Tinkler supported at Knights meeting

Support ... Tinkler received the backing of at least one KMC member on Monday night. Source: Liam Driver / News Limited

A member of the Newcastle Knights board that approved Nathan Tinkler's takeover has called for caution over the rising rancour about the NRL club's future.

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The Knights Members Club (KMC) directors and Hunter Sports Group (HSG) met on Monday night, with the former airing concerns about the direction of the club and Tinkler's spiralling debt.

Tinkler's right-hand man, HSG chief executive Troy Palmer, Knights boss Matt Gidley and coach Wayne Bennett addressed the KMC and did their best to allay fears at the meeting.

Palmer and Gidley reinforced their view that a tax bill of approximately $3 million would be paid, all of HSG's creditors would be paid, and that an audit report into the Knights' 2012 financial operations would reveal HSG had met all requirements.

Despite rumblings otherwise, KMC chairman Nicholas Dan wasn't ready to demand Tinkler hand back the NRL licence.

"It's a privately owned club and it's in their hands what happens from here," Dan said on Monday.

It was the first KMC meeting since the tax office moved last week to liquidate eight companies linked to Tinkler, including the Knights, and Newcastle Jets.

Tinkler's public perception problem has become a crisis over the past week, but one man who was sitting on the club's board when the white knight rode into town in 2011 leapt to his defence.

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"It's disappointing that such a great bloke is sitting on hard times," said the board member who did not wish to be named.

"The good thing about him is the one love he has got is for his Knights and the players he's formed a bond with.

"You can pat a horse but it won't talk back to you.

"He'll bounce back and I know the players aren't worried."

Tinkler offloaded his prized racehorse All Too Hard on the weekend, with some suggesting the funds could be used to pay off HSG debts.

Even if the KMC was to make a stand against Tinkler, it's unlikely to happen before an independent audit into HSG's finances, which will examine whether Tinkler has met all obligations in his takeover.

Gidley and Dan agreed in principle last Wednesday to change the audit date from December 15 to January 21.

Brent Perkins, partner of Knights auditors Crosbie Warren Sinclair, noted on Monday the delay had nothing to do with Tinkler's precarious financial situation.

"As the financial reporting year is to 31 December, this (audit) obviously could not be completed and issued for the full year by that date (December 15)," Perkins said.

"We understand that the recently proposed amendments will allow the audit to be completed and our report to be issued by 21 January each year."

Even if HSG makes good on its debt-clearing promise, Dan still has concerns about the club's reputation.

"We're very happy with the way memberships have increased and the money spent on facilities but we've got to look more broadly at the brand,'' Dan told Sky Sports Radio on Monday.

"I firmly believe creditors need to be paid in a timely manner."

Palmer suggested there were issues HSG "should apologise for" but was steadfast the club was in safe hands.

"I talk to Nathan every day ... there is no chance of Nathan going under," Palmer said.

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Shinji keen on extra year out West

Big boost ... Shijni Ono (L) has says he wants to stay longer at the Wanderers. Source: Gregg Porteous / News Limited

Western Sydney received another boost in their impressive debut A-League season with news Japanese marquee signing Shinji Ono wants to extend his stay at the club.

Just two days after scoring a dramatic 2-0 derby win over Sydney FC in front of a raucous crowd of 26,000 at Allianz Stadium, the 33-year-old on Monday said flares thrown by Wanderers fans won't hold him back from re-signing.

"I don't know what (the Wanderers) are thinking about next season," said Ono, who penned a one-year deal in September.

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"But I can say I want to stay longer."

Ono was still buzzing from the impressive victory over the Sky Blues and believes it's no fluke the Wanderers have climbed to fourth on the ladder in their inaugural season given their "good mentality and fighting spirit."

And that strong bond will be severely tested over the next four rounds when they face fellow top-five sides Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne Victory and Central Coast.

But Ono says his best is yet to come.

"I think my confidence is getting better every day," he said.

Ono wasn't fazed by flares being thrown onto the ground against the Sydney FC, putting the incidents down to the passion of a crosstown rivalry.

Having played 112 games for Dutch club Feyenoord from 2001-05, Ono says that kind of fan behaviour highlights the intensity of the clash.

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"When I was in the Netherlands, there were big derby games," said Ono of the rivalry amongst the three Rotterdam clubs.

"When I saw that (against Sydney FC) I knew it was a big game."

The attacking midfielder is looking forward to testing himself against a speedy Adelaide United at Parramatta Stadium on Friday night.

"They have a lot of good quality," Ono said of classy Reds including Fabio Ferreira, Jeronimo Neumann, Marcelo Carrusca and Cassio.

"But we have been preparing well.

"It's a tough challenge. But I have a good feeling."

Ono expects more Japanese players will make the move to Australia given his successful stint has created plenty of interest back home.

But one clash that would gain plenty of excitement in Japan is firmly on his radar - the A-League All Stars match against Manchester United next July.

Ono has put his hand up for the All Stars in a battle that could pit him against his compatriot and Red Devils star midfielder Shinji Kagawa.

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Haddin in frame as Test batsman

On the radar ... Haddin has been in sparkling form for NSW this season. Source: News Limited

Australia selectors will consider picking former Test keeper Brad Haddin as a specialist batsman if captain Michael Clarke's injury rules him out of matches in Melbourne or Sydney.

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The 35-year-old, who has controversially been overlooked for Matthew Wade this summer, could be thrown a lifeline if Clarke's hamstring problem stops him playing either of the remaining Tests against Sri Lanka from Boxing Day.

Haddin has averaged 67.40 in the Sheffield Shield for NSW this season and former captain Steve Waugh recently suggested he should be considered for a batsman-only role.

"We'll discuss that tonight (Monday night)," Australia coach Mickey Arthur said.

"That batter, whoever it is, would have to be part of our extended squad. There's possibilities.

"Haddin's one of them, (Rob) Quiney's one of them and certainly Usman Khawaja's very much in the frame.

"Alex Doolan has played well."

Australia will no doubt try to everything they can to get Clarke onto the MCG in a week's time but, if he is prescribed a rest period, vice-captain Shane Watson will almost certainly take over as skipper.

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Former Test No.3 Khawaja has thrived playing for his new state Queensland with a brilliant century on a tough Hobart pitch and three 50s in Shield cricket so far.

Bulls coach Darren Lehmann believes Khawaja has addressed selectors' concerns about his sharpness at the crease and in the field.

Tasmania's Doolan made 161 not out for Australia A against South Africa, while Quiney would be getting a second chance after he made just nine runs in his two matches against the Proteas.

Injuries have decimated what had been a deep pool of fast bowlers, with Ben Hilfenhaus one of seven pacemen who could have been considered.

Selectors are likely to turn to 12th man for Hobart Mitchell Johnson, whose return in Perth after a 12-month absence was encouraging.

Tasmania's Jackson Bird sits atop the leading wicket-takers list for the second straight season and will be considered as back-up along with West Australian Nathan Coulter-Nile.

"All I can say is we've had a list of bowlers leading into our summer, and we're well down the list at the moment," Arthur said.

"The names that have been on everyone's lips are a guy like Jackson Bird, it could be Nathan Coulter-Nile, and that will form part of the discussions."

Complicating matters is a lack of first class cricket while the Big Bash League is completed.

The Sheffield Shield season was suspended at the end of November and the next match won't begin until the end of January.

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Bell, Trott secure England's series win

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Super finish ... Bell was unbeaten on 116 when the game was declared a draw. Source:AP

England batted for more than two sessions on day five to secure a draw in the final Test in Nagpur and beat India 2-1 in the series.

4th Test - Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium

13 December 2012 - Day 5, Session 3

England 2nd Innings

I. Bell	116	306	16	1	37.91
J. Root	20	56	1	1	35.71
G. Gambhir	2	0	4	0	2.00

England needed to avoid defeat in the final Test to secure a first series triumph in the country in 27 years.

And the result was never in doubt on the final day as Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell both secured centuries before the players finally shook hands after tea with the tourists on 4-352.

Having resumed in the morning on 3-161, the first hour was always going to dictate how the day would play out, but Trott and Bell remained largely untroubled as they kept the scoreboard ticking over.

Bell, who had looked out of sorts after missing the second Test to return home for the birth of his child, brought up his half-century off 130 balls.

And then Trott, who had found himself at the centre of the action during a fiery fourth day, reached his century off 232 deliveries.

Piyush Chawla came closest to removing Trott in the final overs of the morning session - with a huge appeal after a quicker delivery held its line and struck the Warwickshire man on the back pad, however umpire Rod Tucker was unmoved.

It was more of the same in the afternoon session until Trott was finally out five overs before tea, tickling Ravi Ashwin straight into the hands of Virat Kohli at leg slip for 143.

He and Bell had put on 208 for the fourth wicket with Bell adding just 26 runs in the second session to move on to 87 not out, having had one escape on 75 when a fierce cut at Chawla was edged and put down by Virender Sehwag at slip.

He was joined by debutant Joe Root who promptly lofted the ninth ball he faced, from Ashwin, into the stands as England went to tea on 4-310.

They resumed after the break with the only remaining question being whether Bell would reach his 17th Test hundred and his first in India.

It, like the result, was a formalilty in the end and he got there with a leg glance from the 293rd ball he faced, eventually making 116 not out while Root remained on 20 not out before the players called it a day an hour into the final session.

Read more: http://www.skysports.com/cricket/match_report/0,,11066_13370_1,00.html
 

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Oldham fans set fire to rivals' hair

Lighting up ... Wanderers fans ignite flares during the Sydney derby. Source: Mark Evans / News Limited

Western Sydney may have its own issues with fan behaviour at the moment, but they can take comfort in the fact they don't have Oldham Athletic's supporters.

On several occasions the English third-tier club's fans have been caught trying, sometimes successfully, to light rival fans' hair on fire.

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In recent matches multiple fans have reportedly been ejected from Boundary Park – Oldham's home ground – for the bizarre attacks, which has prompted the club to issue a warning to the culprits.

"Latics are warning fans that anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated at Boundary Park," read a statement on the club's official website.

"We have recently had supporters ejected for such offences as bottle throwing and attempting to light people's hair with cigarette lighters.

"This is totally unacceptable behaviour and cannot be tolerated.

"Greater Manchester Police have "spotters" attending all games that are not policed and are aware of these incidents."

The League One side's drive this season to boost attendances with cheap £10 ($16) tickets is being blamed for the rise in anti-social behaviour at matches.

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