The big story: ‘At 38 I feel now is the time to begin the next chapter in my life’

England and Chelsea legend Frank Lampard on Thursday called time on his 21-year long career, which saw him emerge as one of the finest midfielders in the world and become the West London club’s highest ever goal-scorer.

“After 21 incredible years, I have decided that now is the right time to finish my career as a professional footballer,” Lampard wrote on his Instagram account.

“Whilst I have received a number of exciting offers to continue playing at home and abroad, at 38 I feel now is the time to begin the next chapter in my life.

‘I’m immensely proud of the trophies I’ve won, of representing my country over 100 times and of scoring more than 300 career goals.’

Lampard started his career with West Ham United before moving to Chelsea in 2001. During his 13-year stint at Stamford Bridge, the Englishman was the cornerstone for much of the club’s success, winning the English Premier League three times. In addition to that, he also won two league cups and win the FA Cup four times along with the UEFA Champions League and the Europa League. Lampard was also a part of the famed ‘Golden Generation’ of English football in the mid-2000s, and won 106 caps for his country.

Lampard also spent a year at Manchester City before going on to represent New York City in Major League Soccer. It is reported that the 38-year-old is eyeing a career as a manager.

Other top stories

Cricket

  • The second Australia-New Zealand One-day International at Napier was abandoned without a ball being bowled because of a wet outfield, which was deemed unsuitable for play. The third ODI will be played at Hamilton on February 5th.
  • New Zealand Cricket have reportedly decided to launch an inquiry into the second Chappell-Hadlee ODI at McLean Park on Thursday. Despite there being no rain for four hours, there was no play because the outfield was declared unsuitable. New Zealand coach Mike Hesson also criticised the ground, lamenting that the outfield “wasn’t even close” to being fit for play.
  • Eoin Morgan failed to find answers for his side’s collapse against India in the third Twenty20 International at Bengaluru. The Ireland-born batsman said that it was England’s worst display with the bat “in two or two-and-a-half years”. The visitors lost eight wickets for as many runs in the space of 19 deliveries.
  • The Indian Premier League 2017 player auction is likely to take place between February 20-25 after a delay from the originally proposed date of February 4, reportedESPNCricinfo.  
  • India beat England by a comprehensive margin of 10 wickets to register their third win of the blind World T20. 
  • India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, fresh from picking up a career-best 6/25 in Bengaluru, stated that maintaining an off-stump line helped him run through the England batsmen, “When Joe Root and Morgan were going great guns, I planned to bowl to them on the off side after discussing it with Mahi [MS Dhoni] and Virat [Kohli] bhai, because hitting becomes difficult by maintaining that line,” he told reporters at the post-match press conference,” Chahal was quoted as saying by PTI. 

Football

  • Eastern Sporting Union bagged their second win of the ongoing Indian Women’s League with a comfortable 3-1 win over FC Pune City at the Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi.    
  • French broadcasters Canal Plus reported that Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann’s move to Manchester United in the summer is edging closer with the player reportedly having accepted personal terms. The transfer fee was reported in the range of 85 million.
  • Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said that the English Premier League title was “Chelsea’s to lose” while critcising his own side’s lack of consistency during the campaign, “We have been inconsistent. After we win we have drawn or lost one or two games,” Guardiola said after the Sky Blues cruised to a 4-0 win against West Ham United on Wednesday.
  • An incensed Jose Mourinho bemoaned after his side Manchester United drew with Hull City 0-0 that “rules are different” for him when it came to punishments for lashing out at referees, on and off the pitch, “Tell the truth. Don’t ask me questions I cannot answer. You know I am different. The rules for me are different. I watch my team play in a hotel, forbidden to go in a stadium, my assistant had a stadium ban,” the Portuguese said.   

Tennis

  • Saketh Myneni suffered an injury during a practice session, which will see him miss the Davis Cup tie against New Zealand starting on Friday, reportedThe Indian Express. Myneni was seen limping off the court after a practice session. The 29-year-old, ranked 209th in doubles, was due to play with Leander Paes, “He is injured and will not play the tie,” Hiranmoy Chatterjee, secretary general of the All India Tennis Association, told the English daily. “Right now, we are looking for options, but strictly for doubles,” he added.  
  • Maria Sharapova, who will be making her return to the professional circuit in April after serving a ban for testing positive for a banned substance revealed that, over the past year, she spent her time boxing and studying at Harvard university, “I tried boxing as I needed to keep myself in good form. It was great as I could imagine some particular people whom I wanted to hit,” said the 29-year-old.