David Beckham To Make Hollywood Debut In Guy Ritchie`s `The Man From U.N.C.L.E`........!

David Beckham is set to make his Hollywood debut in Guy Ritchie`s upcoming film ` The Man From U.N.C.L.E `, it has been revealed.

The 38-year-old former footballer was approached by the director for the speaking part, the Mirror reported.

Beckham, who has been tipped to act since he retired from football in May, filmed the scenes in London`s South Kensington.

A source has revealed that the footy ace was "extremely nervous", as he prepared for his new career.

The insider added that Ritchie was delighted to get to Beckham before Matthew Vaughan, who is rumoured to cast the footballer in his upcoming film `The Secret Service`.

Rumours are rife that Beckham will do `The Secret Service` at a later date.

I Have No Plans To Call It Quits: Misbah........!

Pakistan`s under-fire Test and ODI captain Misbah-ul-Haq on Wednesday refused to bow to pressure and insisted that he would continue to play at the international level as long as his form and fitness permitted it.

"I have no plans to call it quits despite the recent disappointing results in Tests and one-dayers in Zimbabwe and against South Africa," Misbah told reporters in Lahore after meeting with chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board`s interim management committee, Najam Sethi.

"I will continue to play as long as I can do justice to myself and my team," he added.

Misbah, 39, also reacted calmly to remarks passed by a member of the PCB governing board, Shakeel Sheikh in which he said that what could one expect when a team of lions was led by a Ghidar (Jackal).

"If standing firm out in the middle under pressure is behaving like a Ghidar than I am okay with being a Ghidar... but everyone knows who is what on the field," he said.

The Pakistan skipper has come under severe criticism from some former players particularly ex-captain, Mohammad Yousuf and fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar.

Akhtar described Misbah`s captaincy as "spiritless" and lacking in aggression and said all the runs he scored made no difference to the team.

Yousuf also called for a change in captaincy.

"Everyone has to remember that cricket is a team game and no one player can be expected to perform all the time. Unless all the players chip in it is difficult to win," Misbah said.

"Our batting has been a major concern for us in recent times and it is letting us down time and again. We shouldn?t be expecting one or two people to score and the rest to do nothing and yet win," he said.

Misbah also made a point that if he started making changes in the team according to performances of players in one or two matches, then Pakistan would be fielding different teams in every second match.

"We just have to be patient and find out the solution to this batting problem which needs to be sorted out before the next World Cup or we can forget about doing well in that tournament," he said.

Martino, Fabregas Worried Over Messi`s Latest Injury...........!

FC Barcelona coach Tata Martino and midfielder Cesc Fabregas have expressed concern over the muscle problems affecting striker Lionel Messi.

Messi was forced out of his side`s 4-1 win away to Betis Sunday night with an injury to his left hamstring. It is the latest in a series of muscle injuries which have affected the Argentine since the run in to the end of last season and it happened in his fifth match back after overcoming a similar injury.

The setback means he will not play in Argentina`s forthcoming friendly matches against Ecuador and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and is doubtful for the next two weeks of Spanish Primera Liga action.

"We are going to have to talk to Leo about whether or not he is worried, but it is the third injury that he has suffered of this kind (this season) and we don`t know how it has affected his confidence," said Martino.

"I can`t explain what is happening to him and I don`t know whether or not it is down to coincidence, but I don`t want to speak about things I don`t know. First of all I want to know how serious the injury is and then get him fit again."

"We have the best player in the world but after that we have another four who are in the top six or seven in the world," said the Barcelona coach.

Cesc Fabregas was one of Barca`s heroes in the win with two goals and speaking after the game, the midfielder who has suffered his share of injuries, had a word of advice for Messi.

"He needs to rest for the time that is needed. He needs to be able to use his explosive pace in order to shine. Something similar happened to me and it is very difficult, you think that you have recovered but it`s not the case," said Cesc, who insisted that patience is important with this kind of muscle problem.

Chelsea Vs. West Bromwich Albion: Final score 2-2, Controversial Penalty Denies Baggies Win........!

West Bromwich Albion almost claimed another scalp on the road as they went 2-1 up at Stamford Bridge, but a highly debatable penalty allowed Chelsea to equalise in the last minute of injury-time.

West Bromwich Albion almost added to their list of scalps by coming from behind to lead at Stamford Bridge before a late controversial penalty denied them the win.

The Baggies had already registered a victory at Old Trafford this season, and almost repeated the trick in West London. Liam Ridgewell's mistake allowed Samuel Eto'o to put the hosts in front, but Steve Clarke's men struck back through Shane Long and Stephane Sessegnon, before Ramires appeared to dive to win a last-minute penalty whichEden Hazard converted.

Roger Federer Takes Underdog Role For Rafael Nadal Showdown......!

Roger Federer insists he is happy to be labelled as the underdog in the latest instalment of his epic rivalry with Rafael Nadal after booking a semi-final showdown with the Spaniard at the ATP World Tour Finals.

Federer defeated Argentine fourth seed Juan Martin del Potro 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 7-5 on Saturday to ensure a second place finish in Group B and a 32nd career meeting with world number one Nadal.

In the other semi, defending champion Novak Djokovic, who finished Group B with a 100 percent record after a 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-3 win over Richard Gasquet on Saturday, takes on Switzerland`s Stanislas Wawrinka.

Federer, a six-time Tour Finals champion, is desperate to finish one of the worst campaigns of his illustrious career with yet another triumph in the prestigious season-ending event at London`s O2 Arena.

The 32-year-old knows Nadal goes into the tie as favourite after capping a remarkable return from a serious knee injury by winning the French and US Opens, as well as eight other titles, en route to securing the first place in the year-end rankings.

History also favours Nadal, who leads their head-to-head 21-10 and has won 13 of their last 17 matches, including all three this year.

But Federer can take comfort from his record of winning all four of his indoor clashes with Nadal, including the 2010 final at the O2 Arena.

"I just feel like I need to look at it more as being an underdog a little bit because of circumstances, because of my year, because of his year," Federer said.

"Maybe that free swinging is what I need to do a little bit more tomorrow (Sunday).

"We know each other that well. He`s going to do exactly what he needs to do, I`m going to try to do what I need to do.

"Hopefully it`s going to match up good for me. If not, he deserves it. He`s had a wonderful season."

For most of Saturday`s winner-takes-all clash with del Potro it looked like it would be the 2009 US Open champion who would be going through to meet Nadal.

Del Potro took the first set with a dominant display and moved a break ahead in the second, only to let Federer back in and then surrender the tie-break.

Even then, it was del Potro who was in control again with a 3-0 lead in the final set before Federer finally produced some of his best tennis to roar back and seal the victory.

Asked how he felt at 3-0 down in the decider, Federer said: "I fought back the whole match. I was thinking, `Here we go again`.

"I was really getting angry at myself, how could I play a loose game, why is this happening?

Once on even terms, I was able to play a little bit more freely.

"It was a great finish. I was very happy. To get the victory was a great feeling."

World number two Djokovic, bidding for a third Tour Finals title, will go into his meeting with Wawrinka on a 20-match winning run after defeating French eighth seed Gasquet in a dead rubber.

The Serb, who has racked up 70 wins for the third straight year, had already qualified for the last four as group winner, but he showed no signs of letting up against Gasquet, who had been eliminated after losing his first two matches.

Djokovic has won his last 13 matches against Wawrinka, including a pair of thrilling clashes at the Australian and US Opens this year.

But Wawrinka has made the last four on his debut and Federer said of his compatriot: "I don`t know if I`m more excited that I won or we`re both in the semis. It`s historic."

Dissapointing Show By The CM XI...........!

The Chief Minister XI was dismissed for a disappointing 90 runs on the first day of the 3 day match against Chairman PCB XI played at the Qaddafi Stadium to select the team for the tour of S.Africa.

Chief Minister XI winning the toss and opting to bat first always looked in trouble losing both openers for ducks.

Only 4 batsmen managed to reach double figures with Sohaib Maqsood top scoring with 29. Faisal Iqbal was the other notable contributor with 20.

Zulfiqar Baber was the pick of the Chairman PCB XI bowlers, taking six wickets with some accurate bowling.

Ehsan Adil took 2 wickets.

Mesut Ozil: Arsenal Midfielder Has Fans Daring To Dream Again..........!

Arsene Wenger has often been accused of allowing his team to go in search of the near-perfect goal at the expense of the game's practicalities. The manager's punch of the night air and beaming smile, the years seeming to fall away, suggested this was a thing of beauty that would keep him warm when he eventually walks away.

The Frenchman likes the finer things in football. Ozil and the goal he scored fall into that category.

Arsenal's fans rose with Wenger to acclaim the German midfield man whose arrivalhas elevated the spirits of a club that was in danger of crisis to the point where they can start daring to dream.

Not about winning the Champions League, even though this 2-0 win over Napoli puts them in command of their group. Not about winning the Premier League, even though they head the table.

It is too early for that - but what a different club Arsenal is and what a different place the Emirates is from the seething mass of frustration it has become in eight trophyless years.

And so much of this sense of wellbeing can be apportioned, on so many levels, to the slender figure of Ozil.

As another under-achieving season drew to a close, Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis took arms against those who questioned the club's ambition, who claimed they were happier with money in the bank rather than on the pitch in the form of world-class players.

He has lifted every aspect of Arsenal Football Club. He has made them and their supporters feel like they really belong in elevated company once more.

Arsenal's decision to pay a club-record £42m to Real Madrid for Ozil was the game-changer with fans who questioned their desire to pay serious money. The spin-offs do not simply come from sales of the personalised Ozil shirts that poured out of Holloway Road station on Tuesday.

His presence has lifted the confidence of his team-mates, revelling in having him among them. They are glad to be around him. He even appears to have given Wenger a more youthful appearance.

The opening goal was elegance and power combined to perfection. Seven minutes later it was subtlety as once again Napoli's left side was exposed, a deft flick of Ozil's left foot setting up Giroud.