season with a torn knee ligament and receiver Santana Moss underwent hand surgery that is expected to sideline him for 5-7 weeks.

That makes five starters lost to significant injuries over the last two weeks, coinciding with a two-game losing streak and a quarterback switch.
The Redskins (3-3), sitting so pretty after winning three of their first four, are on their heels. Little seems to be going right, and some of the misfortune is truly out of the norm. London Fletcher — who has never missed a game in his 14-year NFL career — has a hamstring injury that might finally get him off the field, and demoted quarterback Rex Grossman is in the hospital with pneumonia.
“We’ve got a lot of young players,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “We’re going to get a chance to see how much talent they do (have), and how quickly they can improve.
“And, hopefully, it’s quick.”
Hightower is the team’s leading rusher. Moss is the top wideout. With the injury-induced shuffling along the offensive line, there are now only four offensive starters — tight end Fred Davis , receiver Jabar Gaffney , right guard Chris Chester and right tackle Jammal Brown — still manning their same positions from the beginning of the season.
“I felt like coming into the season we had a chance to be a good football team; I still feel like that,” cornerback DeAngelo Hall said. “We’re a little banged up, though, there’s no doubt about that. … (But) this is a different group. This isn’t a group that’s going to hang their heads and feel sorry for themselves. We’re going to bounce back.”
Hightower and Moss were hurt in Sunday’s 33-20 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Hightower’s left knee buckled when he tried to make a cut during a 4-yard carry in the third quarter, ending his season with 321 yards on 84 carries.
Ryan Torain and rookie fourth-round draft pick Roy Helu will try to take up the slack, although neither has Hightower’s locker room leadership or ability to pick up a blitz. Torain had a 135-yard game in relief three weeks ago, but since then he has 12 carries for 17 yards. Helu’s last 16 attempts have netted only 55 yards.
Hightower gave an emotional speech to his teammates after the game, encouraging them to soldier on.
“It’s always tough to lose a player like that,” Shanahan said, “who leads both on and off the football field.”
Moss has 25 catches for 301 yards, second in receptions on the team behind tight end Davis. Moss broke his left hand in the first half against Carolina and had three pins inserted into the area around his index finger on Monday.
That leaves Gaffney, who has a team-high 361 yards, and either Anthony Armstrong or fifth-round rookie Niles Paul as the starting tandem for this week’s game against the Buffalo Bills (4-2) at Toronto.
Fletcher, the heart and soul of the defense, left the Panthers loss early. His streak of 214 straight games might be in danger.
“I don’t think it’s that serious,” Shanahan said. “But we’ll find out more on Wednesday.”
As if that weren’t enough, Grossman spent Sunday’s game in the locker room fighting pneumonia and a fever. Shanahan said Grossman would have come out to play if needed, but the coach also had receiver Terrence Austin taking snaps as an emergency quarterback during pregame warmups. Grossman is now being treated in a hospital for at least the next 48 hours.
Among those already on the sideline: Tight end Chris Cooley , left tackle Trent Williams and left guard Kory Lichtensteiger , all hurt in the previous week’s loss to Philadelphia. Lichtensteiger is out for the season with torn knee ligaments, Cooley is sidelined indefinitely with a broken finger and is having his balky knee re-examined, and Williams is week-to-week with a sprained ankle.
The injury news overshadowed mixed results from John Beck , who completed 22 of 37 passes for 279 yards with one passing touchdown, one rushing touchdown, one interception and one lost fumble in his first start in four years.
Those numbers aren’t bad, especially given the injuries, but Beck stood out in a different way Monday. It’s been years since Redskins quarterbacks held regular day-after-game chats with reporters, but Beck made an appearance in the locker room and wrapped it up making a point to defend rookie receiver Leonard Hankerson . Hankerson, making his NFL debut, took a wrong turn on the first pass intended for him, leading to the only interception thrown by Beck.
“Hey, listen, the play with Hankerson, it’s on me,” Beck said. “I’m the guy that has got the ball in my hand, and I’m the guy that makes the decision where that ball goes, and we’re very excited to have Hankerson be a part of this football team. He’s going to be a great asset to this football team. Nothing goes on Hankerson. It all goes on me. You got that?”
Notes: Hall said he was “disappointed” that he wasn’t the primary cover man on Steve Smith, who had 143 yards receiving. Shanahan said CB Josh Wilson got the bulk of the duty on Smith because Wilson had been playing well. … S Kareem Moore , on the physically unable to perform list with a knee injury, will return to practice this week.

Saudi consumer confidence surges despite global gloom

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia has retained second position in the Nielsen Global Consumer Confidence Index for the third quarter of this year released on Sunday.

Global consumer confidence, however, remained weak in the third quarter with more than 60 percent of consumers saying it was not a good time to spend, and one-in-three North Americans saying they have no spare cash.
The surge in Saudi Arabia and Brazil masked weak confidence in major developed economies, global analytics and information company Nielsen said.
Confidence was highest in India for a seventh straight quarter but India’s reading fell 5 points from the second quarter and Saudi Arabia was catching up.
“The exceptional consumer confidence number for Saudi Arabia is a huge vote of confidence for the economic policies being implemented by the government, and, in particular, the positive effect of the recent government initiatives,” Khan H. Zahid, vice president and chief economist at Riyad Capital, said.
“With high oil prices and a strong foreign asset position, consumers see this as a sustainable policy for growth without causing inflation. We project economic growth in the Kingdom to probably surpass the 7 percent level this year,” Zahid added.
The Nielsen Global Consumer Confidence Index dipped just 1 point in the third quarter from the second quarter to 88 points, Reuters reported Sunday.
The UAE was among the top 10 countries in the world in terms of consumer confidence.
Commenting on the Nielsen report, Jarmo T. Kotilaine, chief economist at the National Commercial Bank, told Arab News: “This survey data suggest that Saudi Arabia is now one of the most optimistic economies globally. This reflects the reality that the Kingdom is among the small number of countries globally that are actually seeing an improvement in their economic prospects. The resilience of the oil price, historically high production levels and increased government spending in key priority areas are successfully feeding through into improved consumer and investor sentiment.”
He said the positive picture is also supporting a gradual pick-up in bank lending, which augurs well for private sector activity. While the annual rate of credit growth is still below pre-crisis levels and not very high in real terms, it has been fairly consistently edging toward the 10 percent mark, which suggests that the period of suspended motion both in terms of credit demand and supply are finally over, he added. This is in part because banks have largely dealt with the challenges of bad loans and now drawing additional comfort from the increased levels of economic activity, he said. “All in all, Saudi Arabia is likely to be economically one of the global top performers this year and it is encouraging that consumer sentiment has caught up with this reality even if some of financial markets still remain depressed,” Kotilaine added.
Paul Gamble, head of research at Jadwa Investment, said: “It is not a surprise that Saudi Arabia has one of the highest levels of consumer confidence in the world. High levels of government spending and a strengthening private sector are shielding the economy from the difficulties being faced elsewhere.
“Unlike most of the leading economies in the world, Saudi Arabia has an enviable debt position; with very low debt and reserves of over $500 billion (reserves climbed by nearly $17 billion in September alone).”
Furthermore, Gamble said: “Most consumers have benefited from a salary bonus earlier in the year. Although new data indicate that the boost to consumer spending triggered by the bonus for public-sector workers has faded, with government spending set to remain high, the economy will continue to perform well. It is therefore likely that consumers in the Kingdom will remain confident about the outlook.”
Consumer morale in the euro zone remained especially weak, notably in France, as the region’s debt crisis deepened during the summer. Confidence in Greece, at the center of the crisis, actually rose sharply but it was still the fourth weakest of the markets surveyed. Confidence was lowest in Hungary, Reuters said.
One in five Europeans said they have no extra cash to spend, although that was better than one in three North Americans.
The survey, taken between Aug. 30 and Sept. 16 and covering 28,000 consumers in 56 countries, revealed 64 percent of consumers globally felt it was not a good time to spend.

Illegal pilgrims a real source of worry

JEDDAH: Undersecretary of the Makkah Governorate Abdul Aziz Al-Khudairy, who is also chairman of the preparatory and executive committees for Haj activities, has urged pilgrims to realize that the rules and regulations introduced by the government to streamline the pilgrimage season were not meant to make them uncomfortable.
“The easy and comfortable performance of the Haj rites is a God-given right for every Muslim,” he said in an exclusive interview with Arab News. He asked Muslims to be always thankful to God who made the Haj a once in a lifetime duty dependent on the person’s capability.
“I hope that all those who do not respect the rules and regulations will realize that by doing so, they will be making the performance of Haj a difficult task,” he said.
Al-Khudairy said illegal pilgrims impede legitimate pilgrims. “Pilgrims who go to Makkah without permits, squat on the streets in the holy sites and dump garbage haphazardly commit downright offenses against legal pilgrims,” he said.
Such offenses would be harmful to those who commit them in the first place, impede the efforts of government departments to serve the guests of God properly and distort the good image of Saudi Arabia. “We hope that all pilgrims will strictly adhere to Haj rules and regulations,” he added.

Scaling new heights for cancer patients

JEDDAH: A team of 11 climbers including a Saudi woman is to tackle two Himalayan climbs for charity
The team, which includes the Kingdom’s Reem Shaath, hope to raise $202,000 to fund the treatment of two underprivileged pediatric cancer patients currently being trained at the King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman. The children, 10-year-old Iraqi Huda and four-year-old Palestinian Ahmed, are suffering from cancer.
After meeting the children they aim to help, founder of “Climb for Cancer” and organizer of the climb Nizar Fakhoury said: “It always helps put things into perspective when you meet the children you’re climbing for. They are the essence behind our challenges and they are our driving force every step of the way.”
On Nov. 4 a team of 12 climbers will depart for Nepal to embark on two challenges. The first, tackled by seven of the climbers which includes Princess Noor Asem of Jordan and Shaath, will be the 5,540 meter high Everest Base Camp. The remaining five will take on the more technical ascent to Island Peak at 6,189m.
The team is made up of people from a variety of professional backgrounds from Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Sri Lanka, and the United Kingdom. The challenge will last for 14 days and will be a test of the team’s physical and emotional capabilities.
In September 2010, a team of six organized by Climb for Cancer topped Africa’s highest peak Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 meters). In the process the team was able to raise $129,000 to treat two pediatric cancer patients at the King Hussein Cancer Center.
Shaath, reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in February 2011, the first Saudi women to do so.  With the experience of that climb behind her, Shaath, who said at the time she would never climb again, was overridden by her commitment to the charity that she became part of the Himalayas expedition.
She will be keeping a diary of their progress to be published in Arab News on her return toward the end of November.
“Sometimes, all you need is to look at things with a different eye, and everything you worry about seems minuscule compared to what these children have to go through,” said Shaath, reflecting on the reasons that motivated her to join the climb.
Candidates to join the expedition were selected partly on the basis of their experience and fitness but a large element was the reasons behind their decisions and their commitments to the cause. The climbers fund their own trips and are responsible for covering all their personal costs themselves including tickets, equipment, and hiking expenses, ensuring that all money donated goes toward the treatment of the cancer patients who the climbers are supporting.
“We are extremely excited about this new challenge and have set up a website to raise awareness and funds through corporate sponsors, colleagues, friends, family and anyone who wishes to contribute to the treatment of these children,” Fakhoury said. “The families of these patients are unable to support the costs of the cancer treatment their children require and they rely on volunteers like us to step in and help make a difference in the lives of their children.”
“Climb for Cancer” is a non-profit charitable initiative that encourages hikers and adventure enthusiasts to climb mountain peaks around the world in an effort to raise money for children suffering from cancer. It was founded by Nizar Fakhoury in 2009 and driven by two passions in life, climbing and helping children with cancer.

Red Bull Ras B Ras to feature top Arab drivers

ALKHOBAR: The Sharqia Tourism Development Council and Saudi Arabian Motor Federation (SAMF) have announced the staging of the 2011 Red Bull Ras B Ras event with the support of Eastern Province Gov. Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd at Alkhobar Plaza on Nov. 23.

The event will be held under the direct supervision of Eastern Region Tourism Council and the Saudi Motor Sports Federation. The head-to-head race is the first of its kind to be held in the Middle East, with the crème de la crème of Arab driving talents. The participants will be challenging each other for the Red Bull Ras B Ras title on a world-class, custom-built circuit in front of an expected capacity crowd of 11,500 spectators.
Red Bull Ras B Ras was conceived with the Middle East in mind and specifically caters to Arab motor sport enthusiasts in the region. The title of the one-day event will go to one of the 16 racing superstars invited by Red Bull to take part in various heats, which challenge each of the champions to showcase their best driving and racing skills. The drivers will battle behind the wheel of identical cars, abiding by the same specifications as they compete across an 800-meter circuit. For the contenders, then, there will be nowhere to hide and no getting away with blaming the vehicles. Red Bull Ras B Ras will likely prove to be the ultimate showdown in Middle East for motorsports where the top Arab racing champion will be crowned.
Elimination starts early on, in the first rounds of the challenges, putting 16 drivers against each other over 8 separate groups. The fastest 8 drivers will then qualify for the quarterfinals, where contenders will vie across 4 groups, for a spot in the semifinals. With pressure mounting to make it to the final round, two drivers will face-off against each other, and only one will stake his claim as the undisputed Arab champion.
Prince Abdul Aziz bin Fahd bin Abdullah Al-Saud, president of the Eastern Region Tourism Council, said: “The Red Bull Ras B Ras will give Sharqia residents and visitors the opportunity to watch local and regional racing all-stars compete for the title across the same circuit and on the same day. The Sharqia Tourism Development Council strives to present events that boast a high level of professionalism in terms of organization and are unique not only in the Kingdom but also across the Middle East.”
What makes this competition so special and different than traditional car races is the fact that 16 of the best drivers in the Arab world and the Kingdom from across the racing spectrum will come together on one circuit in duals that automatically eliminate the loser over several rounds leading to the crowning of one ultimate driver. The Red Bull Ras B Ras titleholder will become the undisputed Arabian champ in a special event that headlines some of the biggest names in car racing.
Red Bull has confirmed the participation of 16 Arab champions with backgrounds in different motor sport disciplines. Contenders from KSA are Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al-Faisal (Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge – Middle East first edition champion), Yazeed Al-Rajhi (winner of the 2009 Hail International Rally and the 2008 and 2010 Sharqia Rally), Bandar Alireza (Radical ME Masters 1500 title holder), Saeed Al-Mouri (Red Bull Middle East Car Park Drift king) and the famous Saudi Rally driver Majed Al-Ghamdi. Regional racers include the best Arab drivers such as: Qatari driver Misfer Al-Marri (2010 Middle East Rally Championship title holder), UAE’s Sheikh Abdullah Al-Qassimi (Group N champ and 3-time title holder of the Middle East Rally Championship), Bahrain’s Fahd Al-Musalam (Chevrolet Supercars Middle East Championship winner) and Lebanon’s Roger Feghali (9-time winner of the Rally du Liban).