Mercedes AMG team to quit Formula 1 by 2014?

Mercedes is considering a partial withdrawal from Formula One at the end of the 2013 world championship season, according to Auto Hebdo who are basing the reports on the Stuttgart carmaker's dissatisfaction with certain developments within the sport at the highest level.

Mercedes, who are yet to agree a new Concorde Agreement deal with Bernie Ecclestone, reportedly could then field only a semi-official team from 2014.

Mercedes would however continue to supply customer engines, as it does currently to McLaren and Force India, whilst its 'semi-official' works team might become known as 'AMG F1', Auto Hebdo said.

AMG is Mercedes' high-performance arm.

The magazine speculated that Brackley based AMG F1, currently known as Mercedes AMG, would continue to be run by team boss Ross Brawn, with Michael Schumacher in the cockpit.

But Mercedes would focus more strongly on engineering than team ownership and management, Auto Hebdo said.

It is likely that F1's only engine suppliers in 2014 will be Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari, meaning they all could take on more customers for the new V6 rules.

Reasons cited for Mercedes' rumoured change of direction are the Gerhard Gribkowsky corruption scandal involving F1's chief executive Ecclestone, and the latter's push for Mercedes to make a long-term pledge to the sport.

Another reason mentioned is Mercedes' lack of success with its full works team since 2010, despite Nico Rosberg's breakthrough win from pole in Shanghai this year.

Lewis Hamilton closing in on McLaren deal

McLaren are close to confirming a new deal with 2008-world champion Lewis Hamilton, managing director Jonathan Neale has confirmed.

Hamilton, who has spent his entire Formula 1 career with McLaren since his debut season in 2007 - in which he came one point short of taking the title - is out of contract come the end of the current year.

Neale though says the two parties are close to an agreement.

"We are closer and of course we are in dialogue," he told Sky Sports. "For obvious reasons I can't speculate more at the moment. We are working very hard to find a common ground."

"He is a fighter, he loves a challenge. He just needs a sniff of it and to feel that the team is behind him and pushing," he added.

It's believed a three-year deal is the likely outcome, though the sticking point reportedly remains the ownership of trophies. McLaren have historically kept all original trophies at their Woking factory, with copies going to the drivers. Hamilton is keen for this to change.

Virat Kohli nominated for the ICC Cricketer of the Year Award

Young and Vibrant Indian cricketer Virat Kohli along with Maestro Sachin Tendulkar has been nominated for the ninth annual ICC Awards, which will be held on September 15 in Colombo ahead of the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.

While in-form Indian batsman Virat Kohli has been nominated for the Cricketer of the Year and ODI Cricketer of the Year awards, Tendulkar has once again been nominated for the ICC People's Choice award.

Indian captain MS Dhoni and opener Gautam Gambhir have also been nominated for the ODI Cricketer of the Year award. However, India failed to get a single nomination in the Test Cricketer of the Year award category.

Those nominated for the People's Choice award include Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, South Africa's Veteran Proteas all-rounder Jacques Kallis and Vernon Philander, while England's James Anderson makes up the quintet of nominees.

Six players have been nominated in three different categories - South Africa's Hashim Amla, Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal, Australia captain Michael Clarke, Sri Lanka's Kumara Sangakkara, England's Alastair Cook and West Indies' Stafanie Taylor.

This year's awards include 11 individual prizes and also features the selection of the Test and ODI Teams of the Year. Cricket followers will have the opportunity to decide the winner, this time by accessing an application on the ICC's official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/cricketicc. Voting will be open until midnight of August 31.

Usain Bolt to play in Australia's Big Bash League

Negotiations are underway for cricket-mad 'Fastest man on the Planet' Usain Bolt to play in Australia's Twenty20 Big Bash League, with Shane Warne leading the campaign to bring him to Melbourne. Bolt, who defended his 100 and 200-meter titles in London is hailed by International Olympic Committee chief Jacques Rogge as the greatest sprinter, played junior cricket before turning to the track and has long voiced a love for the game.
The Ace Leg-Spinner Shane Warne is the marquee player for the Melbourne Stars franchise and he has begun a social media campaign to win support for Usain Bolt to play for the team. According to Australian media, Bolt clean bowled the then West Indies captain & T20 Storm Chris Gayle in a charity match in 2009, having earlier hit him down the ground for six.
The eight-team Big Bash League comprising international and local cricket players, will run from 7 December to 9 January. West Indies captain Chris Gayle is the league’s leading scorer and star attraction.

Yuvraj Singh named in World Cup T20 Indian squad

India batsman Yuvraj Singh has been named in India's T20 squad for the ICC World Twenty20 next month in Sri Lanka, marking a return to cricket after battling with cancer.

Yuvraj, who last played for India during the home Tests against West Indies, was passed fit when the selection committee met in Mumbai to pick the respective squads. During his recovery from cancer, Yuvraj said last month that Twenty20 would be ideal format to mark his return to competitive cricket. However, he was picked despite lacking in match practice.

The Twenty20 squad had a few surprises, most notably the recall of the legspinner Chawla (in both squads), offspinner Harbhajan Singh and the seamer L Balaji. Chawla last played for India during the 2011 World Cup, and his previous Test goes back a further three years. Balaji, who suffered career-threatening injuries through the previous decade, last played for India in 2009. What may have boosted his selection was a successful IPL 2012, during which he played a key role in Kolkata Knight Riders' title win.

T20 Indian squad: MS Dhoni (C/WK), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Manoj Tiwary, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, R Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, L Balaji, Piyush Chawla, Ashok Dinda