Indian bookie laid 'Honey Trap' during ICL in 2008: Vincent

July 3, 2014

Lou VincentWellington, Jul 3: Banned for life for match-fixing, disgraced New Zealand cricketer Lou Vincent revealed how an ''Indian bookie'' posing as a sports equipment sponsor laid 'honey Trap' for him during the now defunct Indian Cricket League (ICL) back in 2008.

In interviews to New Zealand radip channels 'Newstalk ZB and Radio Sport', Vincent revealed how he was taken aback to find that his "hero" was involved in fixing and how he was unable to refuse him from taking part in the 'big fix'.

"I looked at ICL as a great way to get away from New Zealand, take the family and live overseas. And it was good money. Throughout our NZ career, we got proper education regarding bookie approaches. Here I go to ICL and I was trying to get comfortable, trying to get excited playing with new team," Vincent said.

"Then the phone rings. Happens all the time when you are in India. On other end of the phone was an Indian guy, who wanted me to use his (sports) gear. His batting equipment and I said "yeah I will be interested.

Vincent then revealed how different he felt as he walked into the hotel room of this so-called bat manufacturer from the ones he had visited on earlier tours.

"It has happened before on other tours as well, where you walk into the room and see all the equipment spread across and you pick up bits and pieces. You then negotiate a deal and come out saying 'thank you'.

"But here, I walk into the room and see there was nothing there. A young gentleman was sitting and a lady whom I thought at that point was his wife at the end of the bed," the former right-hander said.

So she wasn't his wife, the RJ questioned, to which Vincent replied, "No she wasn't. She was the 'Honey Trap'. It took me about half an hour to realize that. As I was speaking to him, I asked him where's the gear and he said that it was at the Conceirge (hotel lobby).

"Then, when I tried to go to the bathroom and he put his foot on the door and said that that she (lady in question) is gift to you from our company. That's when the penny drops. This looks a bit dodgy. I declined," Vincent stated.

"Then (the man) he drops in a big wad of cash, about 15 grands in US dollars and says that's the downpayment for sponsorship for you. Our business and sponsorship is for life. That's when I realized that I got to get out of the situation. and leave the money with him," the 35-year-old Vincent said.

"Only way to leave the money was to put it in the safe with my coat in his room. Then I walked down to meet my agent, who had come over from New Zealand, helping set up ICL. I explained what has happened and I believe from there the tournament directors were notified."

Vincent said that his immediate reaction was to share his experience with his "hero" as he knocked on his door.

"I told him that this is what has happened. I have just been approached and I told him that I have reported the matter to my agent and all has been taken care of. There was an eerie silence.

"He (the hero) took a deep breath and I can't forget the face. He then said, "That's a good cover as you are working for me. And that's how my life changed," said Vincent, who played 23 Tests, 102 ODIs and 9 T20 Internationals for the 'Black Caps'.

When the RJ asked as to why he didn't refuse his (the hero) offer, Vincent sounded helpless, "I couldn't say "No". This guy was my hero and he took me under his wing. I was so empowered by him. His aura as a legend and the honour of playing cricket with him. It was like "Yes Sir"."

Vincent also admitted that he couldn't take his "hero's name due to legal reasons.

"He (the hero) is not my friend and not my hero any more."

But Vincent said that he doesn't hate the person any more.

"No I don't (hate). I have learnt to forgive. That is a powerful tool actually to deal with pain and stress. To be able to accept that bad things can happen and you need to accept, forgive and move on."

Vincent also revealed how for the first time, he had ruined the fix as he was supposed to get out early and earned his "hero's" wrath.

"This guy (the hero) walking with a bat above my head pacing up and down in the hotel room, spitting and fuming. He told me that (ruining the fix) it cost him not 23,000 USD but millions. I was broken. I said "My God. May be he is thinking that I am working for someone else."

"The 4-5 whatever we have done (fixed), he owes me lot of money. About 250,000 USD and that's all gone. I have disgraced the game, in front of crowds and on TV with fellow Indian players. That's horrendous."

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News Network
January 2,2020

New Delhi, Jan 2: On the first day of the New Year 2020, Hardik Pandya announced his engagement with Serbian actor Natasa Stankovic.

The cricketer took to Instagram to share a photo with the actor and captioned the post: "Mai tera, Tu meri jaane, saara Hindustan. 01.01.2020 #engaged".

The 26-year-old shared three pictures and a short clip on the social media platform. In one photo, Stankovic can be seen flaunting her ring.

The couple got engaged in Dubai and were seen taking a ferry ride along with close friends.

On work front, Stankovic was last seen in a song from Bollywood movie The Body starring Emraan Hashmi and Rishi Kapoor. She had also made it to the finals of the TV show Nach Baliye with her ex-boyfriend Aly Goni.

Stankovic first became a household name after appearing as a contestant on famous reality show 'Bigg Boss 8'.

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Agencies
January 25,2020

Headingley, Jan 25: England have become the first team in the world to score 500,000 runs in Test cricket. They achieved the feat during the ongoing fourth and final Test against South Africa being played at The Wanderers.

On Friday - the opening day of the Test match -- England captain Joe Root's single through the covers took the Three Lions to a landmark 500,000 run-mark in the longest format of the game. They achieved the feat in their 1022nd Test match.

Australia comes second in the list, with 432,706 runs in 830 Tests. India, meanwhile, are third, with 273,518 runs in 540 Tests, followed by West Indies (270,441 runs in 545 Tests).

In the third Test played at St George's Park in Port Elizabeth, England had become the first team to play 500 Test matches on foreign soil. Australia are the second team to play the most away Test with 404 matches they have played so far.

India have played 268 Tests on foreign soil in which they have won 51, lost 113 and 104 have ended in a draw.

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News Network
May 13,2020

May 13: With the Olympics postponed due to the coronavirus, top Japanese fencer Ryo Miyake has swapped his metal mask and foil for a bike and backpack as a Tokyo UberEats deliveryman.

The 29-year-old, who won silver in the team foil at the 2012 London Olympics and was itching to compete in a home Games, says the job keeps him in shape physically and mentally -- and brings in much-needed cash.

"I started this for two reasons -- to save money for travelling (to future competitions) and to keep myself in physical shape," he told AFP.

"I see how much I am earning on the phone, but the number is not just money for me. It's a score to keep me going."

Japanese media have depicted Miyake as a poor amateur struggling to make ends meet but he himself asked for his three corporate sponsorships to be put on hold -- even if that means living off savings.

Like most of the world's top athletes, he is in limbo as the virus forces competitions to be cancelled and plays havoc with training schedules.

"I don't know when I can resume training or when the next tournament will take place. I don't even know if I can keep up my mental condition or motivation for another year," he said.

"No one knows how the qualification process will go. Pretending everything is OK for the competition is simply irresponsible."

In the meantime, he is happy criss-crossing the vast Japanese capital with bike and smartphone, joining a growing legion of Uber delivery staff in demand during the pandemic.

"When I get orders in the hilly Akasaka, Roppongi (downtown) district, it becomes good training," he smiles.

The unprecedented postponement of the Olympics hit Miyake hard, as he was enjoying a purple patch in his career.

After missing out on the Rio 2016 Olympics, Miyake came 13th in last year's World Fencing Championships -- the highest-ranked Japanese fencer at the competition.

The International Olympics Committee has set the new date for the Olympics on July 23, 2021.

But with no vaccine available for the coronavirus that has killed nearly 300,000 worldwide, even that hangs in the balance.

Miyake said the Japanese fencing team heard about the postponement the day after arriving in the United States for one of the final Olympic qualifying events.

With his diary suddenly free of training and competition, he said he spent the month of April agonising over what to do before hitting on the Uber idea.

"Sports and culture inevitably come second when people have to survive a crisis," he said.

"Is the Olympics really needed in the first place? Then what do I live for if not for the sport? That is what I kept thinking."

However, the new and temporary career delivering food in Tokyo has given the fencer a new drive to succeed.

"The most immediate objective for me is to be able to start training smoothly" once the emergency is lifted, he said.

"I need to be ready physically and financially for the moment. That is my biggest mission now."

But not all athletes may cope mentally with surviving another "nerve-wracking" pre-Olympic year, he said.

"It's like finally getting to the end of a 42-kilometre marathon and then being told you have to keep going."

As a child, Miyake practised his attacks on every wall of his house -- and he said his passion for the sport was what was driving him now.

"I love fencing. I want to be able to travel for matches and compete in the Olympics. That is the only reason I am doing this."

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