Sunday, June 14, 2009 LONDON: Lancashire have confirmed they hope to stage Pakistan's 'home' Tests against Australia next summer. Discussions between the ECB, Cricket Australia and the PCB have been underway for Pakistan to 'host' Australia for two Tests and two Twenty20s in England, but venues have yet to be confirmed. "The ECB asked us about this and we have declared our interest," Jim Cumbes, Lancashire's chief executive said a UK-based newspaper. "We have a great Asian population here. We have staged a World Cup match between India and Pakistan at Old Trafford, so we know the interest Pakistan's return would create." The venues for the series are yet to be decided though cities such as Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham - traditionally home to large British Asian populations - are likely to be on any shortlist. "Playing here would be good for us and our younger players," said Pakistan captain Younis Khan. Australia were due to tour Pakistan for a full series in March 2008 but pulled out because of security concerns. The tour was postponed, but after the terrorist attacks on the Sri Lankan team in March this year and the subsequent ICC move to take the 2011 World Cup away from Pakistan, international cricket within Pakistan is all but ruled out for the next few years. The PCB, therefore, is looking for ways to minimise the impact on its FTP and is actively looking at neutral venues where it can stage future home commitments.
Sunday, February 28, 2010 HAVANA: Hundreds of wealthy merchants and cigar aficionados from all parts of the world gathered in Havana this week to bid high stakes for humidors full of premium cigars. Cuba's annual Habanos festival ended on Friday night with an auction of ornate humidors of cedar and mahogany stacked with hand-rolled stogies that raised 800,000 euros ($1.09 million dollars). Habanos S.A. executives this month said cigar sales fell 8 percent to $360 million in 2009, so they have created the Julieta, a smaller, milder version of the Romeo y Julieta cigar, aimed specifically at female smokers. Women now make up only 5 to 10 percent of customers for Habanos. But even with the creation of the Julieta, Garcia said Habanos has only modest hopes for 2010 sales, due largely to a weak economy in Spain, the biggest market for Cuban cigars. The flavor of premium tobacco relies on the soil and climate in which it is grown. The western province of Pinar Del Rio, famous fo...
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