Massa the reason I retired - Schumacher

Nearly two years after announcing his retirement as a formula one driver, Michael Schumacher has cited his former teammate Felipe Massa as a primary reason for hanging up his racing helmet.

"I stopped because I didn't want my friend Felipe Massa to be unemployed," the Swiss newspaper Blick quotes the seven time world champion as saying.

"I would have had no problem going up against Kimi Raikkonen," German Schumacher, 39, adds, refuting the common claim that he objected to having the Finn as his 2007 teammate.

Massa and Raikkonen, currently equal on points along with Lewis Hamilton in the 2008 championship standings, make up Ferrari's current race lineup.

ECB to launch English Premier League in 2010

There will be an English Premier League Twenty20 cricket competition starting in 2010.

Having rejected a leaked proposal that would have left out half the country's 18 counties, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Wednesday that it would start a two-division tournament containing all the sides plus two overseas guest teams.

The ECB also plans to scrap its largely unloved Pro40 tournament in 2009, allowing for a total overhaul of club cricket in England.

The 40-over tournament will be replaced by a separate Twenty20 league involving the 18 counties, with matches played mostly on Friday nights in July and August.

The 2010 season in England will also include a 50-over one-day tournament alongside the traditional county championship, but most of the excitement is bound to centre on the EPL.

There will be an overseas team in each 10-team league in the EPL, which was proposed on Tuesday during an ECB board meeting just months after the enormously successful debut of the Indian Premier League.

The guest teams are likely to be the winner of the IPL plus a side assembled by Texan billionaire Allen Stanford.

The EPL is set to replace the current Twenty20 tournament played in England, which is increasingly popular, with the top teams from each division progressing to quarterfinals and a knockout format.

''I am delighted that the board unanimously supported these creative proposals,'' ECB chairman Giles Clarke said. ''We have already received enormous broadcast and sponsor interest from around the world.''

Clarke told Sky TV there was unlikely to be an IPL-style auction, saying that aspects of the IPL were ''uniquely Indian.''

The proposal was adopted over plans for a multimillion pound Twenty20 league drawn up by Keith Bradshaw, the secretary and chief executive of the Marylebone Cricket Club, and Surrey chairman David Stewart.

The proposed league, dubbed the ''New T20", would have excluded nine of the less glamorous county sides.

Clarke said the competition would have ''a structure which also takes advantage of elements of the David Stewart and Keith Bradshaw funding proposals".

Source: msn

TOP CRICKET SLEDGES

With Cricket season upon us and everyone trying to beat the Aussies there's no doubt tempers will fray. This is what we miss when they switch the mikes off....

Rod Marsh & Ian Botham
When Botham took guard in an Ashes match, Marsh welcomed him to the wicket with the immortal words "So how's your wife and my kids?" The reply from Botham was "My wife's fine, your kids are retarded".

Daryl Cullinan & Shane Warne
As Cullinan was on his way to the wicket, Warne told him he had been waiting two years for another chance to humiliate him. "Looks like you spent it eating," Cullinan retorted.

Glenn McGrath (bowling to portly Zimbabwean chicken farmer Eddo Brandes)
"Hey Eddo, why are you so fucking fat?" Eddo Brandes "Because every time I fuck your mother, she throws me a biscuit."

Robin Smith & Merv Hughes
During 1989 Lords Test, Hughes said to Smith after he played and missed "You can't fucking bat." Smith to Hughes after he smacked him to the boundary "Hey Merv, we make a fine pair. I can't fucking bat and you can't fucking bowl.

Merv Hughes & Javed Miandad
During 1991 Adelaide Test, Javed called Merv a fat bus conductor. A few balls later Merv dismissed Javed. "Tickets please," Merv called out as he ran past the departing batsman.

Merv Hughes & Viv Richards
During a test match in the West Indies, Hughes didn't say a word to Viv, but continued to stare at him after deliveries. "This is my island, my culture. Don't you be staring at me. In my culture we just bowl." Merv didn't reply, but after he dismissed him he announced to the batsman "In my culture we just say fuck off."


Ian Healy & Arjuna Ranatunga
And of course you can't forget Ian Healy's legendary comment which was picked up by the Channel 9 microphones when Arjuna Ranatunga called for a runner on a particularly hot night during a one-dayer in Sydney "You don't get a runner for being an overweight, unfit, fat cunt!"

James Ormond & Mark Waugh
Ormand had just come out to bat on an Ashes tour and was greeted by Mark Waugh. Mark Waugh "Fuck me, look who it is. Mate, what are you doing out here? There's no way you're good enough to play for England." James Ormond "Maybe not, but at least I'm the best player in my family."

Glenn McGrath & Ramnaresh Sarwan
McGrath to Sarwan "So what does Brian Lara's dick taste like?" Sarwan "I don't know. Ask your wife." McGrath (losing it) "If you ever fucking mention my wife again, I'll fucking rip your fucking throat out!"

Mark Waugh & Adam Parore
Waugh standing at second slip, the new player (Parore) comes to the crease playing and missing the first ball. Mark "Oh, I remember you from a couple years ago in Australia. You were shit then, you're fucking useless now." Parore (turning around) "Yeah, that's me. And when I was there you were going out with that old, ugly slut. And now I hear you've married her, you dumb cunt!"

Ian Healy & Arjuna Ranatunga
Yet another Australian witticism with this time porky Sri Lankan batsman Arjuna Ranatunga the victim. Shane Warne, trying to tempt the batsman out of his crease mused what it took to get the plump character to get out of his crease and drive. Wicketkeeper Ian Healy piped up "Put a Mars Bar on a good length. That should do it."

Malcolm Marshall & David Boon
Malcolm Marshall was bowling to David Boon who had played and missed a couple of times. Marshall "Now, David, are you going to get out now or am I going to have to bowl around the wicket and kill you?"

Fred Trueman & Raman Subba Row
Fred Trueman bowling. The batsman edges and the ball goes to first slip and right between Raman Subba Row's legs. Fred doesn't say a word. At the end of the over, Row ambles past Trueman and apologises sheepishly "I should've kept my legs together, Fred." "So should your mother," he replied.