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Manchester United star Dimitar Berbatov’s uncle is an exorcist, and he was shocked when he got to know the nickname of his nephew’s football club.

Father Stoyan Berbatov drives out demons in spine-chilling ceremonies in Dimi’s native Bulgaria, and he was shocked to discover the devilish nickname (Red Devils) of his famous nephew’s new club.

Father Stoyan, who takes on the devil just like actor Max von Sydow in hit horror flick The Exorcist, reckons his nephew’s rise to stardom has helped revive religion in Bulgaria.

He said: “I have been in this parish for over 15 years and the congregation used to be small. But now Bulgaria is football mad. It has a celebrity in the best team in the world. And now my church is full! Maybe people think the power of God and the Berbatov luck is a winning team.”

Dimi, 27, who scored in his club’s 3-0 demolition of Chelsea yesterday, has become Bulgaria’s best-known sporting hero since his 30.75 million pounds transfer from Spurs to United in the summer.

India is to play a five-Test series in England in 2011 and 2015 - for the first time in more than 50 years, according to a report here Tuesday.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are on the verge of agreeing a deal for a lucrative new contract for Test match and one-day series in England in 2011 and 2015, The Guardian newspaper reported.

The paper said that ECB Chairman Giles Clarke and Chief Executive David Collier arrived in Britain from India Monday and are expected to return for more talks next month on the deal.

The paper said under the terms of the deal India will play four or five Tests and five one-day internationals in England in 2011 and five Tests and five ODIs in 2015.

India have not played a five-Test series in England since 1959, and television revenues from the Tests at Lord’s cricket ground alone are expected to hit 25 million pounds, the paper said.

It also said that although the two ECB officials failed to reach an agreement over releasing England players for the Indian Premier League championship, England stars Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff are “expected to sign contracts.”

Force India today announced a “ground-breaking technical partnership” which would see the Vijay Mallya-owned outfit running on Mercedes engines in the next Formula One season with McLaren providing them gearboxes and hydraulic systems.

“In a unique long term deal, the Force India VJM02 cars will be powered by engines designed and built by Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines — the first time that the legendary manufacturer has supplied another chassis constructor other than McLaren,” the Silverstone-based team said in a statement.

“Additionally, Force India will have access to the McLaren Group’s network of bespoke suppliers that has supported this year’s World Championship victory,” said the F1 outfit which recently snapped ties with Ferrari after failing to score a point in its debut season.

“McLaren will additionally supply the Force India cars with McLaren Racing gearboxes and hydraulic systems and will provide operational support to ensure Force India functions at its highest possible level.”

“Force India also plans to fit its cars with a kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) that is currently being developed by Mercedes and McLaren,” the statement read.

The first Indian F1 team, in conjunction with aerospace company EADS, would soon be expanding the computational fluid dynamics capability at its Brackley Aero Centre facility.

Delighted with the new alliance, Force India chairman and Managing Director Vijay Mallya said, “McLaren and Mercedes-Benz are two of the most famous names in motorsport history, having achieved great success in Grand Prix racing over many years, and most recently, a superb victory in probably the most dramatic World Championship Formula 1 has seen.

“These new resources and developments will provide an enormous boost to our technical armoury and, as a result, we have high hopes of making good progress in 2009 and beyond.”

Mallya described Force India’s maiden season as a learning curve and asserted the team would not remain a backbencher.

“We said at the outset that we meant business and were not interested in merely making up the numbers. The announcement of our new technical partnership, combined with the new developments and resources outlined above, clearly underlines that we meant what we said.”

“I would like personally to thank (F1 supremo) Bernie Ecclestone and FIA president Max Mosley, both of whom offered their assistance and support throughout the gestation of this deal,” Mallya said.

Kevin Pietersen has already shown interest to join the Indian Premier League and only a no objection certificate from ECB stands in the way of the England captain`s participation in the next edition of the cash-rich Twenty20 tournament, IPL chairman Lalit Modi said.

“I am very keen for Kevin to take part in the IPL. He has already agreed to be part of it, we just need an NOC from the ECB,” Modi said.

The BCCI vice-president said the ECB has agreed in principle to release players for the IPL. However, there`s a catch to it — IPL will have to release 20 players for England`s proposed Twenty20 tournament.

“The ECB have agreed in principle to release the players for the next season. It has, of course, strings attached.”

“We are evaluating those strings, whether we can agree to it or not. The good news is at least the ECB has moved from the position of not allowing their players in the IPL,” Modi said.

He added that players can now be traded mid-season. “There may be times when teams have too many players or are in need of players. We need to give an opportunity to those teams to keep the players as a currency, so that they can get a benefit out of that by trading,” Modi told a cricket website.

Taking a cue from the English Premier League planning the `39th Game`, which will see top football clubs playing one more round of matches on neutral venue, Modi said that could be tried in the IPL.

“We have a lot of international players who have a great appeal in many countries, so for us to take our league abroad would be easier.”

Call it the old monarch’s dogged insistence on principles or the young prince’s confusion in the face of onslaught from mighty opponents. The Danes in badminton are virtually camped at crossroads. Once champions of the game, they’ve witnessed Asia - currently badminton’s undisputed world-beaters - crush almost all other systems.

“Asians have success models; we’ve thrived on philosophy to keep badminton’s strong culture alive in Denmark,” says Jakob Hoei, the Danish junior coach at the World Juniors event.

“Asian training methods are stricter, regimented. For children in Denmark, badminton’s usually more fun,” he says.

Yet, the motivation to excel comes from watching great players at the six-odd top clubs spread across the small European country. Once there was Peter Gade, now there is Kenneth Johansson, their current top-10 representative.

“Our kids learn much from watching the big Danish names. The incentives are to get better, build a social attachment to this revered sport,” Hoei adds. And, of course, to keep up the pace with the Asians - Chinese, Koreans and Indonesians - without copying their methods.

Quality over quantity

Denmark has sent just three players to the World Juniors - Steffen Rasmussen (”Not related to Tine, there are many Rasmussens in Denmark,” Hoei quips) and Emil Holst in the men’s section, and Anne Hald Jensen in the women’s. “We have just three here, but we’re hoping to make at least the quarter-finals,” the coach adds. Injury to one of their doubles players prevented them from fielding a side in the team event.

Denmark once boasted of the biggest ratio of shuttlers to the total population, but other sports have gradually eaten into those numbers. The sport continues to revolve around the 5-6 clubs, all not more than half-an-hour away from each other. The idea of regional centres or a single system of coaching is only just getting popular.

“Even in terms of technique, we’re not No.1 in any particular aspect like speed or stamina. We defend and attack well and have smart shots. We can only get our juniors for 15 hours of training in a week, while the Asians do 25. But we learn a lot from watching our senior pros,” Hoei explains.

But when the impressionable teenagers land at world events such as these and watch the Asians slaughter the rest, there are some very evident temptations to overcome. “When they watch the Chinese win, they go home and want to copy it. But they realise it’s not easy to play the same way physically and technically, so we try working our games around sound tactics,” he says. So as coach, Hoei’s biggest challenge is to get the young players to believe in themselves. The Danish trio trained with Gade and other seniors a week before coming to Pune.

The European powerhouse has resisted the temptation of importing Asian coaches en masse to a large extent, but the club leagues have Asians and English doubles pairs and the strong Bulgarians helping the Danes get a glimpse of what’s happening in Asia.

“The Indian youngsters are no longer with slower games and high lifts. Now, their game is fast-paced with good pushes. Some strokes of the doubles players at the net, are ones I’ve never seen before. Saina (Nehwal) plays like an adult, very mature for her age.”

While the transition’s sweeping through India, the Danes are holding on to their bastion. Philosophy, more than formulae, matters. At least for the moment.

Like Mumbai FC, they touched down well ahead on Friday’s game of the second I-League here. On Mohammedan Sporting would depend whether Mahindra United start the Kolkata chapter of this competition just as well.

Three successive losses meant got the campaign off to the worst possible start for the former National League and Federation Cup winners. Mahindra United stemmed that streak with full points against JCT in Ludhiana but whether they have turned the corner may well be determined by what they take from this away game.

Psychological advantages would certainly be with the current Durand Cup winners if Thoedore Wrobeh doesn’t start with Mike Okoro in the Mohammedan Sporting frontline.

Vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin will drop the ceremonial first puck Friday night before the St. Louis Blues’ game against the Los Angeles Kings.

The Alaska governor and self-described “hockey mom” also dropped the first puck Oct. 11 before Philadelphia’s home opener against the New York Rangers.

Palin has an appearance Friday at Missouri State University in Springfield.

The Seattle Mariners hired Milwaukee Brewers special assistant Jack Zduriencik as their new general manager Wednesday.

The 57-year-old Zduriencik, known for his skill in drafting players, replaces Bill Bavasi, who was fired in June, and takes over for interim GM Lee Pelekoudas.

Since Zduriencik arrived in Milwaukee in 1999, the team drafted Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, J.J Hardy and 2007 NL Rookie of the Year Ryan Braun — the young foundation of Milwaukee’s playoff team this season.

“Seattle is an outstanding organization with great fans, a great ballpark and an ownership group committed to the goal of bringing a World Series to the Northwest,” said Zduriencik, who has spent 25 years in the majors after coaching football and baseball in both high school and college.

“I believe that working together, we can make the Mariners a model franchise. I am looking forward to getting to work immediately, and developing a plan to reach our goal.”

That plan better be great after Seattle became the first team with a $100 million payroll to lose 100 games.

Zduriencik’s first task with the Mariners will be finding a new manager. John McLaren was fired in June and interim manager Jim Riggleman said he doesn’t expect to return.

Mariners chief executive Howard Lincoln and team president Chuck Armstrong interviewed as many as 10 candidates in the last month, including Dodgers assistant GM Kim Ng — who was trying to become the first female GM in the major leagues.

Instead, the Mariners went with Zduriencik’s experience in traditional scouting.

“Jack is extremely well-respected throughout baseball,” Lincoln said. “His track record in recognizing and developing young talent in Milwaukee was instrumental in the Brewers’ steady improvement over the past several seasons.”

Zduriencik began his scouting career with the New York Mets in 1983 and became the scouting director for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1991-93.

There, he made the decision to draft catcher Jason Kendall with Pittsburgh’s first pick in 1992.

Kendall, a three-time All-Star, is still a big fan of Zduriencik.

“Jack is just an unbelievable person. Obviously his track record speaks for itself,” Kendall said earlier this year.

Given the crazy exchange of attacks, you would have thought the defenders hadn’t returned from their Puja holidays. In terms of gaffes, Mohammedan Sporting were ahead at half-time but it wouldn’t have mattered had Jose Barreto not brilliantly cancelled Goutam Thakur’s strike.

It took two minutes for Mohun Bagan to forget coach Karim Bencherifa’s exhorting them to ensure they don’t have to “run after the match.” Peter Odafe’s hesitation in closing down Theodore Wrobeh was all the invitation he needed to make something of a Mike Okoro offering from behind.

As Odafe tailed Wrobeh into the area, out came Shilton Paul but forget collecting the ball, the Mohun Bagan goalie couldn’t even get his hand to it. With Paul blocking Wrobeh from getting a look on goal, the crafty striker laid it back for Thakur who shot home.

That wasn’t the only gift Mohammedan Sporting got in the first half. In the 31st minute, Wrobeh headed over from inside the six-yard box after Okoro’s lob was headed down by Sovan Chakrabarty.

It wasn’t surprising that Mohammedan Sporting couldn’t protect their lead beyond 22 minutes. Fortunately for the 10,000-odd that devoted their Sunday evening to this fourth round I-League clash will perhaps remember it not for Anit Ghosh being out of position to intercept Shylo Malsawmtluanga’s hook-back but for what happened next.

Given that Barreto had fluffed two free headers and wasted the good work by Ishfaq Ahmed and S. James Singh on the left in the first minute, Mohammedan Sporting fans may have assumed that this too shall pass. But Barreto, unmarked on the top of the area, first flicked the ball and then sent a rasping side-volley that swung into the back of the net.

The misses kept cancelling each other out but occasionally the goalkeeper too were called into action. Though Shilton was repeatedly guilty of leaving his line and gripping air — maybe because Thakur couldn’t believe his luck, he headed over an empty goal in the 69th minute - he dived to stop a Wrobeh grounder.

One minute later, he thwarted Okoro, this time rushing out at the right time. Before all this, the hardworking Adebayo Adewusi was unlucky that his header narrowly missed the far post.

The stalemate was a fair verdict even if in the hunt for goals, Mohun Bagan were more aggressive. As Mohammedan Sporting sat back looking to hit on the break, Mohun Bagan, with Masih, Lalkamal Bhowmick, Ishfaq, Barreto, James and Malsawmtluanga led a frontal assault in their bid for a first win over Mohammedan Sporting this season.

Churchill end Sporting’s winning streak (PTI adds from Margao): Odafe Okolie struck once in each half to end Sporting Clube De Goa’s winning streak as Churchill Brothers scored an emphatic 3-0 victory at the Nehru Stadium. Besides Odafe, Thokchom Naoba Singh found the target in the 68th minute for Churchill, who led 1-0 at half time.

Italian Simone Bolelli upset local favourite Nicolas Almagro 7-6 6-1 at the Madrid Masters on Monday to clinch a second-round meeting with fourth seed Andy Murray.

The 23-year-old Bolelli, who entered the draw after Russian Marat Safin withdrew with a shoulder injury, took advantage of his opponent’s own shoulder problems to win through.

Almagro told reporters his injury-hit season had been “a year to forget”.

American Mardy Fish eased past Belgian Steve Darcis 6-1 6-4 to set up a clash with 15th seed Richard Gasquet of France.

World number 16 Gilles Simon of France came back from a set down to beat Russian Igor Andreev 4-6 6-1 7-6 and next faces American James Blake.

Olivier Rochus put up a spirited fight against Croat Marin Cilic but the Belgian was eventually outdone by the big serves and long reach of the 6-foot-6 world number 24, losing 6-3 7-5.

Cilic plays Madrid local Fernando Verdasco in the second round.

Spain’s Tommy Robredo ousted Italian Andreas Seppi 7-6 3-6 6-3 while Czech Tomas Berdych crushed German Rainer Schuettler 6-1 6-2.