Conan o Brien Tour, whose exit from “The Tonight Show” and NBC bars him from taking another TV job until September, will launch “The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour” in Eugene, Ore., on April 12. He, sidekick Andy Richter and his “Tonight Show” band led by Max Weinberg will hit 30 cities over the course of two months.

O’Brien announced the tour Thursday morning (March 11) on his Twitter feed: “Hey Internet: I’m headed to your town on a half-assed comedy & music tour.

The tour includes dates at the Gibson Amphitheater at Universal Studios in L.A. — an NBC Universal-owned property that’s just a stone’s throw from O’Brien’s “Tonight Show” soundstage — and Radio City Music Hall in New York, just up the street from NBC headquarters. O’Brien and Co. will also hit Seattle, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Austin, Chicago, Toronto and Washington, D.C., during the tour, as well as the Bonnaroo music festival in Tennessee on June 11.

INDIAN WELLS, California: Justin Henin beat Magdalena Rybarikova, 6-2, 6-2, in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open on Wednesday, her first competitive match since a surprising run to the Australian Open final in January.

Henin, who is playing in this tournament for the first time since 2006, held the No. 1 ranking when she unexpectedly retired in May, 2008.

She returned to the tour this year and was runner-up at the Brisbane International and again at the Australian Open in her first two tournaments back.

After being idle since the Australian Open final, Henin didn’t serve well at just 48 percent, but won 20 of 26 first-serve points and saved the four break points against her in the 68-minute match.

“It was a very good feeling. This is a tournament I like a lot,” said Henin, who will meet Gisela Dulko of Argentina in the second round.

Unranked after her lengthy absence, Henin took a wild-card entry into this $4.5 million event and is one of six former champions in the 96-player field — although only two of them are on the bottom half of the draw.

Top-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova is in the top half with former champions Kim Clijsters (2003, 2005), Daniela Hantuchova (2002, 2007), Ana Ivanovic (2008) and Vera Zvonareva (2009).

Henin said when she began her comeback she felt it would take four or five months to be at her best physically and mentally, and her run to the Australian Open final didn’t change that.

“I still think I need a few more tournaments,” the seven-time Grand Slam title winner said. “In Australia I proved to myself that I could make it, that I didn’t really need a lot of competition to be at a pretty good level. But I see further than that. For the French Open and Wimbledon I hope I can be at my best level.

Others moving into the second round were Vania King, who beat Christina McHale, 7-5, 6-3, in an all-American match; Virginie Razzano of France, a 6-3, 6-4 winner over Kristina Barrios of Germany; Kimiko Date Krumm of Japan, who beat Melinda Czink of Hungary, 6-2, 6-2; Great Britain’s Elena Baltacha, a 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6 -4 winner over Alexa Glatch of the U.S.; Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand, who toppled Edina Gallovits of Romania, 6-2, 6-3; and Polona Hercog of Slovakia, with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Romania’s Ioana Raluca Olaru.

RAHIMYAR KHAN PAKISTAN: The participants of the Tour de Pakistan reached Rahimyar Khan from Bahawalpur in the seventh stage which was won by Sabir Ali of the Sui Southern Gas Company.

In all, 47 cyclists left Bahawalpur for Rahimyar Khan in the seventh stage, which consists of 200 km. This distance was completed by 42 cyclists.

Sabir Ali was the first to reach the destination, winning second successive stage in the event. He crossed the distance in five hours, 39 minutes and 26 seconds.

Imtiaz Hasan of Afghanistan came second and Ovais Aslam of WAPDA secured the third position.

Tomorrow will be the rest day and the participants will leave Rahimyar Khan for Sukkur in the eighth stage on Wednesday.

Sri Lankan cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya would embark on a political career by taking part in the upcoming parliamentary polls scheduled to be held on April 8.

Watch Live Cricket

Jayasuriya is seeking to become a Member of Parliament under the ruling coalition United People Freedom Alliance (UPFA) in the south coast district of Matara, his hometown. The 40-year-old was recently dropped from the Sri Lankan ODI team but he has no plans to end his cricketing career in spite of his entry into politics.

Watch Live Cricket

What Time is Tiger Woods Press Conference, Tiger Woods is to return to therapy after he speaks publicly for the first time about his infidelity, according to a letter from PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem that was obtained by The Associated Press.

Finchem’s letter to the PGA Tour policy board and other officials explained why Woods chose Friday to make his first public comments, which are to be televised live by the major networks.

Woods’ statement comes during the Match Play Championship, sponsored by Accenture, the first company to drop Woods as a pitchman.

“As we understand it, Tiger’s therapy called for a week’s break at this time during which he has spent a few days with his children and then will make his statement before returning,” Finchem said in a letter Thursday. “Accordingly, there was very little flexibility in the date for the announcement.”

Woods is to speak at 11 a.m. EST from the clubhouse at TPC Sawgrass, home of the PGA Tour. It will be his first time to speak publicly since his car accident Nov. 27 that sparked sordid revelations of extramarital affairs.

The letter shed no light on whether Woods plans to return to the tour anytime soon.

Ernie Els was among players who were upset to learn that Woods had chosen the week of a World Golf Championship for a public appearance that was sure to take attention away from the tournament. “It’s selfish,” Els told Golfweek magazine.

Ariz., earlier this week that he didn’t think Woods’ appearance would undermine Accenture, and that Woods’ handlers “have their own reasons for their schedule.”

In the letter, he said the tour discussed the situation with Accenture and “they understand that the PGA Tour was not involved in determining the timing of the statement.” Finchem also noted that Woods’ comments would be over well before television coverage of the third round from Dove Mountain.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has delayed awarding annual central contacts to its players until until the release of a report into the team’s defeats in all matches on their tour of Australia.

A six-man evaluating committee had delayed its proceeding in view of Pakistan’s ongoing tour of UAE to play two Twenty20 International against England and will meet again after the team returns from Dubai.

“We will announce the central contracts only after the submission of the inquiry report so that there is no conflict between the two,” Wasim Bari, PCB Chief Operating Officer told AFP.

PCB Last year awarded annual contracts to 27 players, nine in the top ‘A’ category, four in ‘B’ and 14 in the ‘C’ category. The likely omission from the new list will be notorious fast-bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who was last year kept in the top category despite playing only four Twenty20 internationals.

Read more:
PCB delays awarding central contacts

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the members of its Governing Board in the category of elected representatives of Regional Cricket Associations for the next two years.

According to PCB media release as recommended by Chairman PCB Ejaz Butt and in terms of Article 8(1-b) & (2) of the PCB constitution 2007, the President of Pakistan in his capacity as patron of PCB has approved the names the members of PCB Governing Board.

Maj ® Naeem Akhtar Gillani President, Rawalpindi Regional Cricket Association replaces Shakil Sheikh President Islamabad Regional Cricket Association.

Mir Haider Ali Talpur, President Hyderabad Regional Cricket Association replaces Dr. Mohammad Ali Shah President Karachi Regional Cricket Association.

Tariq Baloch, President, Quetta Regional Cricket Association replaces Mian Mohammad Munir, President Multan Regional Cricket Association.

Chaudry Mohammad Anwar, President, Faisalabad Regional Cricket Association replaces Amir Hayat Rokhri, President Lahore Regional Cricket Association.

More here:
President of Pakistan approves GB members for representatives of Regional Cricket Associations

Jacques Kallis believes that the Proteas’ two battling left-handers, Ashwell Prince and JP Duminy, will come good when it really counts on the final day of the Test series against India at Eden Gardens.

Rain frustrated India’s proceeding on the fourth day of the second and final Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The Proteas finished the day on which a little more than a third of the overs could be bowled on 115/3 for an overall trail of 232 runs with 98 overs left to play on the final day.

The hosts have to take out seven South African wickets and avoid their first home series loss since the defeat by Australia in 2004 and more important they try to seize on to their number-one ranking.

“Hashim has been in great form so obviously he needs to keep that going and I know that he is hungry to do that,” commented Kallis. “It is also a great time for JP and Ashwell to turn it around. What better time to do it than on an important day like this? They have done it on occasions like this before and they can turn it around. Tomorrow is a
day for heroes.”

Kallis said it was important for the rest of the team to learn the lessons that Amla had taught on this tour. “The biggest lesson of all is when you are in good form not to give it away. He is mentally a very strong player and he has excellent powers of concentration. He knows his game plan very well and he has executed it brilliantly.
There are some valuable lessons there for all players around the world.”

Kallis remained upbeat that the Proteas could bat out the day, particularly if they continued to play positively and put India under pressure by wiping out their overall lead. Such a scenario would mean that every run would become effectively two as they would be runs that India would have to go out and score in whatever time remained available. “We feel we can bat out tomorrow, just take it a ball at a time and be positive.”

“The wicket is still very good for batting. There is a little bit of turn but not as much as you normally come across on day five on the sub-continent. There is not much there for the seamers either so certainly as far as batting conditions are concerned it is a good wicket to play on,” Kallis maintained.

“There is a little bit more bounce for Harbhajan than there was at Nagpur. It is probably slightly quicker but there is not a lot of turn. We have played spinners well in the past and there is no reason why we can’t do it again tomorrow,” he added.

Continued here:
Kallis calls for heroic day

LAHORE: The hearing of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) probe body headed by PCB chief operating officer Waseem Bari was underway here to look into reasons for Pakistan’s dismal performance during their tour of Australia in which it lost the Test series 0-3 and the One-dayers 0-5.

Watch Live Cricket

The six-man probe panel that includes PCB governing Board member Wazir Ali Khoja, PCB director Zakir Khan, Yawar Saeed and Taffazul Rizvi discussed the report of the team manager Abdul Raqueeb.

Former captain Waseem Akram was absent from the meeting due to personal engagements.

The report indicated worst fielding, batting and lack of team discipline as key reasons behind the dismal performance of the team in Australia.

The report called Mohammed Yousuf as defensive captain and proposed a strong leader for the team. The report also referred brawl between seamers Mohammed Amir and Umar Gul and recommended Rs 1,00,000 fine on each.

The report proposed a strong captain for the team and called attention towards improvement of fielding and players fitness.

Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam and captain Mohammad Yousuf will appear before the panel on Saturday (tomorrow).

New Zealand won by 3 wickets (with 31 balls remaining).
Guptill, 91
Vettori, 34
New Zealand beat Bangladesh winning the third ODI today in Christchurch.
After winning the toss, New Zealand invited the host team to bat first. Bangladesh has set a target of 242 for the Kiwis. Imrul Kayes made a gutsy century while Shakib Al Hasan gave his best performance of the tour with 36 runs and Muhammad Ashraful 31 scores, but it was still not enough to prevent New Zealand from sweeping the series.

Watch Live Cricket

TJ Southee and DL Vettori each took 3 wickets. Chasing the target, Kiwis made 244 at a loss of 7 wickets in just 45th overs. Martin Guptill played a remarkable innings of 91. The only Test match between the two countries would be held in Hamilton on February 15.