Sports Time

Hull 20 Huddersfield 34: Danny Brough sends England reminder

2011-05-30T08:01:00.000+01:00

Danny Brough gave England coach Steve McNamara another nudge with a superb display just days before the national squad to face the Exiles is revealed as Huddersfield won 34-20 at Hull.

The Giants scrum-half kicked brilliantly, scored the decisive try and dictated play as his side kept up with Warrington at the top of the engage Super League.

Huddersfield boss Nathan Brown said: 'On form, Danny should be in the England team. He's earned his chance because he's playing consistently well.'

David Hodgson's hat-trick ensured the Giants led for most of the afternoon. Even when the hosts did threaten an upset, having clawed their way back to within two points late on, Jordan Turner fumbled Sam Obst's pass and Brough went over for the match-winning try.

Tries from Michael Lawrence and Hodgson had sandwiched Ewan Dowes' first-half effort for Hull.

Hodgson got his second soon after the interval. Then Mark O'Meley and Willie Manu crossed for the hosts, before Hodgson's third, Brough's interception and Lee Gilmour's try completed the scoring.

Stand-off Ben Jeffries scored three of Bradford's five tries in their 28-14 win over Salford.

Catalan Dragons returned to winning ways with a 42-22 win at Wakefield.

Castleford revived their play-off challenge by ending a four-match run of defeats with a 56-24 win over Harlequins.

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England beaten by Barbarians

2011-05-30T07:23:00.000+01:00

The Barbarians conjured a superb last-minute try to condemn a youthful England side to defeat in a non-cap international at Twickenham.

Tries from Henry Trinder, Ugo Monye and James Simpson-Daniel helped the hosts into a 24-7 lead after 26 minutes.

But the Baa-Baas hit back with four unanswered tries to lead 31-24 before England responded with a penalty from Charlie Hodgson and a Tom Johnson try.

But Baa-Baas wing Tim Visser finished off a flowing move to win it late on.

It was a second try for the Edinburgh-based Dutchman, as the invitational side out-scored England six-to-four on the try count.

The hosts also had to contend with worrying-looking injuries to Harlequins duo Ugo Monye and Joe Marler.

Monye, a contender for the final wing spot in England's World Cup squad, limped off with damaged knee ligments while 20-year-old prop Marler was carried off on a stretcher with mild concussion. Matt Banahan also suffered a soft tissue injury.

Of the players hoping to boost their prospects of getting on the plane to New Zealand, captain Luke Narraway probably advanced his cause the most, while Banahan confirmed his versatility with a powerful display and fly-half Charlie Hodgson showed touches of class.

Hodgson's array of passing was in evidence from the off as he created the opening try inside three minutes.

Twice sending Banahan - playing at inside centre - on short bursts up the middle, the Saracens-bound number 10 then checked his pass superbly to put Narraway in space, who in turn sent Trinder over.

If the young Gloucester centre, one of five players making their senior debuts, enjoyed his start to life at international level, he was swiftly exposed to its harsher realities.

Paul Sackey, England's top try-scorer at the last World Cup, left him clutching at thin air as hared round him in the lead-up to the Barbarians' first try.

Prop Marler, another debutant, drifted to the right in the defensive line and Frederic Michalak seized the opportunity, delaying his short pass perfectly to fellow Frenchman Benoit Baby, who danced through the gap and sprinted to the line.

Michalak's conversion levelled matters at 7-7 before England reasserted themselves.

The giant Banahan ploughed straight through Michalak and Exeter flanker Johnson - another debutant - just failed to ground a bouncing ball in the left corner.

A strong drive from Marler, bouncing off Springboks flanker Joe van Niekerk, earned England a penalty that Hodgson - to the sound of mild booing from the crowd - kicked to nudge the hosts 10-7 ahead.

Their second try arrived in the 19th minute as Banahan sucked in the Baa-Baas midfield on a dummy run, Hodgson released Simpson-Daniel and he and Mike Brown put Monye into space.

The Harlequins wing chipped inside and when Nicolas Jeanjean failed to secure the ball, Monye stooped over the full-back and dabbed the ball down, Hodgson adding a second conversion for a 17-7 lead.

Simpson-Daniel then profited from Narraway's good work in collecting a Michalak kick and leaving his opposite number Sergio Parisse for dead with a dummy before feeding his Gloucester team-mate.

Simpson-Daniel, who made his reputation when he embarrassed the great Jonah Lomu in the same fixture nine years ago, stepped inside Ruan Pienaar to finish in dazzling style.

That proved to be the high-point of England's afternoon, as the Barbarians got on top in the scrum and started to dominate at the breakdown.

The hosts lost Bath-bound flanker Carl Fearns to the sin-bin for killing the ball at a ruck six minutes before half-time and the Barbarians should have immediately capitalised.

With a man advantage at the scrum, they worked a perfect opening only for Van Niekerk to waste the scoring chance with a forward pass to Sackey, released by Toulon and sporting the pink socks of Stade Francais, a sign perhaps of where he will be playing next season.

But after a break-out from Brown, Paul Hodgson's pass was intercepted by Michalak, who raced away to score, the maverick Frenchman adding the conversion for good measure.

That brought the Barbarians to within 10 points at the interval, and they halved that deficit nine minutes into the second period.

For all the positives from Simpson-Daniel in attack, the watching Martin Johnson would not have been too impressed with the way the wing allowed his opposite number Visser to collect Michalak's cross-kick, step past him and race away up the left touchline to score.

Michalak missed the conversion to leave it at 24-19, and did so again when the Baa-Baas drew level in the 57th minute, replacement Joe Tekori showing soft hands to put George Smith over in the right corner.

But the momentum was with the invitational side, and Van Niekerk swiftly plundered a fifth try from close range, Michalak converting for a 31-24 lead.

England took stock while Marler, after a lengthy spell of on-pitch treatment, was carried off.

Hodgson kicked a penalty - to more boos - to reduce the deficit to four points, and reinforced with several replacements, they regained the lead with eight minutes left, Johnson capping his debut with a dummy before accelerating over.

But the Barbarians, who introduced rugby league convert Willie Mason for his union debut for the last 15 minutes, had the last word with a try befitting their tradition.

Fijian Tekori outstripped the England midfield before releasing the charging Van Niekerk.

The powerful South African was stopped just short, but still conjured an off-load off the floor for Visser to finish, Pienaar converting with the last kick of the match.

England: Brown (Harlequins), Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester), Trinder (Gloucester), Banahan (Bath), U Monye (Harlequins), Hodgson (Sale), Hodgson (London Irish); Marler (Harlequins), Paice (London Irish), Doran-Jones (Gloucester), Kitchener (Worcester), Attwood (Gloucester), Johnson (Exeter), Fearns (Sale), Narraway (Gloucester, capt)

Replacements: Brookes (Newcastle, for Doran-Jones, 58, Doran-Jones for Marler, 62), Gaskell (Sale, for Fearns, 52), Gibson (London Irish, for Kitchener, 58), Young (Newcastle, for P Hodgson, 58), Myler (Northampton, for Brown, 66), Turner-Hall (Harlequins, for Monye 43). Not used: Gray (Harlequins)

Sin Bin: Fearns (35).

Barbarians: Jeanjean (Brive); Sackey (Toulon), Baby (Clermont Auvergne), Bastareaud (Stade Francais), Visser (Edinburgh); Michalak (Toulouse), Pienaar (Ulster); Perugini (Aironi), Ghiraldini (Benetton Treviso), Kubriashvili (Toulon), Lund (Biarritz), Geldenhuys (Aironi), Van Niekerk (Toulon), Smith (Toulon), Parisse (Stade Francais, capt).

Replacements: Bruno (Toulon, for Ghiraldini, 50), Hayman (Toulon, for Kubriashvili, 50), Tekori (Castres, for Geldenhuys, 55), Williams (Cardiff Blues, for Smith, 65), Mason (Toulon, for Sackey, 65), Rabini (La Rochelle, for Baby, 50). Not used: Tillous-Borde (Castres).

Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)

Attendance: 38,680

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Vettel seals dramatic Monaco win

2011-05-30T06:36:00.000+01:00

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel won his first Monaco Grand Prix and pulled further ahead in the championship.

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and McLaren's Jenson Button, who briefly led the race, had closed in on Vettel but a late safety car helped the German.

Alonso finished second for the first time in 2011, with Button third and Red Bull's Mark Webber fourth.

Lewis Hamilton became embroiled in a row over critical comments about stewards after finishing sixth.

The Englishman was called before officials for two separate incidents and, asked why he had been to see stewards five times in six races this year, he said, apparently in jest: "Maybe it's because I'm black. That's what Ali G says."

The race was poised for a thrilling finish as Vettel, Alonso and Button were covered by less than a second and chasing each other hard.

But with just seven laps to go, Renault's Vitaly Petrov got caught in a pile-up and plunged his Renault into the barriers at the Swimming Pool.

After complaining of pain in his left ankle the Russian was taken to hospital for a body scan, but Renault subsequently released a statement confirming there was no swelling or broken bone.

The reappearance of the safety car released the pressure on Vettel, and when the race resumed 20 minutes later with the three leaders all having changed their tyres, Vettel comfortably held off Alonso and Button to add the Monaco title to his growing collection.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said it had been particularly pleasing to win after the team had experienced a series of unexpected problems during the race.

"We had problems at Sebastian's first stop, we had radio issues and didn't get the tyres on that we wanted, so we had to change our strategy," said Horner.

"The main thing was that we didn't panic. We tried something a bit different, which was very aggressive, but Seb was making it work - that was what won him the race today.

"He was pretty confident, kept talking to his engineers, focusing on areas he could be quick."

BBC F1 chief analyst Eddie Jordan praised Vettel.

"Since he became world champion he has been supreme," said Jordan.

"He is always in the right place - but he also had luck on his side."

Monaco is regarded as the most challenging circuit on the calendar because the narrow, twisting streets push the drivers to the limit.

And Vettel had taken his first pole in Monte Carlo during a qualifying session which had been overshadowed by Sergio Perez's heavy crash which kept him out of the race.

Button, who started alongside Vettel on the front row, tried to play a decisive card in the race when he triggered the pit stops on lap 15.

Vettel had no choice but to respond and came in for his first stop on the following lap, but his crew of mechanics in the Red Bull garage did not have the tyres ready. The resulting delay saw Vettel return to the track in second place.

With a clear track ahead of him, Button quickly built a lead over the world champion.

But while a clever strategy call helped McLaren and Hamilton win in China, this time their attempt to out-think Red Bull backfired.

Button was on a three-stop strategy and when he came in for a second time Vettel regained the lead, and Button dropped to third after his final stop.

The Englishman refused to blame his team's strategy for failing to deliver him his first win of the season.

"We had to take the risk and go for more stops so we shouldn't be upset with what we did," said Button.

"The team did a great job this weekend and I was happy with our strategy. We had to try to do something different to beat Vettel, it was working but it didn't work in the end."

Alonso had muscled his way past Webber and up to third with a typically aggressive start and the Spaniard gained another place thanks to a two-stop strategy.

Vettel looked in real danger as his one-stop strategy meant he had to nurse his tyres for more than 60 laps.

But the restart after the second safety car meant the three leading cars were able to change their tyres and Vettel comfortably cruised to the line.

Alonso said: "Seven days ago we were two minutes behind the leaders and now we are fighting for victory.

"The car is identical to Barcelona so [this result] is just related to Monaco's unique circuit.

"It is also true that the car is working well on the supersoft tyres. They will be available for the next two races so hopefully we can repeat this performance."

Hamilton had a rollercoaster of an afternoon and was constantly in the thick of the action.

After a tussle with Michael Schumacher's Mercedes, Hamilton received a drive-through penalty after he bumped Massa in a three-way battle with Webber at the hairpin.

It's not too late [to win the world championship] but it's not looking great

The Englishman was ninth with seven laps to go, before Jaime Alguersuari's Toro Rosso rode over his McLaren, breaking the rear wing.

The team repaired Hamilton's car before the restart but Hamilton was soon back in trouble with the stewards when he collided with Pastor Maldonado's Williams at Sainte Devote - an incident for which he was subsequently penalised with the addition of 20 seconds to his finishing time, although the punishment which left his finishing position unchanged.

The battle at the hairpin also had repercussions for Massa as Hamilton hustled him again in the tunnel, and as the McLaren sailed safely through, Massa lost control on the tyre debris in the tunnel and hit the barriers.

It is the second race in a row that Massa has retired.

"I was quite a lot quicker than Massa, I went up the inside - and he turned in," said Hamilton in a fiery interview after the race.

"I get the penalty [though], which is usual. He held me up in qualification, I got the penalty. He turned in to me, I got the penalty.

"But you get done trying to put on a show, trying to make a move. Fair play, if I feel I've gone too late I'd hold my hand up to admit I've caused an incident.

"It's not too late [to win the world championship] but it's not looking great."

Schumacher, a five time Monaco winner, conjured up memories of former glories in the opening stages of the race when he brilliantly passed Hamilton at the hairpin.

"That's something I thought you'd never see," said BBC F1 co-commentator David Coulthard. "Hamilton, one of the best racers in the world, caught napping by Schumacher - an inspired move."

But Schumacher fell back as his tyres quickly deteriorated, a problem with which his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg also struggled, before Schumacher eventually retired with a fire in his airbox. Rosberg went on to finish 11th.

There was some much-needed positive news for Sauber as Kamui Kobayashi finished fifth on a one-stop strategy. It was very nearly fourth, the Japanese driver only being passed by the charging Webber on the penultimate lap.

Kobayashi called it a "great achievement" after a difficult weekend with his team-mate Perez still recovering in hospital after a qualifying crash which left him with concussion and a bruised thigh.

Adrian Sutil collected sixth for Force India, but his team-mate Paul di Resta was 15th after receiving a drive-through penalty for a mis-timed pass on Alguersuari.

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Posh secure Championship return

2011-05-30T05:50:00.000+01:00

Peterborough hit three late goals to beat Huddersfield at Old Trafford and win promotion back to the Championship at the first time of asking.

The League One play-off final looked to be heading for extra time before Posh hit three goals in seven minutes.

Tommy Rowe headed them ahead from Grant McCann's free-kick before top scorer Craig Mackail-Smith's shot deflected in off Antony Kay's knee.

McCann curled in a free-kick to inflict Town's first league defeat of 2011.

For Huddersfield, who had not lost in 27 league and play-off games, the scoreline was wildly unfair.

But, for Posh boss Darren Ferguson, victory proved a happy end to a mixed weekend for his family, his father's Manchester United having lost to Barcelona in Saturday's Champions League final.

Posh have effectively swapped leagues with Preston North End, who sacked Ferguson in December, only for the Scot to return to Peterborough for a second spell two weeks later.

Peterborough, who have now been promoted in all the three play-off campaigns they have participated in, were the better side in the first half.

They almost took the lead within five minutes, only for Mackail-Smith's shot to be deflected onto the outside of the post by a last-gasp tackle from Kay.

George Boyd then showed good trickery in forcing an Ian Bennett save from 30 yards out as Posh, relegated from the Championship a year ago, threatened to run riot.

Huddersfield looked like their chances would be more likely to come from set-pieces and crosses, and Lee Peltier headed over from Gary Roberts' ball.

Posh keeper Paul Jones then plucked Peter Clarke's goalbound header out of the air.

Huddersfield boss Lee Clark had decided to play Benik Afobe as his only out-and-out striker, his usual policy for away games.

But, when the on-loan Arsenal youngster received the ball in the box, he failed to control it and the chance was gone.

Mackail-Smith was then put through, denied by another brilliant last-ditch Kay tackle.

And, from another Terriers cross, Afobe took the ball off Daniel Ward's foot when he was ready to shoot from inside the box.

The game was going from end to end and Boyd put Mackail-Smith through, but he was denied by yet another fine saving tackle, denying him the chance to shoot.

Roberts saw his free-kick tipped wide by Jones and then his corner found Afobe, who turned in the box but fired wide from eight yards out.

And, with the final chance of the first half, Mackail-Smith fired wide unmarked in the box after Boyd poked him through.

In the first major incident of the second half, McCann hit a curling free-kick from 20 yards out just over.

Then came Huddersfield's big chance, Ward running down the right wing, cutting inside and smashing the ball against the bar.

The Terriers were growing in confidence, causing Posh plenty of problems from crosses. But they could have been down to 10 men, when Kay brought down the effervescent Mackail-Smith, who was through on goal.

He was saved by the fact that defensive partner Clarke was still in with a chance of catching him and was only shown a yellow card.

But, moments later came the opener, Rowe's header finding the centre of the goal from McCann's whipped free-kick.

Clark decided to go to two up front and brought on Danny Cadamarteri. But the momentum was all Peterborough's by now, Mackail-Smith's shot hitting Kay before finding the corner of the net.

Mackail-Smith's strike, his 35th of the season and 99th for the club, is likely to be his last, the Scotland international having been targeted by Premier League-bound QPR and Norwich amongst others.

And McCann, whose set-pieces had caused problems for the Terriers, put an unreflective gloss on the scoreline from 25 yards out.

Lee Tomlin then fired over late on from Boyd's pass as Posh threatened to add a fourth.

But the whistle ended the heartbreak for Huddersfield, who, having finished third in the league, eight points clear of Posh, had been in the chase for automatic promotion until the penultimate day of the league campaign.

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PGA win sees Donald top rankings

2011-05-30T04:59:00.000+01:00

Luke Donald beat Lee Westwood in a play-off to win the PGA Championship at Wentworth and overtake his countryman as the world number one.

The 33-year-old Donald won at the first play-off hole when Westwood found the water in front of the 18th green.

Donald hit 70 to Westwood's 68 to tie on six under, while Englishman Simon Dyson (69) was third at four under.

On climbing one spot to the top of the rankings, England's Donald said: "Sounds pretty good, doesn't it?"

The American-based golfer added: "It's something I'll be very proud of. Obviously, there's a lot of work still to do and hopefully there'll be much more to come, but I'll savour this.

"It's a lot of responsibility and I'm looking forward to the challenge of being number one and hopefully I can hold onto it for a few more weeks. I know Lee and Martin [Kaymer] will be chasing me hard.

"To come through in these circumstances in one of the biggest tournaments in the world, going head-to-head with Lee is pretty special. It doesn't get much better.

"To win here with the top three in the world, top six out of seven, all of the Ryder Cuppers, all four major champions, and to beat them in stroke play feels pretty good."

The second-ranked Donald, who has been vying for top spot for a number of weeks, only needed to finish above Westwood to take the reins, as long as world number three Martin Kaymer finished outside the top two.

But with Kaymer struggling down the field, the final day was set up for a duel between the world's two best-rated players.

Donald, who was second at Wentworth last year and won the WGC Match Play in February, began tied for the lead with 18-year-old Italian Matteo Manassero, with Westwood two back in the penultimate group.

But Donald, who fought back from a messy outward 40 with an inward 32 on Saturday to bring back memories of his first-round 64, was soon in trouble again. His opening drive went deep into the trees on the right and he could only hack out sideways, eventually running up a bogey, followed by another at the short second after a poor chip.

Manassero's challenge was effectively over after a double bogey on the third and Westwood joined Donald in a share of the lead with a birdie at the fourth.

From then on the lead was virtually a two-horse race. Westwood finally went clear on his own with a birdie on the 12th to reach six under and he forged a two-shot cushion with another birdie on 15. But the 38-year-old handed a shot straight back on the 16th when he raced his first putt 10ft past and missed the one coming back.

Donald, who had recovered with birdies at the fourth and 10th, hit his approach on 16 to a few inches and tapped in for another birdie to draw level again. Both players escaped with par fives on the 17th, and although Donald recovered to make par after driving into a fairway bunker, Westwood missed a birdie chance that would have proved decisive.

"I played lovely all day," said Westwood. "The reason I finished second was because I didn't take my chances on 17 and 18, not because I lost the play-off."

Playing the long 18th again, Donald's third shot to the green span back to about 10ft from the pin, while Westwood's effort screwed into the water guarding the front of the green, the controversial change to the famous finishing hole which was instigated in 2010. The Worksop star chipped on but could only make seven and Donald holed his putt first time for the title - his fifth of the year to continue a remarkable run that has seen him finish in the top 10 in his last nine events.

Of the man he beat, Donald added: "I felt a bit bad for Lee. I knew it would be a tough play-off. Lee's a hell of a player and doesn't back down."

Ireland's Shane Lowry finished birdie, birdie, eagle to shoot 67 and finish tied for fourth at two under alongside Australian Marcus Fraser (67) and Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin (71).

Three-time PGA champion and eight-time European number one Colin Montgomerie carded 68 to end in the group sharing seventh at one under for his best finish since a tie for second in the 2008 French Open.

Manassero, already a two-time winner on Tour after turning pro in 2010, ended with a 75 to also finish one under alongside England's David Horsey (71), Wales' Jamie Donaldson (69), Scot Peter Whiteford (70) and Sweden's Johan Edfors (71).

PGA final round - Shots of the day

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GB men win two golds in Lithuania

2011-05-30T04:20:00.000+01:00

Hull bantamweight Luke Campbell claimed his third gold of the year with a convincing 11-7 victory over Dennis Ceylan of Denmark.

London lightweight Martin Ward also won gold with an 11-4 destruction of Armenian Garnik Haratyunan.

Lightweight Tom Stalker; middleweight Anthony Ogogo and heavyweight Simon Vallily earned bronze medals.

The medal count at the 13-nation contest in Vilnius brings the GB men's team total to nine golds, four silvers and 13 bronzes in the seven tournaments held so far this year.

Campbell, 24, has not been beaten in three years and used his speed to dominate against the Dane.

Campbell was named Best Boxer of the Tournament.

Meanwhile Ward, who is regarded as a hot prospect for the 2012 Olympics, turned in an accomplished performance against an opponent who had recently moved up weight categories.

The 23-year-old scored six points in the final round with some powerful body shots to win his first international gold.

The men's European Championships are scheduled to begin in Turkey on 16 June.

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Fifa to press ahead with presidential election despite Mohamed Bin Hammam's suspension

2011-05-30T03:42:00.000+01:00

He was particularly angered by Valcke’s revelation during a press briefing, in an apparently clear breach of process, that he had received an email from the Puerto Rican FA backing the allegations and claiming that they had been given $40,000. Valcke said that he thought more nations might come forward to back the claims.

“I have been given the impression that the Ethics Committee is absolutely an independent committee, but in the press conference we have seen today, the General Secretary made clear that he is the one who has the influence in this committee,” Bin Hammam said.

The descent into civil war between Fifa’s senior figures came after the ethics committee announced that Warner and Bin Hammam will face a protracted investigation, and Valcke insisted there was nothing to stop the election proceeding.

Blatter was cleared by the ethics committee of any wrongdoing after being accused by Bin Hammam of knowing about the Trinidad payments and not reporting them.

Announcing the decision ethics committee deputy chairman Petrus Damaseb of Namibia said that as no payments had been made at the time Blatter was warned he had no case to answer.

Referring to Warner and Bin Hammam, Damaseb said: “We are assuming they are innocent until proven guilty but we are satisfied that there is a case to answer.” Damaseb said they would face a full investigation with independent investigators and legal counsel assisting the ethics commission.

He said it hoped to report within 30 days, but that the bans to Warner and Bin Hammam could be extended if required. With Blatter clearly having benefited politically from the allegations against Bin Hammam there a case for postponing the election while the investigation is completed.

A delay to allow an independent review might restore some confidence in Fifa’s reputation, but Blatter and Valcke are determined to press ahead, with the president expected to present his fourth term as a mandate for reform. Many will doubt his sincerity given a previous reluctance to tackle allegations of corruption.

The danger for Fifa is that with recriminations rife there is no knowing what allegations may surface.

Valcke acknowledged that the severity and timing of the allegations represented a “watershed moment” for Fifa, but insisted that there was no reason to delay the election.

“Maybe [Fifa’s reputation] is not at the highest, that is clear, and it is sad,” Valcke said. “I am not the Fifa president, it is for him to decide what to do, but I am clear we want to put systems in place to ensure that this does not happen again.

“The most important thing is a commitment from all the members of executive committee and president to ensure change at Fifa, so that in his last mandate Fifa is stronger and cleaner than it was. But if you are asking me am I happy that Blatter is elected president, the answer is yes.” Valcke also revealed that an FA inquiry into allegations of corruption in the 2018 World Cup bidding process made by former chairman Lord Triesman had found no supporting evidence from other bid members.

Blatter said in a statement that he regretted the damaging impact of recent events.

Meanwhile Chuck Blazer, the Fifa executive committee member who launched the investigation into Warner and Bin Hammam said he felt obliged to act after being presented with firm evidence of bribes.

“Of course it was difficult,” he said. “But what is more difficult is to ignore the fact that attempts were made to suborn members — it really wasn’t a choice.

“I said to Jack [Warner]: ‘What are you doing? In 21 years we have never bought a vote.’ Once you have done that you have let the genie out of the bottle and for any issue, people will say: ‘OK, how much are you putting on the table?”’

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The accused: how ethics committee ruled on embattled executives

Sepp Blatter

What was he accused of? Knowing about the proposed $40,000 payments to Caribbean Football Union (CFU) officials allegedly made by Mohamed Bin Hammam, but not reporting them.

What was the verdict? The claim was rejected by the ethics committee and Blatter is free to stand in Wednesday’s presidential election.

What happens next? As things stand, Blatter will be re-elected as Fifa president for another four years.

What he said “Fifa’s image has suffered a great deal.”

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Mohamed bin Hammam

What was he accused of? Offering $40,000 each to 25 CFU associations earlier this month as 'gifts’, in return for votes in the presidential election.

What was the verdict? The ethics committee decided there was enough evidence for Bin Hammam, who withdrew from the election on Saturday night, to be suspended from “all football-related activity”.

What happens next? Fifa will launch a 'full inquiry’ into the allegations.

What he said Bin Hammam denies the charges of vote-buying.

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Jack Warner

What was he accused of? Helping facilitate the $40,000 payments to CFU associations for Bin Hammam.

What was the verdict? Warner was also suspended from all football-related activity by the ethics committee, while a full inquiry is launched into the allegations.

What happens next? The inquiry, involving independent external investigators, should take around 30 days.

What he said Warner denies any wrongdoing.

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French Open 2011: Andy Murray set to play on at the French Open after scan reveals no major damage to ankle

2011-05-30T02:55:00.000+01:00

Whether the Scot will be able to slide around the clay with anything like his usual freedom and confidence, so giving himself every opportunity of beating the world No15 from Serbia, remains rather more uncertain.

Murray, who damaged his right ankle while running to reach a drop-shot from Germany’s Michael Berrer on Saturday afternoon, was able to have a light practice session yesterday, in addition to being treated by a tournament doctor. Since Murray’s encounter with Troicki has been scheduled as the third match of the day on Court Suzanne Lenglen, he would have had around 48 hours of rest and recuperation before playing the Eastern European for a place in the quarter-finals.

Troicki, the second best Serbian tennis player after Novak Djokovic, has had food poisoning during the tournament, though it is not believed there is any danger he will be too weak to play Murray.

A commentator remarked on French television over the weekend that Murray has what amounts to “a virtual boulevard” through the tournament towards a semi-final against Rafael Nadal, though whether the fourth seed’s draw is kind or not hardly matters when there are concerns about his fitness.

If Murray is to beat Troicki, he will need to move around the court with much greater freedom than he did against Berrer. For the best part of two sets, he was inconvenienced by the injury, though he got away with it because he was striking some brilliant winners, and because Berrer felt sorry for his opponent and so did not play with the ruthlessness that he should have done. Troicki is unlikely to be so accommodating.

Without Troicki’s influence, this season could have turned out very differently. If he had lost the decisive fifth rubber of last December’s Davis Cup final against France, it is doubtful Djokovic would have launched himself at this season with such gusto.

Though no one has benefited as much from Troicki’s victory over Michaël Llodra in Belgrade as Djokovic, the Serbian No?2 is plainly a more assured presence on a tennis court now than he ever was before. He started this tournament at a career-high ranking and this is the first time he has made the last 16 of a slam.

Murray has beaten Troicki in straight sets in their three previous meetings, including in the third round of the 2009 Wimbledon Championships. However, this will be the first time they have played on clay, as well as the first time they have played when Murray has a sore ankle.

This has been the second medical drama of Murray’s clay-court season as at last month’s tournament in Monaco he required a cortisone injection into his elbow before losing his semi-final against Nadal.

If Murray beats Troicki, he will play either Juan Ignacio Chela, an Argentine ranked 34, or Alejandro Falla, a Colombian qualifier ranked 120 who is best known for having scared the heebie-jeebies out of Roger Federer in the first round of last summer’s Wimbledon. There was nothing frightening for Federer about his all-Swiss fourth-round match with Stanislas Wawrinka here, and he beat his friend 6-3, 6-2, 7-5. There were some fine shots from Federer, especially on the backhand wing. “Honestly,” said Federer, who has reached the quarter-finals without dropping a set, “I can’t believe how good my backhand has become.”

The brilliance of Djokovic’s tennis was such that he took all the tension out of the air on Court Philippe Chatrier, with his 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Frenchman Richard Gasquet extending his undefeated run to 43 matches, 41 of them this year.

Should Djokovic beat Italian Fabio Fognini, who won a 11-9 fifth set against Spaniard Albert Montanes, he would put himself level with John McEnroe’s record for the best start to a year, the 42-match run he assembled in 1984.

Vera Zvonareva’s defeat to fellow Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova meant the top three women’s seeds have all failed to make the quarter-finals, as the departure of the world No3 followed that of Kim Clijsters, the Belgian world No2, who was eliminated in the second round, and Caroline Wozniacki, the Danish world No?1, who lost in the third round.

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Monaco Grand Prix 2011: Renault driver Vitaly Petrov given all-clear after crashing in chaos-hit race

2011-05-30T02:09:00.000+01:00

Petrov was involved in an incident with Jaime Alguersuari in his Toro Rosso on lap 69 just as the three leaders in winner Sebastian Vettel, runner-up Fernando Alonso and third-placed Jenson Button were poised to lap a gaggle of cars.

Alguersuari ran over a kerb and into the back of Lewis Hamilton's McLaren, his momentum carrying him into a barrier coming out of the swimming pool complex, with Petrov unable to avoid ploughing into the back of the Toro Rosso.

Initial reports suggested Petrov was knocked unconscious, but the Russian has confirmed that was not the case.

However, an ambulance was still required and Petrov explained: ''It was quite a big impact and I could not feel my legs very well after the crash.

''I thought it was best for the medical team to assist with removing me from the car as it was difficult for me to move and my legs were trapped in the cockpit.

''I did not lose consciousness, but I was in quite a lot of pain when I was inside the car.''

Following a series of scans and tests, Petrov has been given the all-clear, and was tonight back in his hotel.

Expressing his gratitude for the attention he received, Petrov added: ''I would like to thank all my fans for all their well wishes, the medical teams at the circuit, the hospital for their efficient and friendly assistance, and the team for their concern.''

Team principal Eric Boullier was naturally relieved Petrov had escaped without injury.

''I'm glad to report Vitaly is okay, he has no fractures, just a sore ankle, but he is already joking,'' said Boullier.

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Luke Wells enhances growing status with unbeaten 143 for Sussex against Yorkshire

2011-05-30T01:18:00.000+01:00

Wells, the son of former Sussex batsman Alan, made 143 and put on an unbeaten 217 with Murray Goodwin, who also made a century as Sussex closed on 295 for two.

Yorkshire began well with the wickets of Chris Nash and Joe Gatting, but they failed to take a wicket in the final two sessions as captain Andrew Gale was made to regret his decision to field first.

Gale probably felt a pitch with an even covering of grass would assist his seam attack and Ajmal Shahzad, one of the contenders to replace James Anderson in the England squad for the Lord’s Test, did take the scalp of the in-form Nash in the ninth over with a ball that nipped back - but the Yorkshire skipper’s call soon looked to have backfired.

Wells was only opening because Nash’s regular partner Ed Joyce is playing for Ireland.

Kent’s batsmen enjoyed a fine start to their game against Leicestershire at Tunbridge Wells, with Joe Denly scoring his first Championship century for two years.

They closed on 376 for three, with Rob Key making 91 and Sam Northeast 99 before agonisingly being out off the last ball of the day.

Northeast, going for three figures before the close, attempted to flick a ball from Andrew McDonald wide of mid-on and was lbw to the fifth delivery of the 96th over.

There were also plenty of runs at Wantage Road, as Division Two leaders Northamptonshire closed on 325 for three against Glamorgan. Stephen Peters and Rob White both made centuries.

Glamorgan, who started the day three points behind their opponents in the table, struggled with the ball throughout, although Chris Ashling did take two for 74.

Chesney Hughes scored 124 to lead Derbyshire to 375 for seven on day one of their game against Surrey at Derby. The Anguillan rode his luck during the early overcast conditions but hung on to record his first century of the season.

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Donald and Manassero share lead

2011-05-29T05:34:00.000+01:00

Luke Donald and Matteo Manassero will take a two-shot lead into the final round of the PGA Championship at Wentworth on Sunday.

The pair carded very different rounds of 72 to end an absorbing third day tied at five under.

World number one Lee Westwood (69) and Fabrizio Zanotti (69) are poised in second, with Bradley Dredge, Simon Dyson and Raphael Jacquelin two under.

Donald dropped five shots in his first six holes but fought back tenaciously.

With world number three Martin Kaymer at four over and unlikely to finish in the top two, the 33-year-old Donald only needs to finish above Westwood to overtake him in the rankings.

But Donald, who said he felt "invincible" in shooting 64 on Thursday, was soon in trouble as his round threatened to unravel.

He began his downward spiral at the short second when he chipped through the green and then saw the one back roll off the other side en route to a double bogey.

He dropped another shot after catching a bunker at the third, escaped with 'only' a par after finding trees again on the long fourth and amassed a double-bogey after carving it deep into the woods on the sixth.

But the US-based Englishman held his nerve to make four straight pars before clawing his way back with birdies on 11 and 12.

Donald's revival gathered pace with another birdie on 16 to get back to within one of the lead and he drained a long birdie at the 17th to once again tie with Manassero. Despite another drive into the trees on 18, Donald salvaged a par five to book a spot in the last group with the young Italian on Sunday.

"I need to figure out how I can keep it on the short stuff and keep it out of the trees," said Donald. "I felt like Seve [Ballesteros] out there, I was in trees with leaves all over my back. I was dropping balls in high grass and escaping from everywhere and I don't think you can do that two days in a row."

But he added: "I'm very proud, it was a great fight-back. It would have been easy to shoot myself out of the tournament. I certainly didn't feel nervous, I just felt a bit anxious because I didn't quite have the control I'd have liked. I kept persevering and trying things and getting that first birdie was important to right the ship. It wasn't pretty but I'm in with a great chance."

Manassero, already a two-time winner after only turning pro last year, had three bogeys and two birdies on the way out and then came home with nine straight pars.

"I played well. It was probably the most difficult day today," said Manassero, who finished tied 13th in the 2009 Open as a 16-year-old amateur.

"I enjoy courses like this when they play firm and when you don't score so low you can gain shots making pars and saving pars. You have to fight and I think I did it well. It's a special event and it's fantastic to be in this position. It's something you dream of."

Westwood also inched into contention after trailing Donald by eight shots following the first round.

Manaserro relishing tricky conditions at Wentworth

"I'm edging my way in there and this is the kind of golf course where you have to do that," he said. "It's a tough test. It has that feel of a major championship where you have to hang around, trying not to make too many mistakes. I've been out here quite a while now and I know how to get in the right positions."

Asked whether losing the number one spot was a concern, he said: "Not at all. I'm trying to win the PGA Championship."

Donald's playing partner and co second-round leader Quiros also had an adventurous day, amassing a triple-bogey seven on the ninth and a triple-bogey eight on the 17th to record a 76 and slide back to level par.

The lowest round of the day belonged to Rory McIlroy, who birdied 16 and 17 but gambled on reaching the 18th green in two and dropped a shot at the last to finish with a 68 for one over.

Paul Casey and Ernie Els, who on Friday were involved in a spat over the South African's course redesigns, were paired together for the third round and both carded 72 to end two over.

Donald relieved to survive wayward round

Casey, the 2009 PGA champion, had added to Ian Poulter's criticism and described the new layout - overseen by Els in 2010 and tweaked again for this year - as a "grind".

But asked after his round on Saturday whether the atmosphere with Els had been frosty, the Englishman said he actually agrees with Els' vision.

And Els added: "I feel comfortable with the changes. I'm 98% there. Maybe 15, the front right is a bit too severe. But guys must play now. This is not easy anymore. It's a change of mindset. It's a better course, a better test. The margin of error is like you get at a major."

Both agreed that the course set-up by tournament officials made it too penal in this week's windy conditions, though Westwood said later: "If it's a big tournament, that's how it is. You don't have to birdie every hole and go at every flag. Sometimes par is a good score. I have no problem with hard flags."

Colin Montgomerie went around in level-par 71 to stay two over, Ian Poulter had 73 for two over and Darren Clarke had an eight and a seven in a 74 to end also end two over.

Germany's Kaymer, the defending USPGA champion, slipped back after a one-over 72 took him to four over.

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Stevenage promoted to League One

2011-05-29T04:47:00.000+01:00

John Mousinho scored the only goal, firing a powerful shot home from the edge of the box.

Stevenage dominated the first half at Old Trafford, with the lively Darius Charles heading over and wide.

Torquay improved after the break and Jake Robinson came close, hitting the bar from 20 yards.

The fact that the two teams were Blue Square Premier rivals two years ago demonstrated the ever-narrowing gap between the top non-league teams and the bottom tier of the Football League.

And Graham Westley's side, in their first season of being a league team following last season's promotion from the Blue Square Bet Premier, repeated Exeter's feat of double promotions to the third tier in 2008 and 2009.

Stevenage, who dropped the Borough from their name last summer following their Blue Square Premier title win, could have taken the lead within four minutes.

Craig Reid saw his shot blocked by a diving combination of Guy Branston and Damon Lathrope after a good cutback from Charles.

Charles, a defender by trade who was converted to a striker this season, was causing the Gulls defence all kinds of problems and another cutback gave Mousinho a chance but he fired into Scott Bevan's hands from 18 yards out.

And it was the former Ebbsfleet player's chance to have a go at goal next but his header from Ronnie Henry's cross went wide.

He had another chance but fired just over from the edge of the box after Bevan parried Lawrie Wilson's cross and Eunan O'Kane was caught in possession.

Stevenage, who had not beaten Torquay in six previous games, had a penalty claim when Chris Robertson appeared to shove Charles over in the box but referee Darren Deadman was not interested.

Torquay were struggling to create anything and it was telling that Billy Kee's shot from distance, which was high and wide, was probably their best chance in the opening 35 minutes.

And Stevenage captain Mark Roberts had to make a brilliant last-ditch tackle on Gavin Tomlin, who would have been through on goal.

Charles saw his towering header bounce off the ground and just over from Stacy Long's cross before Jake Robinson saw a carbon copy of Kee's effort finish in a similar vein - nowhere near the target.

But the goal was coming for Stevenage and Mousinho picked the ball up 40 yards out from the net and charged towards goal before firing past Bevan from 20 yards out.

However, Torquay had a chance to level moments later as Ronnie Henry put Tomlin's cross out for a corner with Chris Zebroski lurking just behind him and from Kevin Nicholson's corner, Guy Branston headed just over.

Chris Zebroski had Torquay's final two chances of the first half, curling well wide from inside the box and then squandering a good opportunity to shoot by trying to get the ball onto his right foot and seeing the ball deflected out for a goal kick.

Torquay boss Paul Buckle would have been glad to get his side in for half-time and they looked more purposeful in the second half.

Robinson shot an effort wide, then got the ball stuck in his feet and lost possession when he was in a good position.

Graham Westley

Billy Kee had a major chance for the Gulls when he was put through on goal by Nicholson's incisive long ball but Chris Day was able to make a comfortable save from his disappointing shot.

Kee then had another chance when Tomlin's ball was blocked in the box but he was inches away from making connection with the ball just six yards out.

Charles, who was not as influential after the break as he had been in the first half, could have killed the game off but his first touch was terrible after being found in acres of space and Bevan kept out his shot after he did well to keep his chance alive.

Buckle in no rush to decide future

Roberts made another brilliant saving tackle when Zebroski was set to pull the trigger, although minutes later the striker hit the side-netting after the same centre-back lost possession.

Robinson forced a save from Day after being picked out by Tomlin but Lawrie Wilson could have double Boro's lead soon afterwards, however he headed wide.

And next came Torquay's closest effort, Robinson's drive skimming the woodwork from just outside the area.

Branston had a good double chance for the Gulls, first seeing his effort blocked by Charles and then blazing the follow-up over the bar.

The Gulls never really had another chance as Stevenage, who were struggling in 17th in mid-January, saw it out for a famous double promotion.

And Torquay will be left nervously waiting on the future of manager Paul Buckle, who had refused to rule out taking over managerless Bristol Rovers, and will make a decision on Monday.

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Barcelona 3 Manchester United 1: match report

2011-05-29T04:01:00.000+01:00

Beneath the soaring Wembley arch, Barcelona ascended to new heights. Inspired by an exhilarating Lionel Messi, Pep Guardiola’s team swept past Manchester United in a thrilling performance and, with their third Champions League title in the last six seasons, they earned the right to be called one of the very greatest club sides in the history of the game.

United had their moments of sporadic resistance and Wayne Rooney, who fought defiantly, scored a superb equaliser in the first half but ultimately Barcelona were simply too good. There might have been parity in the half-time scoreline but, as Messi and David Villa scored in the second half, the gap in class was impossible to deny.

This 90 minutes of excellence was the consummation of the Dutch philosophy imported to the club by Johan Cruyff two decades ago, refined by Frank Rijkaard and now perfected by Guardiola. The Barcelona manager was on this pitch when his club won their first European Cup back in 1992 but not even Cruyff’s Dream Team are a match for this gifted group.

The statistics cannot convey the style in which Barcelona played but they can give you an indication of their dominance. They had 19 attempts on goal to United’s four, had 67 per cent of the possession and completed 667 passes to United’s 301. They imposed themselves with near total authority.

Sir Alex Ferguson was gracious in defeat, quick to congratulate Barcelona. He had spent the last fortnight on the training ground trying to concoct a way of disrupting the mesmeric passing of this team, trying to find a way to stop this being a repeat of the 2009 defeat.

Where he had tried to contain them in Rome, this time he decided to be bold, sending out a team with two strikers and two wingers.

For the first 10 minutes it looked like it was working. United started with intensity and aggression, giving Barcelona a taste of their own full-court press. Ji-sung Park made three superb tackles in the first five minutes alone, including one on Messi. Without the leadership of Carles Puyol, not fit enough to start, the Barcelona defence looked rattled. Victor Valdes had to come racing off his line to punch the ball away from Rooney and then Gerard Pique almost passed the ball beyond the Barcelona goalkeeper under pressure from Javier Hernández.

Once that initial burst of energy waned, Barcelona found their composure. Xavi took control and Messi made his first darting run of the game, finishing it with a pass to Pedro - Nemanja Vidic had to be alert to close him down.

Villa hit one crisp shot wide and had another saved by Edwin Van der Sar and first Vidic and then Rio Ferdinand tackled Messi brilliantly but, having started with a high defensive line, United were being pushed deeper and deeper. They were struggling to hold on to the ball when they won it back, and there was an edge of desperation about their passing. Hernández, nervous, struggled and was repeatedly offside.

It was little surprise when Barcelona took the lead. Andres Iniesta exchanged passes with Sergio Busquets before poking the ball through to Xavi. Ryan Giggs was not close enough and the Barcelona captain, head up, eyes darting, closed on the United box, flicking an exquisite pass with the outside of his boot to Pedro. The Barcelona forward had discreetly evaded Patrice Evra and Vidic could not get across in time to prevent him from passing the ball past Van der Sar at the near post.

Ferguson was becoming animated on the touchline, clearly frustrated at the way his team were surrendering possession. Yet United were not going to roll over, equalising with a goal in the style of their opponents.

Rooney picked up a loose ball on the right and played a quick one-two with Michael Carrick before surging towards the Barcelona box. He then flicked the ball to Giggs with the outside of his boot and the Welshman, who replays showed was just offside, cushioned it with his thigh before teeing up Rooney again. The England striker crashed his powerful shot past Valdes.

Not that Barcelona appeared shaken. A brilliant free-kick routine between Xavi and Busquets almost found Pedro and then Messi set off on one of his incredible runs, skipping clear of Vidic, sprinting away from Carrick before finding Villa on the right with a perfect pass. Villa’s return cross was just ahead of the Argentina forward.

United could not keep Barcelona out for long, though, not sitting that deep and with that little of the ball. Iniesta and Xavi were almost at walking pace in the last third when they worked the ball to Messi, who drove to the ‘D’ and shot low and into the net. He should have been closed down more effectively but the shot was almost in the middle of the goal and it was a concession way below Van der Sar’s usual standards.

The Dutchman did his best to make up for it, saving first from Messi with his legs and then brilliantly from Xavi’s curving shot from range. There was, though, nothing he could do to stop Barcelona’s third.

Messi again went shimmying into the United area and the ball broke to Busquets. He rolled it to the edge of the area where Villa had taken up position, rolling his studs over the ball before striking an accurate, dipping shot into the top corner.

There were sporadic efforts on United’s part to get back into the game. Rooney hit a shot on to the roof of the net from outside the area and Giggs was convinced his team should have had a late penalty. It showed the mental strength of those two players that they refused to give up — even against all the evidence of Barcelona’s superiority.

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Leicester Tigers v Saracens: Owen Farrell tipped for greatness by Shalk Brits following faultless kicking display

2011-05-29T03:10:00.000+01:00

Farrell outshone his opposite number and England incumbent Toby Flood, who surprisingly missed two penalties from in front of the posts during the second half, by kicking five penalties as well as converting a try by James Short.

Saracens hooker Schalk Brits, who put himself back in the frame for a further caps for the Springboks with a stunning man-of-the-match performance, said Farrell was destined for a long career with England.

“Farrell is a kid who played like a man today,” said Brits. “He will just get better with age and will, as he gets old, dominate more in attack and organizing the backline even more.

“For a kid of 19 to play rugby like that is a phenomenal feat. He’ll get better and better and is a great player. He’ll definitely play international rugby, it is just a question of when, without a doubt.”

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall also hailed Farrell’s performance.

“Every time that a new challenge has been presented to Owen this year, he has risen to that challenge,” he said. “For a guy who is in his first year out of school, to play with that kind of composure and that kind of control against opposition is a remarkable performance.”

McCall also paid tribute to his side’s heroic defensive display as Saracens withstood 32 phases on their line to prevent Leicester scoring what would have been a match-winning try.

“It would have been very difficult for us to have lost at the end but it was a fitting end to the match because it tells you a lot about Leicester; the fact that they were 19-9 down but refused to give up,” added McCall. “But it hopefully tells you something about our squad and our team as well. We refused to yield and fought and fought at the end. We hope that today is the start of something, not the end of something.”

Richard Cockerill, the Leicester director of rugby, conceded that Saracens “probably deserved their victory” but once again pointed a finger at England for Flood’s drop in kicking accuracy.

“He (Toby) went to England with a certain kicking percentage and came back with a different one that was lower,” said Cockerill. “He was not responsible for the result today but that whole issue with his kicking has been a problem ever since the autumn Tests. We lost today but the season was not a disaster.”

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Giovanni Trapattoni to make changes for Republic of Ireland's game against Scotland

2011-05-29T02:16:00.000+01:00

Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni plans to make four changes to his side for Sunday's Carling Nations Cup match against Scotland.

The Italian named his intended Republic of Ireland team for the final match of the four nations tournament in Dublin but said he may review his line-up after another training session.

Damien Delaney, Kevin Foley, Seamus Coleman and Keith Treacy are the players to make way following Tuesday’s 5-0 thrashing of Northern Ireland.

Defender Darren O’Dea has won his battle for fitness after an ankle injury while Birmingham’s Keith Fahey, who joined up with the squad after the Northern Ireland game, slots into midfield.

Wolves winger Stephen Hunt comes off the bench to play on the left while Portsmouth’s Liam Lawrence replaces Coleman on the right.

Record goalscorer Robbie Keane, who took his international tally to 48 with a double strike four days ago, again captains the side and will partner Simon Cox.

West Brom striker Cox and Wolves utility man Stephen Ward, who will play at left-back, are rewarded for their goalscoring debuts against Northern Ireland with second caps.

Both Ireland and Scotland have won their opening two matches of the competition and the winner at the Aviva Stadium will claim the trophy.

Trapattoni’s priority is next week’s Euro 2012 qualifier in Macedonia but hopes to finish the competition well in front of a home crowd likely to be around 25,000.

“Obviously we will play for a good result but we do have one or two injured players.

“It is a game like a derby. Many of the Scotland players, like ours, play in the Championship or the Premier League.

“I hope and I think it can be a beautiful game.”

Provisional Ireland team: Given, McShane, O’Dea, Kelly, Ward, Lawrence, Andrews, Fahey, Hunt, Keane, Cox.

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Monaco Grand Prix: Jenson Button hits out at safety following Sergio Perez's horrific crash

2011-05-29T01:37:00.001+01:00

Perez was taken to Princesse Grace hospital after his 130mph crash into the safety barriers at the Chicane during qualifying on Saturday.

Sauber’s Mexican rookie escaped with concussion and a sprained thigh but will definitely not race on Sunday as he is kept under observation.

On a day when Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg was lucky to walk away from a similar accident, safety was uppermost in drivers’ minds.

For Button, both incidents prompted memories of his crash at the same spot eight years ago which also left him with concussion and out of the race.

David Coulthard also had a memorable accident after losing control at one of the fastest, bumpiest points of the track - a downhill stretch following the exit to the tunnel - while many recalled Karl Wendlinger’s near fatal crash there in 1994, just days after Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger had been killed.

Wendlinger recovered after being placed in an induced coma although his career never did. Former team owner Eddie Jordan believes organisers should now look at that section of the track.

“It’s a tough place to crash,” agreed Button, who will start Sunday’s race from second on the grid.

“Safety has improved a little bit but there’s more work needed. If you have an issue there you are a passenger.

“It’s downhill, it’s bumpy, you lock the rear wheels and you’re in the sidewall.

"You then lose wheels, which loses the braking and you’re running on the car’s belly.

“You’re a sled and the car always aims straight for the barrier. You come off the wall and it pushes you in that direction.”

“Wendlinger had a horrific accident there. When I had my accident they moved the barrier back but we need to take action now and make a big push.

"We love racing and this is a special place but there’s no reason we can’t help safety in that area. “We’ll see what we can do. It’s not over yet.

"We need to look to see what has to be done for the future.”

Button added that his start on Sunday would be crucial to his chances of repeating his memorable win in 2009 after which he parked his car in the wrong place and ran down the start-finish straight to collect his trophy.

“We still have a very good chance of victory here,” Button said. “I need to get a good start and that side [of the grid] a bit tricky because it’s a bit off camber.”

“If I win I’m still parking it in the wrong place and running down the pit lane even if I get told off. That way you can enjoy it with everyone.”

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New Web Site

2011-05-27T11:02:00.001+01:00

Just a wee post to let you know I've got a new site Learn Guitar 365.

Monaco Grand Prix guide 2011

2011-05-27T03:25:00.000+01:00

The expectation is for a very different Monaco Grand Prix compared to what we have become accustomed to over the years.

When the sun shines on this Mediterranean jewel, there is no doubt Monte Carlo is the most glamorous venue on the calendar, but then it produces processional races given the tight nature of the street circuit.

On this occasion, throw Pirelli's highly degradable tyres into the mix plus a potential handful of pit stops per driver, and there is every chance of a crazy race.

Venue: Monte Carlo
Circuit length: 3.340km/2.075 miles
Laps: 78
Race distance: 260.520km/161.879miles
Lap record: 1min 14.439secs (Michael Schumacher, 2004)
2010 winner: Mark Webber (Red Bull)
2010 pole position: Mark Webber (Red Bull) 1min 13.826secs
2010 fastest lap: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) 1min 15.192secs
Tyre compounds to be used: Soft/super soft
Bumpiness: Medium
Overtaking chance: Very low
Engine severity: Very low
Brake severity: Medium/high
Average speed: 182kph (113mph)
Full throttle per lap: 53%
Gear changes per lap: 55
Number of corners: 19 (8 Left/11 Right)
No of safety cars deployed since 2001: 11

Reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel has started from the front row at every race since last year's Singapore GP, a run of 10 overall, including seven times from pole.

Sunday's win in Spain was the 14th of Vettel's career, moving him up to equal 14th on the all-time list alongside Graham Hill, Jack Brabham and Emerson Fittipaldi.

Vettel is now on a run of seven consecutive podium finishes, the best since Jenson Button at the start of the 2009 season.

The 23-year-old has won 10 of his races from pole, joining Mika Hakkinen in eighth place on the all-time list.

The late Ayrton Senna holds the record for most number of wins in Monaco with six, followed by Graham Hill and Michael Schumacher with five.

McLaren are streets ahead in terms of constructors' success as they have 15 victories between 1984 and 2008. Ferrari have nine, albeit their last was now 10 years ago in 2001.

As you would expect given the nature of the track, pole has resulted in victory in six of the last seven races. However, in the five seasons prior to that pole did not even result in a podium.

The highest winning grid position was 14th set by Olivier Panis in 1996 in a Ligier.

Last year there were just 20 pit stops, this year there could be four times that amount.

This year's grid boasts six former winners: Red Bull's Mark Webber (2010); McLaren's Jenson Button (2009) and Lewis Hamilton (2008); Ferrari's Fernando Alonso (2006-07); Lotus' Jarno Trulli (2004) and Mercedes' Michael Schumacher (1994, 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2001).

It takes approximately six weeks to prepare the public streets for the grand prix, and three weeks to return them to their normal configuration.

The circuit has 33km of safety rails, 5000 tyres in the tyre barriers, 554m of Tecpro barriers and 20,000 square metres of protective wire netting.

Circuit safety features include: 650 race marshals in 22 marshal sectors, seven fire vehicles and three extraction vehicles, along with 120 professional fire fighters and 500 fire extinguishers - equivalent to one every 15m.

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Sluggish Bolt wins on Rome return

2011-05-27T02:32:00.000+01:00

World 100m record holder, Usain Bolt, returned to the track after a near 10-month absence with victory at the Diamond League meeting in Rome.

But it was a rather lacklustre display by the colourful Jamaican's own standards, winning in 9.91 seconds.

Bolt was slow out of the blocks but found his rhythm in the second 50m to edge past compatriot Asafa Powell, who ran 9.93, in the final few metres.

French European champion Christophe Lemaitre crossed third, in 10.00.

The race was Bolt's first since 6 August last year, when he was beaten by Tyson Gay in Stockholm, after which back and Achilles tendon problems brought an early end to the triple Olympic and World champion's season.

"I am not sure Bolt will be too happy with that," said BBC Sport commentator Steve Cram. "He was poor out of the blocks even if he did pick up towards the finish.

"He is definitely going to have to go away and work hard on that. By his very high standards you could almost call it average. I have no doubt there is more to come from him."

"But if Tyson Gay was watching, he would be pretty pleased and thinking 'Bring it on'."

Bolt, who is the fastest man ever in 9.58, a time he set at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, has now beaten former world record holder Powell in nine of their 10 meetings.

"Asafa Powell froze again when it looked like a great victory was his to be had," added Cram. "He has done that before when the field starts coming towards him, and you could see him tie up."

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Alonso leads Hamilton in practice

2011-05-27T02:02:00.000+01:00

Fernando Alonso was in impressive form as he set a stunning practice pace for Ferrari ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix.

Alonso edged out Lewis Hamilton's McLaren by 0.105 seconds with Nico Rosberg third fastest for Mercedes ahead of Jenson Button's McLaren.

Sebastian Vettel had bettered Alonso in the morning but was half a second behind when the cars fitted the softer tyres in the afternoon.

Michael Schumacher was seventh fastest ahead of Red Bull's Mark Webber.

Alonso, a two-time winner in Monaco, seemed determined to bend the track to his will and hurtled his Ferrari round in one minute and 15.1234 seconds.

At last Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix, he had led for 18 laps but in the closing stages found himself lapped by the Red Bulls and McLarens because of Ferrari's dwindling race pace, especially on the hard tyres.

Alonso was confident he could deliver a consistent challenge in Monaco because this is a track that demands mechanical grip and precise driving rather than aerodynamic efficiency - an area where Adrian Newey's Red Bull excels.

"He's magic round here," said Team Lotus reserve Karun Chandhok. "His hands are a blur at the wheel.

Chandhok, who was working for BBC Radio 5 Live as an analyst on Thursday, added: "Fernando is a real street fighter on the ultimate street circuit on the calendar. He is a master of controlled aggression behind the wheel."

Alonso was not able to take part in qualifying in Monaco last year after a heavy crash during practice but he still managed to cross the line in sixth despite starting in the pit lane.

Alonso backs Ferrari restructure

"I'm confident with the car," Alonso told BBC Sport.

"I'm happy to push and I'm pushing more and more every lap with no big surprises from the car.

"Monaco is about confidence in the car and having a good set-up which enables you to brake later, to go into the corners quicker and to go closer to the wall with no big risk. At the moment the car is offering me that possibility so I'm happy."

The Spaniard did, however, admit that he was expecting a fight back from Red Bull over the weekend.

"It's only Thursday and we know that on Saturday the pressure will increase," he said.

"Red Bull always test different things on Fridays and then on Saturday they are very strong so I expect them to be competitive in qualifying. This is a very unique venue so anything can happen here."

Alonso's team-mate Felipe Massa also looked lively around Monaco, although the Brazilian's enthusiasm led to several scary moments as he almost sailed his Ferrari into the barriers at the Swimming Pool section and the final corner.

Massa, who lives in the principality, finished 0.6secs behind Alonso in sixth place.

There were no major changes to the McLaren cars that Hamilton and Button raced to second and third last time out in Barcelona.

Hamilton and Button both claimed victory in Monte Carlo in their championship-winning seasons and were bullish about their chances of returning to the top step of the podium on Sunday.

It was Hamilton who led the fight, setting the best overall time in the first and third sectors of the circuit to finish the day as Alonso's closest challenger. Button was 0.325secs slower than the leading Ferrari.

Hamilton said: "It is fantastic, I love this track. I've just been so excited all day.

Racing at Monaco's as good as it gets - Hamilton

"I kept it out of trouble and I'm happy with the balance of the car and our high-fuel run. It is going to be close, though, as the Red Bull is fast and the Ferrari looks fast too. But I'm pushing and pushing, I want to win this grand prix."

Vettel had set the fastest time in the morning, bettering Alonso by 0.113secs, but finished the later session fifth fastest.

The world champion is targeting his first win in Monaco but often chooses not to show his hand until qualifying and he appeared to spend much of second practice focusing on longer runs on the track.

Webber took a pole-to-flag win in Monaco last season but his running was hampered by an electrical issue with his gearbox and only intermittent use of his power-boost Kers system.

The Australian, who snatched pole from Vettel in Barcelona, was cut adrift from the leading contenders and a worrying 1.5secs off the pace.

Mercedes underlined their ability over one lap with Rosberg third fastest and Schumacher, who took his car sideways into the tyre wall at St Devote in first practice, a second shy of Vettel's benchmark.

The question for the German team will be whether they can produce consistent pace in qualifying and then over 78 racing laps.

"We have a real fight on for pole as Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull all look very competitive as does Nico Rosberg's Mercedes," added Chandhok.

"The emphasis this weekend has suddenly gone back towards qualifying and we could see six guys fighting it out for pole position."

It was a busy day throughout the field around Monte Carlo's winding streets and bunching traffic led to rising frustrations and mistakes, particularly at the first corner.

Adrian Sutil was even told by his Force India's team radio to "hold it together" as he vented his frustration.

His Scottish team-mate Paul di Resta had to retire from the session with a gear selection problem after setting the 15th fastest time.

The drivers had another problem to literally get to grips with as Pirelli threw another curveball into the mix by introducing the 'supersoft' tyres for the first time this season, with the softs acting as the more resilient 'prime' tyres.

There was generally a positive reaction to the supersofts but Alonso said it was too early to judge whether they would undermine Pirelli's hopes for just a two-stop race by degrading quickly.

Highlights - Monaco GP first practice

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Adam future in doubt despite deal

2011-05-27T01:08:00.000+01:00

Blackpool midfielder Charlie Adam has expressed his desire to leave the club even though he was offered a 12-month contract extension.

The club unilaterally decided to take up the option of prolonging his deal despite Premier League relegation.

But Adam, 25, said: "My future is that I want to play in the Premier League. I want to play at the top and hopefully the opportunity comes.

"My future will get sorted. It's not me who makes that decision."

The club turned down offers for Adam from Tottenham and Liverpool in January but may find it difficult to hold on to him in the Championship.

The Scotsman spoke warmly about his present employers though, saying: "The club have been fantastic with me and since I went there, since day one, I've thoroughly enjoyed it.

"It's important that, whatever happens, I will always remember my time at Blackpool."

Meanwhile, Matt Gilks, Stephen Crainey, David Vaughan and Brett Ormerod have been offered new contracts.

But the club are preparing for their campaign outside the top flight by releasing 11 squad players.

Paul Rachubka, Richard Kingson, Rob Edwards, Danny Coid, Malaury Martin, Marlon Harewood, Jason Euell, David Carney, Andy Reid, Salaheddine Sbai and Ishmel Demontagnac have all been told to find new clubs.

"Blackpool Football Club would like to thank all of those players departing for their efforts and wishes them all the very best for the future," said a club statement.

As well as Adam, Keith Southern, Neal Eardley, Ian Evatt, Billy Clarke, Gary Taylor-Fletcher and Louis Almond have all had 12-month extensions activated by the Seasiders.

Young players Mark Halstead and Ash Eastham have also been handed new contracts.

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GB basketballers win gold

2011-05-27T00:29:00.000+01:00

Great Britain's women's wheelchair basketball team beat Germany 63-52 to win gold at the Paralympic World Cup in Manchester.

The team, who had also defeated the Germans in the round-robin stages, were outstanding as they claimed a first international title.

Helen Freeman, who is currently based in the University of Illinois on a sports scholarship, continued her superb form in the tournament, top-scoring on 22 points.

There was also an impressive performance by teenager Amy Conroy, who hit 16 in a strong team display.

After an edgy opening quarter, GB pulled ahead in the second quarter with Freeman and Conroy leading the way despite Conroy picking up some early fouls.

The GB team out-rebounded their German opponents and the depth on their bench, which has been a common theme throughout this tournament, saw them storm to a commanding 36-21 lead by half-time.

Louise Sugden, Laurie Williams and Helen Turner also contributed to the scoring and rebounding and never allowed the Germans back into the game.

The home side played some strong defence and their shooting, which has improved over recent tournaments, kept them well ahead of their opponents as they celebrated a famous win.

"We hit our shots and believed we could win," said Freeman afterwards. "We've been working on our shooting a lot and it is now finally paying off.

"We have a lot of young players in this squad and it is perfect timing as they are all coming through now.

"I've no doubt that Germany will be back, as they are always strong, but we now feel like we can beat anyone."

The win is a boost for head coach Garry Peel with the European Championships to come later this year in Israel, along with the World Under-25 Championship, which will feature six members of the squad that played in Manchester.

"After last night's performance where we lost to Japan, this feels great. I said to the girls 'Just be in control of the game'," he said.

"We started attacking the basket and seemed to be happy with that, but I told them to keep going.

"There is a lot more confidence and belief within the squad now. Our goal is top four in 2012 but that's still so far away, for now we just have to take it one step at a time."

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Tanni Grey-Thompson: Paralympic World Cup can help London 2012 be catalyst for greater success

2011-05-26T23:51:00.000+01:00

The lure of 2012, and the development and legacy potential that it could bring to change the face of disability sport, still felt a long way off and it should be recognised that the World Cup as an event has delivered many positive things in the interim.

Because of the media profile and the sponsors, it continues to attract athletes like Oscar Pistorius who benefit from strong British support. And let’s face it, the media and public love him.

It has also given a number of up-and-coming athletes the chance to compete against the world’s best. Young athlete Jonny Peacock competed at the PWC as he built his career and he has been fast tracked to GB representation.

It was also the event that I chose to retire at.

In terms of audiences the event has worked hard to generate a wider base of spectators who were willing to do more than switch over on their TV remote control, but who would come out and watch the event in real life. This has become even more important as we move towards 2012 and want people to turn out and watch Paralympic events.

But after seven years, the question has to be: does the Paralympic World Cup still have any relevance to the athletes? The timing of the event has always been an acknowledged challenge for the organisers. Trying to get the best athletes in a variety of sports, who all have different competition calendars has not been easy.

Generally most athletes and sports have tried to work around it for the greater good of the movement. Athletics, whose event programme is busy at this time of the year, has found it hard though.

This year is the first time that there won’t be any wheelchair racing at the event due to a clash on the calendar. There are two major track meets and a marathon in Switzerland this week (all on lightning fast tracks) and virtually all of the world’s best have chosen to go there.

For those with 2012 at the back of their minds, they have little choice as the qualifying marks they need to achieve are tough and they can’t afford to not reach them. Although I am a little disappointed, you can't argue with athletes choosing other events.

It is also a shame that we aren’t going to see a head- to-head just yet with Pistorius and Jerome Singleton, after blistering races at the World Championships earlier this year.

But as with all sprinters, there will probably be a fair amount of avoiding each other as much as they can this year. What would be exciting is if the event could attract the likes of Jason Smith (the visually impaired Irish runner) who like Pistorius has aspirations, and not a little chance, of qualifying for the Olympics next year.

One thing that was talked about in earlier years was the possibility of the Paralympic World Cup becoming part of a world wide series.

This has not happened yet, and to be honest, in this format seems unlikely, as coordinating the calendar across a number of countries would be impossible. Far better to work on a series of integrated events on the mainstream calendar, which will do more to develop the sports around the world.

What has been great to see is the rotation of sports introducing boccia and sitting volleyball for the first time. Boccia, despite previous strong Paralympic successes, has struggled to get the media attention that it deserves. Inclusion should help provide that, giving the athletes access to wider spectators.

Sitting volleyball, as a sport, has been developed from virtually scratch in the last couple of years and this has been brought about because of 2012. While, historically, standing volleyball (for amputees) has been successful, having a games on home soil has forced this development.

It has been strongly supported by the mainstream governing body who want to build a reputable team and it also seems to have caught the imagination of the public.

One or two years ago I thought that the PWC might struggle to sustain itself through to the Paralympics. If it continues to look at putting on the best sporting competition though, then 2012 might be a catalyst for greater success.

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French Open 2011: Kim Clijsters crashes of Roland Garros following defeat to Dutch world No 118 Arantxa Rus

2011-05-26T23:04:00.000+01:00

The world No 2 was playing her first tournament after two months out with an ankle injury and looked rusty in her first-round win over Anastasiya Yakimova.

She seemed to be playing better in the early stages on Thursday but her level dropped midway through the second set and the decider was a horror show from Clijsters, whose first appearance at Roland Garros since 2006 was expected to see her challenge for the title.

Rus, ranked 114th in the world, must have feared the worst when Clijsters raced through the first three games but he dug in and began to trouble her opponent off the ground.

The second seed always had the edge though despite the windy conditions and a run of five hard-fought games in a row gave her the first set, and a 3-0 lead in the second.

Again Rus battled back, and the errors continued to come frequently from the Clijsters racquet, but it always seemed only a matter of time before the 27-year-old strung enough points together to finish things off.

However, after failing to take advantage of a match point at 5-2, she lost six of the next seven points to give her opponent a sniff of a chance, and Rus then saved another match point before levelling proceedings at 5-5.

The 20-year-old was now playing extremely well and she broke Clijsters - whose dream of a third grand slam title in a row was fast fading - for a second successive time before taking the second set with her fifth game in a row.

The Belgian, who did not appear to be moving particularly well, stopped the rot with a gutsy hold at the start of the third set but then let three break points slip away on the Rus serve.

When the Dutchwoman followed up by breaking again, the prospect of an early exit for Clijsters began to look a distinct probability.

The second seed had an outrageous slice of luck when a ball hit the top of the net and then the net post before dropping back into play but any thoughts that might indicate it was her day after all were swiftly dispelled.

A double fault handed Rus a 4-1 lead and she clinched a famous victory and a place in the third round of a grand slam for the first time on her second match point with a backhand winner.

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Alberto Contador may be free to ride Tour de France

2011-05-26T22:18:00.000+01:00

Contador had originally been due to face a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) hearing in the first week of June after the International Cycling Union (UCI) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had appealed the decision by the Spanish National Cycling Federation (RFEC) to clear the rider of doping at last year's Tour.

The 28 year-old, who won his third Tour in July 2010, tested positive for the banned anabolic agent clenbuterol during a rest day at last year's three-week stage race before claiming he had ingested contaminated meat brought over the border from his homeland.

The news that Contador had tested positive was not released for over two months after the race had finished and the ongoing saga, now, appears likely to overshadow this year's race.

CAS originally said the hearing would take place before the world's biggest bike race starts in the Vendée region on July 2.

"CAS envisages to hold a hearing in June," they said. "Which would allow the settlement of the dispute before the end of June," the court said.

However, a spokesman for Cantador has said the hearing may not take place before the race and so allow the Saxo Bank-SunGard rider to compete.

"What is clear is that the dates of June 6, 7, 8 for the hearing are no longer applicable," said Jacinto Vidarte. "It's not at all clear whether the hearing will even take place before the Tour de France.

"Next week, there will be a meeting to provisionally set up possible dates for the hearing."

Contador is currently racing in Italy where he leads the Giro d'Italia.

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Mike Dickson: The changing face of tennis... America and Australia are not producing the greats of old

2011-05-10T02:48:00.000+01:00

There is no better way to see how the balance of power in world tennis has changed over recent decades than to look at the draw sheets for Grand Slams from 25 to 30 years ago. There you will see dozens and dozens of names from America and Australia and, depending on how far back you go, they often represent well over the half the names present.

And now we come to early May, 2011, which might come to be looked upon as a seminal moment in the history of the sport, for there is not a single player this week in the top ten from the United States for the first time since rankings were introduced, in whatever guise. Give or take a few, the Australians have long gone in any significant numbers, but this is proof that the other traditional powerhouse of the game is really struggling to produce elite players.

It has to be a considerable worry for the sport, because America remains such a vital market for it and the centre of the game's gravity is still there in many ways. The ATP Tour is based in Florida and so is the WTA, and both of them have (North) American Chief Executives (Stacey Allaster is Canadian) who talk in very much in the language of corporate America. There are still 13 events on the main men's tour and 11 events for the women (including the U.S Open in both cases) plus many more of a smaller nature that take place in the States aside from Davis Cup and Fed Cup matches.

Three of the seven Masters series happen in the US - sadly I'm no longer including Monte Carlo as a real Masters - plus one in Canada, while the likes of Germany and whole of South America go without. How much longer can this be the case when a country that so loves winners is simply failing to produce them in tennis?

There is no chippy European triumphalism in pointing this out - indeed this writer finds himself admiring America and its people more the older he gets. And there can be no doubt that professional tennis needs America to be buoyant to be in rude health overall, but as with golf it is failing to cope with the globalised upsurge from other places. Unlike in golf, the corporate support for the game is not so vast and solid when it comes to tennis.

What's to be done? A bit like Britain on a larger scale, there does not appear to be that much of a problem with the sheer numbers playing Stateside, it is just that elite perfomers seem so hard to find. The situation is particularly acute when it comes to the women, especially as the lesser-spotted Williams sisters will soon both be the wrong side of thirty. A country as large as America will always produce some players but there do not appear to be large stocks coming through. Ryan Harrison, 18, is touted as the great hope but does not yet look good enough to be nailed on. Sloane Stephens is among a handy crop of girls, but there is nothing spectacular on the horizon.

Lots of people are looking for the answers but the time is coming when tennis is going to have to confront the fact that the West's greatest nation is losing its grip on tennis, and this week in May 2011 will be looked back upon as a major watershed.

One reason tennis is losing traction in the USA is a lack of an edge to the rivalries at the top of the game. Pure tennis lovers will always swoon over Roger and Rafa but the cordial - and very admirable - way they have conducted their relationship is not the stuff that forces its way onto the backpages - or prominent web pages in modern parlance - in the way that the likes of Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe once did.

If you want a reminder of edginess you have to look to the old days, and that is just what has been happening, again, between Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras. Well-sourced reports in America tell of how Agassi was angered by Sampras giving him a coating when they met recently at Madison Square Garden, the Las Vegan believing that his old rival was not entering into the spirit of the event. The result is that when they were due to feature in a long-scheduled follow-up in Buenos Aires Agassi did not want to play his old foe, so the promoters had to draft in Jim Courier and Mardy Fish to play the pair separately and keep them apart. Apparently the atmosphere was frosty between the two greats during the 48 hour trip to the South American capital and they stayed away from each other.

The strains in their relationship relating to Agassi's autobiography have been well-documented, but it is a reminder that the human connections between top tennis players are rarely straightforward, regardless of the sheen that is on the surface. The insecurity and ego that drives players on, perhaps most obvious in Agassi when it comes to recent champions, makes genuine friendship difficult, and it all the more remarkable that Federer and Nadal have remained on such good terms. It is the Spaniard who amazes me - he simply does not appear to have much edge to his character. It is more apparent in Djokovic, Federer and Murray. Nadal seems to be a one-off in so many ways.

It never does to complain to people about where you find yourself on the tennis tour. Not only do the general public rightly consider people like me to be extremely lucky, but as someone who has spent months and months continuously touring with the England cricket team around South Asia in the not-too-distant-past it is something I am very aware of.

Yet it has to be said that Madrid's Caja Magica remains the ugliest of venues, and each time I go there I wonder just what the architects must have been on when they designed it. Situated in a non-descript part of the city's south, its exterior is a grotesquely ugly metal (not magic) box that does not get a great deal better when you are inside it. Think of a high-tech maximum security jail or a nuclear energy plant and you are along the right lines.

There have been less complaints from the players this year because an effort has been made to improve their facilities, although some were unhappy at the lack of clay on the courts. The attempted green surroundings, which look like some ghastly New Town, have still not bedded in. Things may improve over time, but there will always been an element of folly about the place.

Something else that might concern the tournament was the very small amount of media present beyond those involved on the television side or working for agencies. This appears to be a result of the switch in dates with the Italian Open, which has clearly given the Rome tournament the upper hand. While Madrid matters the same on paper, what goes on at the Foro Italico this week - not at altitude - has more relevance to the French Open. In these straitened times quite a few media outlets seem to have taken the decision that, given a choice between the two, it is now Rome more worthy of greater coverage.

You knew Darren Cahill - decent bloke, highly respected coach - had become a member of Team Murray when he very politely declined to give an interview this week about his work with Andy. In informal situations everyone in the Murray camp, including the man himself, is friendly and good company but when it comes to saying something 'on the record', however uncontroversial, the shutters still come down quicker than an Andy Roddick serve.

It is somewhat tiring and depressing to keep raking over the subject of what is going on at the Lawn Tennis Association, especially with the plentfiul number of good people there doing their best to improve the sport in our country. But it is unavoidable at times, and you have to ask where the recent announcement of Bruce Phillips leaves the increasingly isolated Chief Executive Roger Draper.

Phillips is little-known outside the sport but had wielded enormous influence at Roehampton as effectively Draper's right hand man in charge of communication and commercial matters. In fact, some there will tell you that he was actually more powerful than the hapless Draper himself. Anyway, hot on the heels of Draper's other right hand man departing - Steven Martens, in charge of the pure tennis side - Phillips has signalled that he will go after Wimbledon in order to pursue his dream of setting up his own sports consultancy business.

As someone who did some good work on the commercial side and was not afraid of getting involved in the messier side of things, such as the many departures from the LTA, Draper is going to miss him hugely. Apparently there are no plans to replace Belgian Martens at present, fingers having been burned so often when employing foreigners in recent years, so Draper is up the creek now without his two most trusted paddles.

The two men with most influence left in the national training department are now long-term LTA veterans, Leon Smith on the men's side, Nigel Sears on the women's, and they are going to report directly to the Chief Executive. It is a desperate situation for Draper to find himself in, having invested so much in big name foreigners who have all come and gone, and now following them out is his closest confidant Philipps.

The question now is whether the main LTA Board is perturbed by what is going on, and if they are prepared to act upon the position of the Chief Executive, his credibility now so questioned and position so isolated. Main sponsors AEGON are bound to be unimpressed, and the hierarchy of the All England Club are most definitely unamused. Politicians with an eye on the game - and I am not just talking about Baroness Billingham - are looking on with interest. One thing for sure is that Draper will be praying for some favourable draws for Britain's handful of international class players in the next eight weeks, because serial defeats are going to mean some blow torch scrutiny.

Spent a fascinating morning last weekend watching talent identification in action at Wimbledon under the eye of irrepressible All England Club head coach and tennis evangelist Dan Bloxham. One of the eye-opening things was how much, beyond the obvious seeking of hand/eye co-ordination, the natural movement tendencies of a talented youngster are put under the microscope. It was a reminder of just how essential this aspect is in the modern game.

The All England's Wimbledon Junior Tennis Initiative, which is approaching its tenth birthday, is a relatively simple idea which sees coaches go into local primary schools to assess potential talent. Free coaching every weekend over a period of years is then offered, with those who show unusual ability fast-tracked into programmes that give more intensive support. Working across just two London boroughs with children mostly from what might be described as non-typical tennis backgrounds, it has already unearthed (in addition to the thousands who will have developed a love of the game) a host of nationally ranked players, and a few who are playing on the international stage.

By my calculations it would cost little more than ?2m annually for the Lawn Tennis Association to roll out 20 similar programmes in our cities across the country. The LTA find all sorts of ways to spend their copious funds, and it would be interesting to know if there could be anything more cost-effective in growing the sport than this.

This is where we salute the best performance of the week by a British player of any description who, as mentioned above, is not Andy Murray.

Elena Baltacha takes the honours by virtue of reaching her first clay court semi-final, at the $100k women's event in France at Cagnes-Sur-Mer, where she beat top seed Kristina Barrois.

Supplementary mention for Laura Robson, who made the semis of the $50k tournament at Indian Harbour in Florida.

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David Sullivan admits West Ham co-owners will need to out in �40m of own money

2011-05-10T02:01:00.000+01:00

David Sullivan has admitted West Ham’s finances are the worst of any club in the country, and revealed that the owners will have to pay £40million from their own fortunes to keep the club afloat if they're relegated.

The Hammers are three points adrift at the bottom of the Premier League, and look like they're almost certainly heading down to the Championship.

West Ham are already £80m in debt, and Sullivan said: 'The fans should know though this club is in a worse financial position than any other in the country.

'All the debts are football or bank debts secures on the stadium and training ground so there is no route via administration. West Ham really is a club where the football and bank debts exceed the value of the club.

'It’s a pretty thankless task and the criticism hurts. Should the worst happen, we will have to inject loans of £20-£40m, depending on circumstances, which will probably never be repaid. I don’t believe the supporters realise the potential real cost to us.

'Nobody out there wants to take on the burden of West Ham United. We do, as we are supporters but our resources don’t match foreign-based oligarchs who pay no UK tax.'

During their 16 years as co-owners of Birmingham, Sullivan and West Ham co-owner David Gold endured their problems, but as Hammers fans this is their most painful season yet.

'We’re not down yet but I admit it’s not looking good,' said Sullivan. 'I’ve been relegated three times before, on every occasion gaining automatic promotion the following season but this one will hurt me the most if it happens.

'David and I have taken criticism and, should we be relegated, will accept the responsibility.'

West Ham drew 1-1 at Blackburn, which nearly sealed their fate. Sullivan said: 'The support for the team on Saturday was magnificent, the best we’ve seen since we’ve been at the club.'

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Gavin Henson is risk worth taking, says Wales coach Warren Gatland

2011-05-10T01:15:00.000+01:00

There is no place in Gatland’s squad for former Wasps No 8 Andy Powell, however, who left the Premiership club after being suspended for his role in an altercation with football fans in a west London pub that resulted in him being knocked unconscious and requiring 10 stitches for a head wound.

Powell however is expected to receive more positive news on Tuesday, when it is understood he is likely to sign for Sale Sharks, despite strong interest from London Irish and rugby league sides Wigan Warriors and Celtic Crusaders.

Henson, who last played for Wales in their Six Nations defeat by Ireland in March 2009 before going on a 19-month self-imposed exile from the game, is included in a 26-man squad from which Gatland will select his team to tackle the Barbarians in Cardiff on June 4.

The 29 year-old’s call-up comes after the Toulon centre was suspended by his club for fighting with his team-mates following their Top 14 victory over Toulouse last month.

Toulon initially suggested Henson would have no future at the club, but his suspension was lifted and he appeared as a substitute during their defeat by Montpellier on Saturday.

Henson’s future at Toulon, whom he joined after an unsuccessful four-match stint at Saracens having secured an early release from his contract at the Ospreys, is still uncertain.

Gatland insists the former 2005 Lions tourist, and two-time Grand Slam winner, was worth the gamble. “This game gives us an opportunity to get Gavin back into the fold,” said Gatland. “We want to have a look at a quality player. I know there have been certain issues, but all I can say about Gavin is that when he has been in our squad you couldn’t get a guy who has been more professional in terms of the training environment. He has played well for us.

“If we can get the best out of Gavin, I think it would be good for Wales. We have been prepared to take that risk with Gavin.”

Meanwhile, Sport England has cut funding to the Rugby Football Union by more than £1 million because the governing body failed to meet participation targets for both the men’s and women’s game.

Sport England’s “Active People” survey showed that the number of adults playing rugby union at least once a week has declined from 230,000 at the start of the funding period, in 2009, to 177,900 at the latest calculation, leading to a cut in funding of just over £30 million by £1.078 million.

“We have to accept that the failure to meet our Sport England targets over the last few years would inevitably affect the level of funding we receive,” said RFU chief executive John Steele. “However, I now believe we have far more realistic targets for the next two years and we are committed to creating a sound platform for growth as we move towards the home World Cup in 2015.”

WALES SQUAD - Forwards: P James (Ospreys), J Yapp (Cardiff Blues), R Bevington (Ospreys), S Andrews (Cardiff Blues), H Bennett (Ospreys), R Hibbard (Ospreys), L Burns (Newport Gwent Dragons), A-W Jones (Ospreys), R Jones (Ospreys), L Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), L Reed (Scarlets), D Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), T Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), J Turnbull (Scarlets), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues, capt). Backs: M Stoddart (Scarlets), G North (Scarlets), A Brew (Newport Gwent Dragons), S Williams (Ospreys), J Davies (Scarlets), S Williams (Scarlets), G Henson (Toulon), S Jones (Scarlets), R Priestland (Scarlets), M Phillips (Ospreys), T Knoyle (Scarlets).

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Champions League final tickets plan looks a nice little earner for the Football Association

2011-05-10T00:24:00.001+01:00

Well, there’s a way up Wembley Way, a very expensive way. The Football Association is offering Uefa-sanctioned hospitality packages, including ticket, for £3,480 per person.

“Messi, Nani, Xavi, Rooney, Iniesta et al going head to head, what a fantastic final this promises to be – certainly one not to be missed,’’ reads the excited blurb from Wembley as if United supporters needed reminding.

The deal includes a “ticket located behind the goals or in the corners on Level Two; pre and post-match access to the hospitality lounge in Wembley Arena; informal seating with a range of bars and food options with pre- and post-match buffet; Champagne reception with inclusive beer, wine and soft drinks pre- and post-match; live entertainment; ex-player expert panel; photo opportunities and one match programme per person”. At £3,480, that’s a nice little earner.

For those wondering whether the governing body of English football, a non-profit-making organisation, should be involved in such trade, the small print confirms that “hospitality packages are being provided by the FA on behalf of Uefa” and adds that “the price for the packages has been set by Uefa”.

Whatever happens on the pitch, this 2011 Champions League promises to be the greatest money-spinner in club history.

United fans sing when they're winning

Now that a 19th title seems destined for Old Trafford, Manchester United fans have set their sights on finishing No 1 in the charts. United fans are busily spending 79p to download the Paul Hardcastle song 19; they believe they need around 30,000 to be No 1 by Sunday. Hardcastle has given the United fans his blessing even though he’s a currently crestfallen follower of Chelsea.

“I’m asking EMI to put proceeds to charity,’’ he tweets. “I see it then as a good cause. Anyway we will have the title back in 2012, ha ha.” Hardcastle also points out a quirk of the 1985 charts to Liverpool fans disappointed at United breaking their 18-title mark. Having spent five weeks at No 1, 19 was knocked off its perch by a charity version of You’ll Never Walk Alone.

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Seve Ballesteros: His game had the touch of genius... and he knew it

2011-05-09T02:27:00.000+01:00

Lee Westwood is not a man for the flowery phrase. He is a solid, sensible individual who chooses his words with earnest care.

But on Saturday, in the space of three tweeted sentences, Westwood conveyed what the world of sport was feeling after the death of Severiano Ballesteros.

'Lost an inspiration, genius, role model, hero and friend,' said Westwood. 'Seve made European golf what it is today. RIP Seve.'

You could imagine Seve reading the words and being touched by their sincerity. Then reading them again and deciding that, on balance, Westwood had got it just about right.

For Seve was not unaware of his God-given talent. Indeed, that awareness was part of his charm. When he was at his towering peak, he seemed permanently thrilled by his ability to summon a shot to fit the moment, a stroke of genius, with the club wafted like a wand.

He gloried in the effect he had upon the galleries, who caught their breath and yelled their admiration as he worked his miracles of hand and eye.

'Did I do that? Did I really do that?' he seemed to ask. And he found his answer in the torrent of their cheers.

His achievements have long been the stuff of legend; the three Open Championships, the two Masters titles, the eight Ryder Cups, the glorious adventure of his Ryder captaincy. But to appreciate his importance to his sport, we should remember what preceded his emergence.

Seve was far from being the first golfing superstar. Indeed, he entered the scene after the prolonged domination of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, men who gave the game a new status and standing.

But the public perception of the professional golfer was of a well-padded, well-heeled, well-lunched individual who never let the sweet trolley pass him by. He kept gentlemen's hours, observed gentlemen's habits and prided himself on being a damned good loser. Seve wasn't like that. Not a bit.

He played the game as if he'd just invented it, with sinewy strength and the touch of a card sharp. He had the imagination to conceive the shot and the technique to execute it. And he had nerve, the moral courage without which all the other gifts are irrelevant. He seemed not to consider dire consequences, instead he saw only positives.

TIGER WOODS
Seve was one of the most talented and exciting golfers ever to play the game. I was deeply saddened to learn about his passing. I always enjoyed spending time with him at the Champions dinner each year at the Masters. His creativity and inventiveness on the golf course may never be surpassed. His death came much too soon.

PAUL CASEY
He really blazed the trail for Europeans, not only in the Ryder Cup but also in how he played at Augusta. We owe a huge amount to him.

GRAEME MCDOWELL (on Twitter)
Amazing to read all the moving messages out there about Seve. He meant a lot to the golf world. He was a genius. Very emotional right now.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE
I am devastated. He has left us with so many wonderful, lasting memories and his contributions to European golf are unquantifiable. We've lost one of the great icons of the sport. What a character and what a passionate man! It was an honour to play under him as our captain in the Ryder Cup.

When you watched him play, you were reminded of that hackneyed old poster: 'We supply miracles on demand. The impossible may take a little longer.' Seve chased the miracles and challenged the impossible, and the people loved him for it.

And always there was that exuberant enjoyment of his own immoderate talent; the eye-flashing, fist-pumping celebrations when the wedge from the deep rough dropped upon the green or the capricious 30-footer rattled the cup.

There was no artifice about his joy, it was instinctive, utterly spontaneous. He reacted as you or I might have done, had we been blessed with the merest smidgeon of his ability.

Here, a confession. In the late Eighties, I visited Seve at his family home in Pedrena in northern Spain. With some misgivings, he had elected to play the US Tour, but he did not greatly care for the lifestyle and he would return home at every opportunity.

When he was home, he kept New York hours, sleeping through the morning and staying up late. He gave me a couple of hours after lunch. He was a fascinating talker, anxious to provide interesting and relevant copy.

When he finished, we walked in a field at the back of his house. He asked me if I played golf. 'Very badly,' I replied. And then, fatuously: 'Not as well as you.'

I was pondering this ludicrous remark when he went into a garage and brought out an eight-iron and a bag of balls. He tossed a few on the ground and invited me to hit them towards the distant trees. One was sliced, one hooked, one was stubbed and a few fell vapidly short of their target.

He took the club and struck half-a-dozen guided missiles, each of them travelling on the same trajectory, clipping the tops of the trees and disappearing into the woodland.

I asked him where they might land. He mentioned the green of the neighbouring golf club. Absurdly, I wondered what might happen if somebody happened to be on that green. 'Don't worry, Patrick,' he said with stony face. 'They won't blame you.'

His American adventure did not last, yet his extravagant talent had made its mark and its impact had helped change the face of the sport.

In 1979, in response to the dramatic achievements of players like Seve, the Ryder Cup ceased to be a match between Great Britain and the United States. The ludicrously one-sided contest was on the brink of extinction, since Britain had won just three times since 1927. Now it became what it always should have been: the United States v Europe.

For Seve, it swiftly turned into a personal crusade. He poured heart and soul into the confrontation. He invested his wit, guile, flair and cunning. It was not merely a match, but a cause. This was what he was born to do, champion the Old World against the New.

I recall one contest in the States when he was paired with his friend and protege, Jose Maria Olazabal, in a critical foursomes. They were playing a couple of middle-aged Americans; tournament-tough yet not extravagantly gifted. And the match was tight.

On the second green, one of the Americans was left with a two-foot putt. As he settled over it, Seve graciously intruded. He wouldn't insult him by asking him to sink something so trivial.

The same thing happened on the fourth and again on the ninth. On the 13th, Seve waved his opponent away from a four-foot effort. Wouldn't dream of it, please pick it up. Then, on the 15th, with the game breathlessly poised, one of the US pair stooped to pick up a mundane, two-foot chore. Ballesteros stepped forward, shaking his head.

'Please,' he said. 'Please putt it.' The American paused, frowned, pouted his disapproval ... and knocked the putt a yard past the hole. Seve shrugged. It was quite magnificent. He loved it, loved it all.

He relished the intrigue and gloried in the mental skirmishes. If he could gain an advantage, through a glare, a shrug or a glance at the rulebook, then he seized it. Nothing was sacred, no ploy too outrageous.

His captaincy, at Valderrama in 1997, was a thing of wonder. Europe fielded one or two supporting players, men with names like Faldo and Montgomerie, but essentially this was Seve's show. He took it personally and victory seemed like a triumph of his will.

He faded away as the great ones do, but too quickly, too sadly. I recall him taking 10 at the 10th at Montego Bay in 1998. 'When I play good, I play pretty damn good,' he said. 'But when I play bad...Aaaargh!'

One day he would play like God, next day he played like us. Which was why we loved him. But then the clouds closed in. The game had long deserted him before the tumour reared its wicked head. He never flinched from public suffering, but he suffered all the same. He fought the illness with all his strength and all his will, but the tyrant prevailed, as he knew it must.

His family and friends are left with their deep sorrow. The rest of us will carry memories of an extraordinary man, a cavalier, a free spirit; a boy from Pedrena, touched by genius. Lee Westwood put it beautifully. Let it serve as Seve's epitaph.

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Teams backtrack on car revolution

2011-05-09T01:57:00.000+01:00

Formula 1 teams have revised plans to make radical changes to cars for the 2013 season but still aim to make them more efficient.

A move to bring back 'ground-effect' aerodynamics has been abandoned - but cars will still have reduced drag to ensure a cut in fuel consumption.

Cars will use 35% less fuel and be more challenging to drive but will be no more than five seconds slower per lap.

This will be achieved by reducing the size of the wings and other changes.

The changes still need to be approved at a meeting of F1's technical working group on Wednesday but, although there are a few fine details to be agreed, that is expected to be a rubber-stamping exercise.

The rules are to be introduced in tandem with new engine regulations, which will see the introduction of 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbos with hybrid energy recovery technology, rather than today's 2.4-litre normally aspirated V8s.

Initially, as exclusively revealed by BBC Sport in December, the idea had been to reintroduce shaped underfloors as a more efficient way of reducing drag while retaining high levels of aerodynamic downforce.

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The biggest concern [about a 'ground effect' underbody] was that it's a massive amount of investment for the teams; it's quite a big departure

Sam Michael Williams technical director

But the teams, through their umbrella organisation Fota, felt this would require a lot of work and expense and that the aims of governing body the FIA could be achieved in a way that, as one insider put it, required "less pain".

Instead, a number of detailed aerodynamic restrictions will be introduced to reduce drag, but the current design of the underside of the car, with a stepped but flat floor, would be retained.

These changes, it is felt, will achieve the same targets as those set by the FIA, but the cars will not be as aerodynamically efficient as had initially been hoped.

The cars' drag co-efficient will reduce from existing levels of 0.9Cd to about 0.7Cd, while the FIA's initial hope had been to cut it to 0.5Cd.

The changes will include:

* a front wing of reduced width

* a much shallower rear wing, similar to those used at the high-speed Monza track

* significantly lower noses on the cars

* the retention of the moveable rear wing - or drag-reduction system (DRS) - that was introduced this season to make overtaking a little easier

* a restriction on all the extra pieces of bodywork that have sprouted in front of the sidepods of the cars

* a restriction on the design of front wing endplates, to limit the intricate designs seen today.

The initial 'ground effect' rules were arrived at after veteran F1 engineers Patrick Head of Williams and Rory Byrne, formerly of Ferrari, were asked by the FIA to come up with a set of rules that could make the cars more efficient and more challenging to drive yet no more than five seconds slower per lap.

These rules were submitted for analysis to F1's technical working group, a panel of leading engineers from the teams.

This led to the teams deciding to come up with an alternative proposal, which Byrne produced for their umbrella group Fota.

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We think the DRS has been effective and if we decide not to continue, it's easy to go back on it

Sam Michael Williams technical director

After a meeting on Sunday at the Turkish Grand Prix, this is the one that will be adopted on Wednesday.

Williams technical director Sam Michael said the teams had been reluctant to go down the route of a shaped floor because it involved a lot of work and expense and there were uncertainties over the outcome.

"The only point of contention between Fota and the FIA has been on the tunnelled floor, having a shaped undertray," Michael said.

"Everything else is pretty much the FIA proposal, or pretty close to it with just some tweaks.

"The biggest concern was that it's a massive amount of investment for the teams. It's quite a big departure.

"If you were going to go down that route and have a very different set of drag and lift coefficients that you couldn't achieve with the current rules, fine, that's different.

"But the teams saw it as a massive amount of investment and work for something we don't really understand.

"We're not scared of that but if you do spend all that money, why do that and not something you can get to very quickly and cheaply with the current floor. The FIA understood that in the end.

"There's the budget effect of doing the tunnelled floor, a shaped undertray, but there's also the fact that it's unknown.

"So you could predict the downforce you'll get from it, but you could easily achieve double. Whereas if we stay with the current floor you can be controlled where the downforce and drag are going to be."

The inclusion of the DRS in the 2013 rules reflects a feeling that the device has been successful since its introduction this season.

Michael said: "We think it's been effective. And if we decide not to continue, it's easy to go back on it.

"If all the teams decided later it wasn't useful, we could easily get rid of it. It's not a fundamental design, whereas something like the curved floor is."

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Cipriani omitted from Rebels tour

2011-05-09T01:03:00.000+01:00

Danny Cipriani has been left out of the Melbourne Rebels touring party for two Super 15 rugby matches in South Africa.

The 23-year-old "stood down" for Friday's defeat against Queensland after breaking an agreement not to stay out late after a match the week before.

"Following meetings between players, coaches and management, it was decided he will not travel," a statement read.

But Richard Kingi, who also missed the Reds game for the same breach of discipline, has returned to the squad.

Cipriani became Melbourne's first major signing for their inaugural season in Super 15 and had hoped to revive his England career, having reportedly fallen out with national manager Martin Johnson.

But in February, the former Wasps star was fined by the Rebels for taking a bottle of vodka from a nightclub bar without paying.

Cipriani had promised he would stand down for "an appropriate period of time" if he breached team disciplinary protocols again and did just that after staying out late after a defeat to the New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney on April 30.

"Danny will train with the other non-touring players over the next two weeks and will continue his community engagement with local clubs and schools during this time," the team statement added.

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Kilmarnock 0-2 Celtic

2011-05-09T00:24:00.000+01:00

Celtic returned to within a point of Scottish Premier League leaders Rangers after a workmanlike win over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.

It took until added time at the end of the first half for Celtic to break down their hosts, when Scott Brown headed in from six yards.

Kilmarnock showed some good build-up play at times, but failed to test Fraser Forster in the Celtic goal.

Kris Commons sealed the points with another wonderful strike on 68 minutes.

With Celtic missing Joe Ledley and Beram Kayal from their midfield engine room it was Kilmarnock who looked the more settled side early on.

And they might have gone ahead in the eighth minute when James Dayton, making his first start since September, shot just past the near post, cutting in from the right after a good move involving Alexei Eremenko, and James Bryson.

At the other end Momo Sissoko, being watched by his parent club Udinese, made a poor clearance to allow Daryl Murphy a strike at goal, which the Celtic forward drilled just wide from the edge of the box.

Celtic had the ball in the net on 19 minutes, but Gary Hooper was offside as he reacted to prod in Daniel Majstorovic's header, which Cammy Bell had saved.

With Celtic toiling to cut open the home defence Commons struck a couple of efforts over from distance.

But the midfielder came closer after the half-hour mark, shaving the crossbar with a 25-yard free-kick.

And he was again denied by the assistant referee's flag, having poked the ball into Bell's net when the ball broke to him in an offside position.

Eremenko, again looking composed in possession in Kilmarnock's midfield, tried his luck from outside the box, but failed to trouble Forster.

But Celtic took the lead in first-half stoppage time through their captain Brown.

Murphy hung a deep cross to the back post, James Forrest headed back across goal, and Brown dived to head the ball in from six yards.

The goal seemed to relax Celtic, who started brightly after the break, with Forrest slamming a shot against the side netting.

But Majstorovic had his defensive partner Thomas Rogne to thank for a saving tackle on Kieran Agard after the Swede was caught on the ball on the edge of Celtic's box.

Celtic eventually got the second goal they craved on 68 minutes, with Commons yet again the scorer.

The Scotland winger took a cross-field pass from Brown and, having watched earlier efforts drift off target, found the top corner of the net with a thunderous shot from 25 yards.

Kilmarnock, who have won many plaudits for their play over the course of the season, looked lacklustre in the closing stages and Celtic ended up comfortable winners.

However, one possible blight on the victory could be the departure of Player of the Season Emilio Izaguirre late on with an apparent hamstring concern.

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Imperious Vettel wins in Istanbul

2011-05-08T23:46:00.000+01:00

Sebastian Vettel dominated the Turkish Grand Prix to seal a third win of 2011 as a fierce fight unfolded behind him.

Mark Webber passed Fernando Alonso with five laps to go to secure a Red Bull one-two but Alonso hung on to the last podium spot for improving Ferrari.

The McLarens of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button engaged in a fascinating battle but Hamilton's decision to make one more stop paid off with fourth.

Nico Rosberg relegated Button, whose tyres faded late on, to sixth.

While the battles down the field lit up the track behind him, Vettel made smooth progress, building a lead of almost six seconds before his first stop on lap 10.

Turkish Grand Prix - Top three drivers

The world champion made sure he was not caught out during a final flurry of stops and came in for a fresh set of hard tyres to ensure there would be no repeat of China, when he was denied victory by Hamilton with four laps to go.

This time Vettel crossed the line eight seconds clear of his team-mate Webber and just 10 seconds beyond Alonso's Ferrari.

"He is flawless at the moment," said BBC F1 analyst David Coulthard. "He is setting the standards in qualifying and how to win a grand prix."

After a difficult start to the season, Ferrari leave Turkey as Red Bull's closest rivals.

Formula 1's leading teams had arrived for the first European race intent on closing the gap on their rivals with a raft of technical updates.

Ferrari were no exceptions and added several new components - including new front and rear wings - in an attempt to close down Red Bull and McLaren.

Alonso had spoken confidently before the race about seeing "the light at the end of the tunnel" and his faith was restored by his first podium place of the season.

The Spaniard got away cleanly to pass Hamilton off the line and was able to match the pace of his rivals throughout the race.

The proof of Ferrari's step forward came when Alonso, with the help the moveable rear wing, flew past Webber for second place before his third pit stop.

"Alonso is relentless. He just won't give up and I admire him for that," said BBC F1 commentator Martin Brundle.

"It's a comeback from Ferrari and standing on the podium will be Alonso's reward."

Alonso remains fifth in the championship, and 52 points off Vettel's lead.

"The podium is a nice surprise and we had nothing really to say. We just need to be extremely happy," said the Spaniard.

"Sebastian was 99% favourite, but this 1% that we had we lost in the first five laps.

"The seven seconds distance to Sebastian was consistent all through the race without those five seconds we lost early on maybe we could have raced in the pit stop and forced something.

"We were not able to push the Red Bull car to the limit."

Vettel's team-mate Webber agreed that his rivals stood little chance unseating the young German from his position at the front of the field.

"We couldn't do much more than that. It was difficult to beat Sebastian today," he added.

Hamilton retained second spot in the title hunt after a fourth place at Istanbul Park that the Englishman had to work hard for.

A sticky start saw Hamilton lose ground off the line to Alonso's looming Ferrari and Button, who had started sixth.

The two McLarens then staged a fascinating battle which saw the English team-mates swap positions on track several times.

"I don't remember drivers in the same team getting past each other so often without mistakes being made," commented Coulthard.

The McLaren squabble only ended when Ferrari's Felipe Massa passed Hamilton and then triggered the first round of stops.

Hamilton had earned his victory in China with a clever strategy and decisions on the pit wall paid off again in Istanbul as he chose a four-stop strategy while Button stopped three times.

A fresher set of tyres helped Hamilton zone in on his team-mate in the closing stages and Button was also overhauled by Rosberg as his older tyres began to lose their grip.

Rosberg had qualified in third in an improving Mercedes and jumped Webber at the start.

But the German did not have the pace over 58 laps on heavy fuel and, although he defended bravely, he found himself repeatedly overhauled and finished fifth.

His team-mate Michael Schumacher lost his front wing in a tangle with Vitaly Petrov's Renault on the second lap and from then on the seven-time world champion seemed to constantly find himself mired in defensive action.

Schumacher finished 12th while the Renaults of Vitaly Petrov and Nick Heidfeld, Sebastien Buemi's Toro Rosso and Kamui Kobayashi's Sauber rounded out the top 10.

A difficult weekend for Paul di Resta ended when Force India told the Scot to retire after spotting a problem with his car.

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Bryan Redpath confident for play-offs after Gloucester run riot against Sale

2011-05-08T22:59:00.000+01:00

There was a long period on Saturday afternoon, with Leicester trailing to London Irish, when it looked as if they might have been going back to Welford Road, and the scene of a recent 41-41 thriller.

Around the Kingsholm fringes the rather bizarre consensus, given that Leicester might be stumbling a little but they are not yet exactly allowing all-comers up unmanned ladders into their fortress, was that that might be better than going to Vicarage Road, where they lost 35-12 only a fortnight ago.

“I’m happy going there,” head coach Bryan Redpath said of the trip to Vicarage Road after beating Sale 68-17. “We under-performed last time, but this will be the fourth time we’ve played them this season and we’ve won two [home wins in the League and the LV Cup] and they’ve won one.”

It will certainly be a clash of styles. As Gloucester demonstrated here with 10 sumptuous tries, they seek a game with width.

And you would do with Charlie Sharples and James Simpson-Daniel on the wings, and the pace of Henry Trinder at outside centre. That trio bagged six tries between them on Saturday, with a hat-trick for Sharples. And the all looked fantastically sharp, all the while shepherded by the muscularity of Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu inside.

But Saracens will be all pragmatism and efficiency. And they will defend manically, something Sale conspicuously did not do here, as they conceded seven second-half tries.

“That’s an indication of how far this club has dropped,” said executive director Steve Diamond, “Thirteen or 14 of those players won’t be at Sale next season and we didn’t come down here with the right mindset.

"I don’t expect to come down here and get a hiding like that again. I’ll bite my lip, get out of here and have a month off. Then we’ll regroup and stop this spiral downwards. It is possible to turn things round quickly. The team and coaching staff are already in place for next season.”

Charlie Hodgson will not be with Sale, though, joining Saracens next season, and it was rather sad to see him bow out in such a supine team performance. “He has been a stalwart of the club and didn’t deserve that,” said Diamond.

Hodgson tried and tried, as he always does. Indeed he and half-back partner Dwayne Peel were excellent in an opening quarter when Sale did at least ask some questions.

Gloucester were a little sloppy, but then their scrummage and driving line-out found their fire, and Sale simply did not fancy it. It was one-way traffic after Rory Lawson’s opening try.

There was even time for sentiment. Also bowing out for Gloucester was Hodgson’s opposite number, Nicky Robinson. His excellent passing game was again a huge factor in the ever-present threat of Gloucester’s back-line, and he even crossed himself before departing to a moving ovation.

He is off to Wasps, and Gloucester might miss him more than they realise.

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Craig Kieswetter's second century of the one-day season maintains Somerset's unbeaten start

2011-05-08T22:13:00.000+01:00

Somerset maintained their unbeaten start to the Clydesdale Bank 40 thanks to Craig Kieswetter’s second century of the one-day season.

Having bowled out Gloucestershire off the final ball of their allotted 40 overs, last season’s runners-up eased to a comfortable eight-wicket win, with six overs to spare.

It was another competent performance from Somerset who, having won the toss, bowled and batted with great purpose on a wicket that was significantly less helpful than the Championship track had been during the week.

Former Gloucestershire seamer Steve Kirby picked up the early wicket of Ian Cockbain, but was over shadowed, thereafter, by Devon-born youngsters Lewis Gregory and Adam Dibble.

Gregory, 18, who took his first Championship wicket against Worcestershire on Wednesday, bowled with pace and accuracy, on his way to career best figures of 4-27.

Dibble, two years his senior, bowled with equal menace and weighed in with 3-52 from 10 overs. For Gloucestershire, it was a mixed bag.

Captain Alex Gidman and New Zealander Kane Williamson added 117 for the second wicket with the former passing 50 from 66 balls.

However, having looked in decent shape at 135-1, in the 26th over, the visitors lost their last nine wickets for just 78.

There was even a wicket for Sri Lankan Ajantha Mendis, who has been far from convincing since arriving in Taunton as an early season replacement for Murali Kartik.

In reply, openers Marcus Trescothick and Kieswetter made short shrift of the Gloucestershire attack.

Together, they passed 50 inside seven overs, with Kieswetter adding to his century against Nottinghamshire and unbeaten 95 against Glamorgan, with an equally impressive unbeaten 108.

Trescothick, struck six fours in reaching his 50, from as many balls, but departed, two balls later, trapped leg before by Richard Dawson.

Still, Kieswetter, who looks an odds-on bet to win a place in England’s one-day squad this summer, continued where his skipper left off.

Despite being dropped on 39 and 85, he passed 100 from 101 balls, and with Nick Compton, duly took Somerset to a fourth successive victory of the campaign.

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Manchester City face hard grind to secure Champions League spot following defeat to Everton

2011-05-08T21:27:00.000+01:00

For all the money spent by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, a talent for making life unnecessarily complicated remains and the next few days will be far more arduous following this defeat.

Victory at Goodison Park would have enabled Roberto Mancini to rest the legs of his key men against Tottenham tomorrow night, with the FA Cup final against Stoke to come on Saturday.

But after surrendering a lead that revealed a worrying weakness for crosses, which will have been noted by Tony Pulis, who could not even venture to the toilet without being grilled by supporters about Matthew Etherington’s hamstring, the visit of Spurs retains important.

It may be a little removed from the Champions League decider that was the penultimate match of last season but there will be no shortage of tension at Eastlands.

Mancini plans to bring Carlos Tévez, sidelined with a hamstring problem since April 11, on for up to half an hour against Harry Redknapp’s side but even that may be thrown into question if the game is not going City’s way.

The City manager, who was involved in an ugly exchange with Phil Neville after the final whistle, maintains that a six-point lead over Tottenham with a vastly superior goal difference and three games remaining means that fourth place is not a major concern.

“I am not worried but I am disappointed because, if we had won this game, [the race for fourth] was finished and we could have prepared very well for the final but now we are thinking only of Tottenham,” Mancini said. But the nature of City’s collapse under Everton’s second-half onslaught – they conceded both goals from headers – will give Rory Delap and Stoke’s own list of potential NBA recruits plenty of encouragement.

Nigel de Jong, who has been nursing a hip problem, is one who might have been spared tomorrow night but the Dutchman is certain that 35 woeful minutes will not disrupt City’s attempts to end their 35-year trophy drought.

“We have now got to grind through the Tottenham game before the Cup final and that will be hard,” De Jong said. “It is our own mistake and we just have to get our heads clear again. This is a very important week for the club, the players and the fans. This is do-or-die for Manchester City. Fourth place is in reach and everything is in our hands.

“We just have to win that game against Tottenham, we then have a chance to be FA Cup winners after 35 years but we just have to learn from this game.

“We just have to think what we did wrong, take the mistakes out and if we do that, we can be in fourth place and FA Cup winners.”

In the opening period at Goodison, the excellent David Silva and Yaya Toure combined to pull the hosts apart regularly and it was they who worked the opener, with the Spaniard slipping through for the Ivorian to finish with a cross-shot.

But again they simply seemed to stop doing what was so productive and Everton forced their way back, with Sylvain Distin heading in from Mikel Arteta’s free-kick and Leon Osman beating Vincent Kompany to glance in from Neville’s cross.

At the final whistle Aleksander Kolarov accused Seamus Coleman of elbowing him, resulting in Mancini and Neville having to be pulled apart as they roared insults at each other.

Moyes has come out on top in each of his four meetings with Mancini and the closest the Italian has come to any sort of victory was ripping the ball from his counterpart’s grasp at Eastlands last season.

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Barnet celebrate another final-day Football League survival success

2011-05-08T20:36:00.001+01:00

It was a win that guaranteed this 123-year-old club at least one more season in the Football League.

Nothing against Lincoln City, the fall guys on the final day of the League Two campaign, but it was a heart-warming scene. There is something engaging about Barnet, whose idiosyncratic ground, Underhill, sounds like a hobbit’s home, and slopes so drastically that one goalkeeper’s boots are level with the other’s crossbar.

The phrase “family club” is often used for anywhere without a 30,000-seat stadium and a shady absentee owner, yet at Barnet it truly seems to apply.

In April, they suffered a managerial crisis when Martin Allen left for Notts County after only 19 days in the job. Their response was to appoint Giuliano Grazioli, their community development officer, as caretaker manager.

“I was here every Saturday afternoon, watching the boys play, keeping my face around the place,” chuckled Grazioli, a former Barnet striker who scored 62 goals in a five-year stint at Underhill. “I would give the chairman a little wink when things weren’t going well. There was a method in my madness, because this is what I want to do. And it means so much more because I am a fan of this football club.”

Allen had started the revival for Barnet, who were eight points from safety on April 1. Grazioli continued it. Coming into Saturday’s deciders, Barnet knew that if they could beat Port Vale, they had a chance.

That was not the end of the story: a win for Lincoln over Aldershot would still knock Barnet out of the Football League, no matter how many goals they scored. But Lincoln had taken just one point from the previous nine matches. The Imps were limping towards the finish line in what was now a two-horse race.

In the early stages the diminutive Mark Byrne was at the heart of everything Barnet did, running the game like a cut-price Scott Parker. He had promising outlets in a pair of speedsters: left-winger Mark Williams and striker Izale McLeod, who once earned a transfer fee of £1million on his way to Charlton Athletic.

Port Vale, who had nothing to play for, were coming second on every 50-50 ball. And yet, for all their energy, Barnet could not get the ball home.

They were fortunate that Port Vale were so disinterested, and indeed charitable: a ridiculous penalty at the start of the second half meant that Grazioli’s nervous strikers did not even have to score from open play.

Straight from the restart, Byrne slipped the ball to McLeod, who ran 40 yards into the Port Vale penalty area without being challenged. When a tackle did finally come in, from centre half Gareth Owen, it was mistimed and brought McLeod down. McLeod struck the ball home.

Soon afterwards, news began filtering through of Lincoln’s plight: Aldershot landed a penalty of their own just before the hour, and eventually romped home 3-0.

“We’re all grateful to Aldershot,” said Grazioli afterwards, “but what really gives me pleasure is that six weeks ago nobody gave us a chance in hell. I looked at the crowd and saw a lot of the kids I’ve been coaching for the last year with their families: it was great to do it for them.”

So what now? “On Monday, I’ll be back in the community development office,” he replied. “The chairman has to think about what he has to do. If I’m part of it, fantastic, if I’m not the manager, I’d still like to have a place.”

Grazioli was a folk hero at Barnet during his playing days, and after Saturday’s feat of escapology – the second time in as many seasons that they have defied the drop on the final day — he is more revered than ever.

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Rafael Nadal v Novak Djokovic: all signs point to a titanic clash in final of Mutua Madrid Open

2011-05-02T23:34:00.001+01:00

That is the most likely scenario, given that Djokovic has won all 27 matches that he has played this year — including five tournaments — while Nadal’s last defeat on clay came fully 34 games and two years ago against Robin Soderling in Paris.

Unless someone pulls off a stunning feat of giant-killing, it will be the indomitable Serb against the invincible Spaniard on Sunday. Djokovic has the form, having beaten his former nemesis in five of their last six meetings, but Nadal will enjoy both the fervent support of his home crowd and the shift from hard courts to clay, the surface he has made his personal fiefdom.

Can anyone derail either of these two trains before they meet head-on? Well, Andy Murray has a shot at a semi-final against Djokovic — a potential rematch of the Australian Open final – if he can come through a quarter of the draw that includes Gael Monfils and Tomas Berdych.

But this would be a lot to ask. While the Big Two have been polishing their latest trophies, Murray has only just emerged from the worst losing streak of his career — the one that started with that morale-shredding loss to Djokovic at Melbourne Park, and continued through inept performances in Rotterdam, Indian Wells and Miami.

He has been in Spain for over a week, first recovering from the sore elbow that kept him out of the Barcelona Open, and then working with Darren Cahill, the team adidas coach who will help him as a consultant until a more permanent coaching appointment can be found. There was also a 16-game practice match against Nadal himself, which ended up in an 8-8 draw.

Granted a first-round bye, Murray will enter the singles on Wednesday against either the Frenchman Gilles Simon or Croatia’s Ivan Ljubicic — a demanding opener for a man with little live tournament action behind him, but one he should survive if he recovers the form he showed in Monte Carlo last month.

On Tuesday, Murray is expected to play doubles with brother Jamie, but the main attraction at the Park Manzanares will be Mikhail Youzhny’s tussle with the unseeded Juan Martin del Potro, a dangerous “floater” in the men’s draw who dominated all-comers in the Estoril Open last week.

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Sebastien Coe thrilled as 20million ticket requests are submitted for London 2012 Games

2011-04-28T00:10:00.000+01:00

Sebastian Coe said he was 'thrilled' with the response from the British public after more than 20million ticket requests were received for the London 2012 Olympics.

Organisers announced the figures with 1.8million people having submitted applications for tickets and many sports already selling out their allocation including track cycling, rhythmic gymnastics, triathlon, modern pentathlon, and equestrian (cross country).

The opening and closing ceremonies are also sell-outs and will have a ballot to decide ticket allocations as will most of the sessions in swimming and tennis, and the high-profile athletics sessions.

London 2012 chairman Coe said: 'We are thrilled with the response right across the board, in all sports and all sessions.

'Certain events have seen massive demand - for example the opening ceremony, which is more than 10 times oversubscribed, so there will understandably be disappointment and we will find a way to go back to those people with other tickets.

'What is most encouraging is that the majority of applications are for multiple tickets and for several sports, which shows that friends and family are planning to go to the Games together.'

More than half of the 650 sessions are oversubscribed and tickets for these will be allocated via ballots. Some 6.6million tickets have been on sale to the public from March 15 until the window closed at 1am this morning.

London 2012 say they will now check applications before running computerised ballots for those sessions which are oversubscribed.

Money will be taken from people's accounts from May 10 but they will not receive formal confirmation of which events they have been successful in buying tickets for until June.

There will be another chance to buy remaining tickets in June and July.

London 2012 added that more than 95% of the applications came from the UK.

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Snooker World Championship 2011: Judd Trump reaches semi-final

2011-04-27T23:24:00.000+01:00

Judd Trump has warned it will take a lot to stop him after powering past another former world champion to reach the Crucible semi-finals.

The 21-year-old, who grew up in Bristol, had to come through qualifying for the Betfred.com World Championship, but is now just two wins away from landing the title.

He finished off 2006 champion Graeme Dott 13-5, with breaks of 67 and 78 seeing him complete victory in just two frames this afternoon, and goes on to face either Ding Junhui or Mark Selby for a place in the final.

'I do feel a little bit invincible at the moment, it's a good feeling to have,' Trump said.

'But at any stage of this tournament anybody could beat me 13-3 or 13-4 because the standard is so high. But I know I can do that to the rest of the players.'

Trump now faces the one-table situation at the Crucible for the first time, with his semi-final getting under way on Thursday afternoon.

With one table being removed from the arena tonight, the other will be moved to centre stage, which is precisely where Trump wants to be for the rest of his career.

'I think I'll go out and enjoy it a little more now,' he said.

'I've got the whole crowd to entertain now, which is going to be good, rather than having just half the arena to myself. I think I'll go out there and enjoy the experience.'

Wins over last year's champion Neil Robertson and Martin Gould carried Trump through to the tussle with Dott, which was surprisingly one-sided.

'It was a little bit easier than I thought it was going to be,' Trump added. 'Not that Graeme played badly, I just went out there from the start and played really well.

'I put pressure on him every time I got in. I knew that if I was clearing up every time there would be that extra bit of pressure on him.

'I feel I can win the title. I don't want to give off a too cocky image, but I'm very confident in myself and I think you need to be.

'A lot of the older players want to go out and teach you a lesson and batter you and put little scars on you for when you come here in the future. I just need to keep winning and keep that freshness.'

Dott, 33, was complimentary about his conqueror.

The Scot said: 'I was trying everything I could do but sometimes you go out there and you feel flat, you don't feel involved in the match.

'But that's probably all credit to Judd. He kept me off the table. Any time I did get a chance there was something awkward.

'I just couldn't get involved in the match. Judd played fantastically and thoroughly deserved to win.

'If he plays as well as that all the way through he's got a chance to win it, obviously, because it's very hard to stop someone that's potting like that.

'But the World Championship is supposed to test every aspect of somebody's game.

'It'll test your technique, your temperament, your safety play. But he's not been asked any of that yet.

'All we know is that he's potting absolutely everything, and that will be good enough to win the title.

'But the big question comes if he stops potting everything. How's he going to cope? Is his safety game going to be good enough? Is his temperament going to be good enough?'

Earlier on Wednesday, Mark Williams reached the last four for the first time since 2003, the year he landed his second world title.

The 36-year-old Welshman was a 13-5 winner over Northern Ireland's Mark Allen and takes on John Higgins or Ronnie O'Sullivan next.

He will take the occasion in his stride, just as he has all his matches so far.

Williams was chatting about football in the media room just five minutes before his second session began against Allen on Tuesday night.

'That's the way I am really,' he said. 'I'm mostly relaxed most of the time.

'I'm lucky enough I don't get butterflies when I go out there, I just really float around.

'It's only a snooker match. I try 100 per cent to win and the worst thing that can happen to you is you lose, which isn't that bad is it?'

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New TV deal comes with income warning for English clubs from UEFA

2011-04-27T22:33:00.000+01:00

UEFA have announced a new three-year deal for Champions League rights with Sky and ITV - but England's top clubs face a major drop in their income from the competition if a European ruling goes against them.

The deal for 2012-2015 is understood to be worth £400million, similar to the current agreement.

But William Gaillard, adviser to UEFA president Michel Platini, said a European Court of Justice (ECJ) case could force a major shake-up in the sale of TV rights across the continent.

Gaillard said: 'This may force us to sell the rights on a Europe-wide basis, which would prevent us from identifying individual national TV pools.

'That will be bad news for clubs in big TV markets such as England.'

The Premier League also fear the case - their legal battle against Portsmouth pub landlady Karen Murphy who has used a Greek satellite decoder to screen live matches - could affect their TV income.

The European Union's advocate general Juliane Kokott has already advised that the case means that selling TV rights in separate countries within the EU goes against European law.

The case is now being dealt with by the ECJ with a decision expected in the late summer.

At the moment, UEFA splits Champions League payments among the 32 clubs in the group stage, half depending on far they progress and half on the value of their country's TV deals.

The current £400million deal with Sky and ITV for the UK rights is the biggest in Europe and has seen English clubs earn between £20million and £35million annually from the Champions League alone. Beyond 2015, the future is uncertain.

Under the new deal, ITV will have first pick of the match to show live on Tuesday night and highlights, while Sky Sports have the rights to broadcast live all Champions League matches except for the games on ITV. Sky also has the rights for delayed broadcasts and highlights on both nights.

Gaillard fears that those who say the ECJ often do not follow the advocate general's advice may be burying their head in the sand.

He said: 'Most of the time the ECJ follow what the advocate general has said, and the rest of the time partially follow that advice.'

In Scotland, where television income from the Champions League is around ?10million, and other smaller TV markets, the court case could have a positive effect.

If the case goes against the Premier League it could mean the clubs having to have one single TV deal covering the whole of Europe, rather than domestic TV rights and rights for other individual countries being sold separately.

It could also mean that no matches kicking off at 3pm on Saturday could be shown anywhere in Europe. Currently broadcasts of matches at that time are only blocked for British television, which is why some pub landlords used foreign satellite decoders.

The other alternative would be for the Premier League to throw every single match open to live TV coverage across the whole of Europe.

That would lead to opposition from those who want to keep the Saturday 3pm slot as a closed window in order to protect attendances at games.

Sports minister Hugh Robertson said the Government is putting pressure on the European Commission to maintain the current system.

Robertson said: 'I have taken the issue up directly with the European Commissioner responsible for this.'

The Premier League said in February any change resulting from the case 'would damage the interests of broadcasters and viewers of Premier League football across the EU'.

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Man City legend Colin Bell calls for an end to 'degrading' Munich air crash chants

2011-04-27T22:03:00.000+01:00

Manchester City great Colin Bell has appealed for fans to stop 'degrading' the club by singing songs about the Munich air crash.

City's 1-0 win at Blackburn on Monday was marred by chants about the 1958 tragedy which befell close rivals Manchester United and claimed the lives of 23 people.

The club, who have previously taken out banning orders against supporters caught on camera making aeroplane gestures, are holding a series of behind-the-scenes meetings to determine an appropriate response to Monday night's repeated chants.

But Bell believes it is time for the fans themselves to realise enough is enough.

'They are not true City supporters. Football is a sport at the end of the day and they are chanting about people's lives,' he told the Manchester Evening News.

'It's gone on long enough and I appeal to them to stop. It's sad and I think it is truly out of order.

'I played for City and now consider myself a supporter of the club and these chants are degrading the club. I don't like it one little bit.'

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India appoint Fletcher as coach

2011-04-27T21:09:00.000+01:00

World Cup winners India have appointed former England boss Duncan Fletcher as coach on a two-year contract.

The 62-year-old succeeds South African Gary Kirsten and becomes their fourth successive foreign coach.

Fletcher won a record eight consecutive Tests for England in 2004 before guiding the team to a long overdue Ashes success in 2005.

England coach Andy Flower was the Indian board's first choice but he was unwilling to uproot his family.

Former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming, now coaching Indian Premier League side Chennai Super Kings, was another possible candidate.

But it is thought Flower, also from Zimbabwe, was always reluctant having settled in England. Fleming was viewed as a long shot, and had publicly distanced himself from the role.

Michael Vaughan, the former England captain who formed a close bond with Fletcher during their most successful period, tweeted: "Great coach who will work well with [India captain Mahendra] Dhoni.

"Duncan will work well with all the talent. His biggest challenge will come from the media. He has never really understood how it works."

Fletcher's first major assignment with India, the number one Test side, will come when they tour England from mid-July for the summer's eagerly awaited tour. It features Tests at Lord's, Trent Bridge, Edgbaston and The Oval, plus one Twenty20 international and five one-day internationals.

Leading up to that is an Indian tour of the West Indies in June, featuring one Twenty20 international, five one-day internationals and three Tests. Fletcher may not be involved in that.

"He may not join the team in the West Indies as he has some prior commitments," Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary, N Srinivasan, said.

New Zealand's former Test captain John Wright was the first man from overseas to take the job regarded as the most heavily scrutinised in cricket.

Wright was in the post between 2000 and 2005 before ex-Australia skipper Greg Chappell took over for two years.

After the 2007 World Cup, India had no full-time coach, relying on specialist bowling and fielding coaches instead. That ended when Kirsten, a former South African batsman closely mentored by Fletcher at Western Province, took over in March 2008.

Former India spinner Maninder Singh believes the appointment of Fletcher is a good one.

"I played a bit of cricket with him and he was a very intelligent cricketer," Singh told the BBC. "He has done wonders with English cricket.

"But I think he will have to be careful when he comes to coaching the Indian team because in India it is better that the coach is there in the background instead of trying to come in front.

"He will have to do what Gary Kirsten and John Wright did, keep talking to the boys, keep encouraging the boys and I think he could do wonders with them because there is a lot of talent in India.

"He will have to work with the younger boys in the team. They are a very talented lot but somewhere down the line they are not able to perform consistently when playing international cricket."

Fletcher, who was honoured with an OBE after England's 2005 Ashes win over Australia, is known for picking players on hunches rather than on statistical achievements - a notable example being the highly successful Somerset opener Marcus Trescothick.

But he is also known not to suffer fools gladly, and Graeme Swann famously made only one appearance under his regime, Fletcher feeling the off-spinner was a loose cannon.

Eric Simons, who was India's bowling coach during Kirsten's tenure, will continue in his role and is likely to enjoy a good relationship with Fletcher through their Western Province links.

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Felix confirms Ohuruogu showdown

2011-04-27T20:30:00.000+01:00

Olympic 400m champion, Christine Ohuruogu, will take on triple world champion Allyson Felix at the Manchester Great CityGames on 15 May.

The British sprinter will race Felix over her world championship distance of 200m on a city-centre track.

"I love street athletics where the spectators rub shoulders with you and make it so exciting," said American Felix, who won the event last year.

"I'm delighted to be returning and hoping to score another win."

It could be the first of several meetings between the pair this year, with Felix hoping to compete in the 400m as well as the 200m at the World Athletics Championship in South Korea in the summer.

Other highlights of the Manchester meeting will be world heptathlon champion, Jessica Ennis, competing in the 100m hurdles against British team-mate and European indoor silver medallist, Tiffany Ofili, and in the 150m against Katharine Endacott, and Laura Turner.

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Exeter Chiefs deducted two points

2011-04-27T19:52:00.000+01:00

Exeter Chiefs have been deducted two points and fined £5000 for naming three overseas players in the squad for their match at Leeds Carnegie.

Nemani Nadolo was mistakenly included in the 27-22 defeat at Headingley alongside Hoani Tui and Ignacio Mieres on 3 April.

The decision was announced at a Rugby Football Union disciplinary hearing.

Despite the deduction, Exeter stay ninth in the Premiership where they now have 39 points.

Fijian-born Nadolo, 23, registered for the Devon club on an Australian passport when he joined from Bourgoin in January.

Under the RFU's rules, Premiership clubs' match-day squads can only have two players from outside of Europe, Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands - a limit they exceeded with the inclusion of Nadolo alongside Tui (New Zealand) and Mieres (Argentina).

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Contador hearing expected in June

2011-04-27T19:05:00.001+01:00

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has named a three-man panel to hear Alberto Contador's doping case and expects a verdict before July's Tour de France.

Cas has chosen Israeli lawyer Efraim Barak to chair the panel, which includes Quentin Byrne-Sutton of Switzerland and Germany's Ulrich Haas.

Contador was cleared by the Spanish Cycling Federation of a positive clenbuterol test during the 2010 Tour.

The International Cycling Union and World Anti-Doping Agency have appealed.

Cas has not fixed a date to hear the case but said in a statement: "The written proceedings in this matter are likely to be concluded at the end of May.

"The Cas envisages to hold a hearing in June, which would allow the settlement of the dispute before the end of June."

Under Cas regulations, each party in a dispute can choose an arbitrator to work with the court-appointed chairman.

Contador's legal team selected Haas, while the UCI and Wada picked Byrne-Sutton.

The Spaniard can ride until Cas hears the case, but he faces a possible two-year ban and being stripped of his 2010 Tour de France victory if the Lausanne-based court finds against him.

Should Cas rule against Wada and the UCI, the 28-year-old will be free to defend his title; the 2011 race starts on 2 July.

Contador tested positive for the banned drug clenbuterol - he had minute traces of the drug in his urine samples - days before his third Tour de France win, in July 2010.

Clenbuterol, similar to the asthma drug salbutamol, is used to treat breathing disorders as a decongestant and bronchodilator. It causes an increase in aerobic capacity, blood pressure and oxygen transportation, and speeds the rate at which fats are burned.

The Spanish federation accepted Contador's explanation that he had inadvertently consumed the drug in contaminated beef.

The World Anti-Doping Agency regards clenbuterol as a zero-tolerance drug, though its rules allow athletes to escape a sanction if they prove "no fault or negligence" on their part.

The UCI announced last September that Contador was provisionally suspended and asked the Spanish federation to investigate.

The federation's disciplinary committee originally proposed a one-year ban for Contador in January 2011, but his legal team then offered new evidence and he was cleared to race three weeks later.

Days before the decision, Spain's Prime Minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, had said that there was "no legal reason to justify sanctioning Contador".

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GB delight at Badminton showing

2011-04-26T22:19:00.000+01:00

British Eventing believes it has the five "very rare, absolute world-class combinations" required to challenge for gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Britain's Piggy French came second at Badminton on Monday, while William Fox-Pitt began 2011 as world number one.

"People say we're very lucky, we've got a lot of combinations, but you're still looking for those," said Yogi Breisner, British Eventing's performance manager.

"We need five [combinations for 2012] and I'd like to think we've got five."

In eventing terms, combinations refer to partnerships between horse and rider.

French and her horse Jakata have now qualified for the Olympic Games by virtue of completing Badminton Horse Trials - one of only seven four-star events [the highest star rating available] in the world.

The qualification period runs until the end of June next year and horses qualify for the Games by finishing one four-star event or two slightly less demanding three-star events.

Events can be difficult to complete, with 28 horses - one third of the field - failing to do so at Badminton.

Badminton Horse Trials helmet-cam

Getting to the end is considered sufficient to qualify a horse for the Olympics, which is technically equivalent to a three-star event and hence an "easier" competition than Badminton.

Mary King finished third at Badminton on Imperial Cavalier, qualifying that horse for 2012, while Fox-Pitt similarly qualified both Cool Mountain and Navigator despite failing to mount a serious title challenge with either.

New Zealander Mark Todd's victory on Monday, his fourth Badminton success in a staggering 31-year period, showed Britain will find it hard to win gold in 2012.

But half of the top 20 horses at Badminton were British, while seven British riders occupied places in the world top 20 when eventing's world rankings were last issued at the end of March.

"There are lots of opportunities to qualify horses but the more of the top combinations we get qualified early on, the easier it is to make plans afterwards," said Breisner.

"Then we can plan where to go in the interests of preparing for the Games, rather than having to seek qualification.

"The priority at Badminton is to get a team together for this year's European Championships [in Germany, in August].

"Then we'll look at how the horses compete at the major competitions in the autumn. We've got Burghley and Blenheim after the Europeans, so there are lots of opportunities for horses to get that qualification and catch the selectors' eye."

Breisner believes Laura Collett, Polly Stockton and Harry Meade improved their Olympic chances as a result of their performances at Badminton.

"It was Laura's first Badminton. Rayef is her main horse and he's come back from a period off with injury and performed extremely well," he said.

"Polly has been away for a year having had a baby, and - even though she didn't go that fast in the cross-country - Westwood Poser is already a proven horse, it's good to see the two of them come back together.

"And Harry Meade was very impressive in the cross-country. There are young combinations coming through."

Breisner also suggested to BBC Sport that Zara Phillips' hopes of competing at London 2012 were not yet dead in the water, despite several years plagued by injuries to both herself and her horses.

"Zara has got some very nice young horses - two of those are stepping up to three-star level this spring and if they should go out and win, then confirm that form in the autumn, you couldn't rule it out," he said.

"If you looked at Piggy French and Jakata, and Pippa Funnell and Redesigned, and asked the question about those horses this time last year, you'd have said they were very unlikely to go to the World Equestrian Games.

"Yet they went there and performed extremely well. In this sport anything is possible, and that's what makes it exciting."

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England Squash set to continue record onslaught at European Team Championships

2011-04-26T21:25:00.000+01:00

Barker, who reached last month's Canary Wharf Classic final, will play third string in a strong five-man squad comprising world No 1 Nick Matthew and James Willstrop, England's top two respectively, Daryl Selby and Jonathan Kemp.

England, under new national coach Chris Robertson, will also start overwhelming favourites as they attempt to win their 19th successive European team title.

And Barker, 27, will aim to prove a point to his compatriots in Espoo as the left-hander launches his blueprint to climb the rankings and reach more world tour finals.

"My career has always been pretty steady progress," said the current world No 7. "But I think next year I will have to make some changes to break the mold."

That will include making a bid to win his first national title next year where Barker says he will be one of four players vying for the title after Selby's surprise win over Matthew in February.

"I definitely want to get my ranking higher. But I am encouraged especially after where I was this time last year where my squash got on top of me.

"But I have now beaten all the top players above me and I have got a little bit of time on my side.

"I have tried to be more comfortable around the front of the court and playing at pace against the top players.

"There's definitely been an improvement this year getting to semis and finals and I need to go that one step further."

In the women's event, England, led by Jenny Duncalf, will aim to reverse a surprise defeat by Holland last year, having previously gone unbeaten for 32 years in the tournament.

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London 2012 Olympics: Games organisers claim ticket sales have 'hit the roof'

2011-04-26T20:46:00.000+01:00

"Every day is different, but also in the last week we have been getting three or four times the applications above and beyond what was coming in for the previous five weeks - and the sky's the limit based on the pattern that I am seeing at the moment."

There are 650 sessions across 26 sports and 17 days to choose from and people will be limited to a maximum of 20 events each.

The most popular events, including the men's 100 metres final, have a limit of four tickets per person.

Before sales began on March 15, more than 2.5 million people had signed up to the official website wanting to go to the Games.

This wave of sales, in which sports fans will find out whether or not they have secured tickets by June 24, is "the best chance probably by a long long way to get the tickets that you actually want," Deighton said.

"Anyone who wants to get to the Games should absolutely get their applications done - there is no doubt about that.

"There will be a number of tickets left over. It was always the plan.

"If you are clear about what kind of tickets you desire, apply for them now. You will only regret it if you do not get around to it, and it will be much more difficult if you leave it."

Prices range from £20 to £2,012.

They include paying up to £2,012 for the opening ceremony, up to £725 for the showpiece 100m athletics final and between £50 and £325 for the track cycling finals.

A seat at the opening ceremony is on many people's wishlist, buying patterns so far suggest. Many fans are also making multiple bids for seats at different events.

"Taking the £20.12p tickets for the opening ceremony, I think we can confidently predict that there will be more orders than availability," according to Deighton.

Orders have been "pretty well-spread" across the sports, he said, adding: "I think that a lot of people are ordering quite a number of tickets. Families seem to be ordering so they can go together."

A random automated ballot will kick in for over-subscribed events.

The process of matching the demand and the different-priced tickets with the sessions available will then start.

Applications will be processed between May 2011 and June 2011.

Notifications, by email or letter, for those who have been successful, will be sent in June 2011.

London 2012 needs to get 25 per cent of its revenue from ticket sales. It is a vital part of raising £2 billion from the private sector to stage the Games.

Applications for Paralympic Games tickets open on September 9 2011.

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Liverpool almost went bust with debt

2011-04-26T20:08:00.000+01:00

The Hicks-Gillett era at Liverpool should stand as a warning to the risks of takeovers funded by debt, a senior UEFA figure told an inquiry into football.

William Gaillard, adviser to UEFA president Michel Platini, told MPs Liverpool had come close to going under after Tom Hicks and George Gillett had loaded debt from their takeover onto the club.

Gaillard, giving evidence to the culture, media and sport committee in London, said: 'The leveraged buy-outs for many clubs end in disaster - just take Liverpool where you have owners who came, contracted debt, bought out the previous owners and saddled the club with the debt.

'The club has been rescued, thank God, of the fantastic heritage of Liverpool Football Club, but it was a close call.

'There was the extraordinary situation where a club was being owned by the British and American governments.

'They suddenly found themselves being owned by two failed banks that had been taken over by Governments - RBS by the British government and Wachovia by the US government.'

Gaillard claimed that the takeover by American tycoon John Henry's NESV company that rescued Liverpool last year was in part due to the attraction of UEFA's financial fair play rules, where from 2014 clubs in European competition will only be allowed to spend what they earn.

He added: 'John Henry at Liverpool and Thomas di Benedetto at Roma said the main reason they were investing in European football was because of the financial fair play rules.

'They make a much more predictable environment, more similar to what they are used to in American sport, a more regulated environment than the crazy situation that existed before.'

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Royal Wedding: Brian O'Driscoll to miss Kate and William's big day for Leinster rugby match

2011-04-26T19:21:00.000+01:00

Ireland rugby captain Brian O’Driscoll has snubbed an invite to Friday’s royal wedding as he is playing for Leinster in the Heineken Cup 24 hours later.

The 32-year-old admitted it was a 'big honour' to be invited but the game was more important than being a guest at Westminster Abbey.

Leinster play Toulouse in the semi-final at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium at 3.30pm on Saturday - the day after Prince William and Kate Middleton’s nuptials in London.

'I have a captain’s run on Friday and as big an honour as it was to be invited, I can’t ask for team runs to be at 6pm,' he told The Guardian. O’Driscoll’s wife, actress Amy Huberman, will attend the ceremony.

'It’s a small thing but waking up here, at home on Saturday morning, is really important' I’ll be up early enough for breakfast and lounging around, watching Soccer AM. I’ll make my usual lunch at 1230. My missus knows to leave me alone. She won’t be getting much chat out of me. And then it’s off to the game.'

Prince William, who is vice royal patron of the Welsh Rugby Union, is likely to share his big day with some of the sport’s leading figures.

England and Gloucester centre Mike Tindall is engaged to Prince William’s cousin Zara Phillips and will be attending, as will as fellow British and Irish Lions flanker Martyn Williams.

Williams has been granted time off by club side Cardiff Blues, even though his attendance at the wedding will mean missing a Magners League match against Newport Dragons on the same day.

Gareth Thomas, who now plays for rugby league side Crusaders, is also set to be amongst the congregation.

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Snooker World Championship 2011: Judd Trump set to beat Graeme Dott in last eight

2011-04-26T18:35:00.001+01:00

Judd Trump, the qualifier who has become a serious contender for Crucible glory, sprinted 7-1 clear of Graeme Dott to close in on a place in the semi-finals of the Betfred.com World Championship.

The youngest man in the tournament, 21-year-old Trump strongly believes he can land the title, even though he was an 80/1 shot just a month ago.

That price has been slashed to 6/1 after his surprise first ranking event triumph at the China Open plus wins in Sheffield against Neil Robertson, Martin Gould and the opening session of his clash with Dott.

Dott, who was runner-up to Robertson last year and champion in 2006, was outshone by the man 12 years his junior and might have trailed 8-0 but managed to sneak the fourth frame from 68-0 behind.

Trump had breaks of 68, 86, 64, 58 and 55 as he left Dott in his seat for most of the session, with the Scot now requiring a strong display on the resumption this evening to replenish his hopes of reaching the final four.

The match concludes on Wednesday, unless Trump gets to the 13 required for victory in the eight they play tonight (Tuesday).

Wales' two-time former champion Mark Williams engineered a 5-3 lead from the opening session of his match against Northern Ireland's Mark Allen.

Williams took the opening frame on a re-spotted black, added the second with a run of 73, and after Allen had cut his lead with a break of 78, a 125 from the Crucible veteran restored his two-frame advantage.

He pulled four clear after breaks of 78 and 66, but Allen, who overcame Matthew Stevens and Barry Hawkins in final-frame deciders to reach the last eight, saved his best potting form for the final two frames, rolling in 100 followed by 102.

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Miami Dolphins receiver Marshall in intensive care after stabbing

2011-04-23T21:06:00.000+01:00

By Simon Milham Last updated at 3:42 PM on 23rd April 2011

Miami Dolphins Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall is in intensive care after being stabbed by his wife in the early hours of Saturday morning.

According to early reports, Marshall's injuries are not life-threatening.

Marshall's wife, Michi Nogami-Marshall, has been arrested on a charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

Marshall was taken to Broward General Hospital in Miami by car, not ambulance, after 911 was called, and underwent surgery for a stab wound to the stomach.

No vital organs were pierced. Doctors have told representatives of the player that he should make full recovery in two to three weeks.

Marshall said he wanted to leave hospital on Saturday morning, but doctors advised against it in case of infection to the wound.

In a statement, Marshall's agents Harvey Steinberg and Kennard McGuire said: 'This is a very difficult time for Brandon and family, thankfully he will make a full recovery. We simply ask that his privacy is respected.'

The couple were married last year, but their relationship has been turbulent. The receiver was arrested after a fight between the two back in 2009.

Marshall, acquired by the Dolphins last April from the Denver Broncos to become their biggest offensive threat in 2010, led Miami in receiving yards with 1,014, despite missing two games with a hamstring injury.

The Dolphins have the 15th pick in Thursday's NFL Draft, are already looking at acquiring some offensive talent, but this latest incident might force the Dolphins' hand.

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Nadal crushes Monfils to advance to Barcelona semi-final

2011-04-23T20:27:00.000+01:00

By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 4:04 AM on 23rd April 2011

World number one Rafael Nadal was untroubled as he hammered France’s Gael Monfils 6-2 6-2 to reach the semi-finals of the Barcelona Open.

The Spaniard’s returning game proved too strong for the seventh seed, who connected with 84% of first serves but won only 56% of those points as he was broken twice in each set.

The win continues an extraordinary record for Nadal at the tournament. He has won the title five times in succession from 2005 and has dropped only two sets since his second-round elimination to Alex Corretja in 2003.

He will face Croatia’s Ivan Dodig, who will be well prepared after beating another Spanish left-hander in Feliciano Lopez today.

Dodig was broken twice during a second-set blip but prevailed 6-4 2-6 6-4 in the kind of battling performance he will need if he is to counter Nadal’s ferocious groundstrokes.

'It’s been a great week for me,' said the world number 56. 'I’ve played some great matches and I’m really looking forward to playing one more match.'

Dodig’s victory staved off an all-Spanish last-four line-up, with the second semi pitting David Ferrer against Nicolas Almagro.

Ferrer repeated his Monte Carlo Masters semi-final win over Austrian Jurgen Melzer, triumphing 6-3 6-3 to advance to within one match of a second successive final.

Almagro overcame compatriot Juan Carlos Ferrero by the same scoreline, breaking serve five times to two in the 65-minute encounter.

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Poker De Sivola wins

2011-04-23T19:49:00.000+01:00

Poker De Sivola went from last to first under an inspired Timmy Murphy ride to win the Bet 365 Gold Cup at Sandown.

The 11-1 shot, trained by Ferdy Murphy, trailed at the back of the field for much of the three mile, five furlong race but made a stirring late charge.

Faasel was two and a quarter lengths behind in second, with favourite Baby Run third ahead of Triggerman.

The winner had run in the Scottish National a week earlier, but unseated his rider early on in the race.

Faasel looked the potential winner as he took the lead between the last two fences but Baby Run would not give in and there was still no sign of Poker De Sivola.

However, as the Sandown hill started to take its toll Poker de Sivola stayed on dourly to grab the advantage and land the spoils for his trainer, who sent out Hot Weld to score in 2007.

It was a thrlling climax to the jump racing season, in which Tony McCoy was crowned champion jockey for the 16th consecutive year.

He collected his trophy on Saturday and scored a victory on French Opera, trained by Nicky Henderson, in the two-mile Celebration Chase for the rider's 218th win of the 2010-11 campaign.

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Moonstone to miss Guineas

2011-04-23T19:02:00.000+01:00

White Moonstone has been forced to pull out of the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on 1 May.

Godolphin's unbeaten three-year-old filly pulled up stiff after her work on Saturday and has been scratched from the second Classic of the season.

White Moonstone, who won the Group One Fillies' Mile at Ascot in September when ridden by Frankie Dettori, is undergoing a veterinary investigation.

Saeed bin Suroor's inmate had been as low as 6-1 to secure Guineas glory.

Racing manager Simon Crisford told the Godolphin website: "Unfortunately, White Moonstone is not right and we need to find the cause of the problem.

"She definitely won't be able to run in the 1,000 Guineas."

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Manchester United 1 Everton 0: match report

2011-04-23T18:16:00.000+01:00

Javier Hernandez edged Manchester United to within seven points of a record 19th league title with late winner at Old Trafford following a nervy encounter with Everton.

Hernandez, a £7m signing from Chivas de Guadalajara last summer, took his tally for the season to 19 goals when he headed in Antonio Valencia’s far post cross on 84 minutes.

Everton had seen two penalty appeals rejected by referee Peter Walton prior to the goal and will feel aggrieved at emerging with nothing for their efforts.

But with four games left to play – including fixtures at Arsenal and at home to Chelsea – United now know that two wins and a draw will confirm the title.

With the Champions League semi-final against Schalke looming on Tuesday, Ferguson gambled on wholesale changes to his starting line-up in order to rest key players ahead of the trip to Germany.

But with Everton’s recent form seeing them climb to seventh in the table, such tinkering was always likely to be a risky tactic against David Moyes’s team.

As has been proved on numerous occasions already this season, the likes of Jonny Evans, Darron Gibson and John O’Shea lack the quality of the more established players that they replaced and it showed as United struggled to put Everton under any sustained pressure.

The home side did not even test Everton keeper Tim Howard until 29 minutes had elapsed, but the former United number one did well to deny Javier Hernandez following his snapshot from Wayne Rooney’s pass.

Everton were unfortunate not to win a penalty on 36 minutes, however, when Evans’s clumsy challenge on Jermaine Beckford went unpunished by referee Peter Walton.

Moyes’s team were then denied what appeared a certain penalty on 56 minutes when Rio Ferdinand bundled substitute Victor Anichebe over on the edge of the six yard box. Once again, Walton ignored Everton appeals.

United were certainly riding their luck, but with Everton looking comfortable at the back, Ferguson replaced Nani with Michael Owen on 63 minutes in an effort to find a crucial goal.

And Owen, who has scored just once in the Premier League this season, almost put United ahead when his effort from Fabio’s cross was deflected onto the near post by defender Sylvain Distin.

Everton also went close, though, when United target Jack Rodwell forced Edwin van der Sar into full-stretch save to push his 20-yard strike past the post.

United appeared to be heading for a draw they simply did not want when Hernandez saw a header brilliantly tipped over the bar by Howard on 81 minutes.

But the Mexican striker won the game three minutes later with a brave header at the far post that left Howard beaten and moved United nine points clear of Chelsea and Arsenal.

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Durham v Sussex: Luke Wells ton guides visitors to tight win

2011-04-23T17:30:00.000+01:00

The Sussex coach, Mark Robinson, sang the praises of Luke Wells after the young batsman guided his team towards a nerve-jangling victory against Durham with the first first-class century of his fledgling career.

Robinson paid homage to Wells, 20, after he rode his luck to record the game’s decisive innings, scoring a century that included 17 fours in 243 balls before being dismissed with the victory target in sight for Sussex.

Wells may have been dropped by Gareth Breese off Mitch Claydon’s third ball of day and he may have been fortunate that a few edges did not go to hand as he lived a charmed life but Robinson played down the role of Lady Luck.

“He might have rode his luck this morning but he definitely didn’t on Friday but then again this was a good cricket wicket and there was a lot of playing and missing so you needed a bit of luck,” Robinson told The Sunday Telegraph.

“One thing we have recognised in Luke is that he has got a lot of character, mental toughness and resilience for a young man. He is only a baby and he has had one massive injury last year that would have knocked a lot of people back but he came back strongly and got a ton in his first game back with the seconds.

“That’s because he has such a strong personality which is what we like as much as anything and he showed every bit of it here because he would have copped a few verbals for the way he was playing at times but eh just stuck to his task and he is the only player who showed that determination to stay put.”

Luke Wells hit his maiden first-class century as Sussex survived a late collapse to seal a two-wicket LV= County Championship victory over Division One opponents Durham at the Riverside.

Sussex resumed on the fourth morning on 237 for four and with Wells and Ben Brown ticking along they reached 277 before Brown (61) became the first of the four victims Ruel Braithwaite claimed in quick succession as four wickets tumbled for 17 runs.

Wells reached 103 before Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Joe Anyon were dismissed in the same over only for Amjad Khan and Andy Hodd to secure a pulsating victory.

“To go down to the wire like that meant it was a great game of cricket but I think the team showed a lot of character because we were well beaten at Liverpool by Lancashire and we have been on the back foot for most of this game,” Robinson added.

“To turn it around with three young batters in the top six means you feel very proud as a coach. They were lovely bowling conditions today and Durham bowled exceptionally well all morning and we had to fight hard but we held our nerve. Ben Brown and Luke put us into a winning position and to get over the line was fantastic.”

Durham coach Geoff Cook added: “It was a tough four days’ cricket. We were in a strong position midway through the first day at 170/1 but then lost nine wickets for about 120 which is asking for trouble. Then we lost five second innings wickets very quickly which put Sussex tails up.”

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China Open 2011: Nicolas Colsaerts moves step closer to maiden European Tour win

2011-04-23T16:39:00.000+01:00

The 28 year-old Belgian was round in 66 at Luxehills in Chengdu today to move to 18 under par, a shot clear of Han Cheng-won.

Colsaerts has been a professional since the age of 18 without recording a win on the Tour but last year found himself in contention at five events. And he is hopeful of converting that improvement into a win, be it tomorrow or in the near future.

"I've been looking for a win for a couple of years but I've put myself in contention a few times and I know if I don't win here it will come one day," he told europeantour.com.

"I was a bit itchy today and managed all right. I hope tomorrow I'll manage the same."

The big-hitter drove his way to success today, playing the four par-five holes in five under with an eagle and three birdies.

"The wind changed the course dramatically today. You had to think more about certain tee shots.

"The other days you could pretty much go at every pin and the ball would stop where it landed. With these greens you always want to be on the right side but it was harder with it being dry."

Han had been the early frontrunner after an opening 64 which preceded a poor 70. A 65 today, however, was the day's best effort to take the 19-year-old South Korean back up to second.

"I played perfectly today - some good shots and good putts," he said.

"I took confidence from my putting today. When I missed shots I made the putts, that helped my round.

"This is the best I have played as a professional. I have some experience of big tournaments from when I was an amateur and that experience is helping me now. I'm not nervous - I believe in myself."

Irishman Peter Lawrie is two off the the lead and tied for third with France's Gregory Havret after both produced 68s to go 16 under.

Welshman Jamie Donaldson began the day out in front after a stunning 61 yesterday but a 70 today saw him plummet down the leaderboard.

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London 2012: Nicole Cooke: I miss home but I don't see what I do as a sacrifice

2011-04-22T02:14:00.000+01:00

Few British athletes at London 2012 will have spent their entire careers outside the UK but for Welsh road cyclist Nicole Cooke, who in 2008 became the first Olympic and World Champion in the same year, it has been a necessity.

Straight after finishing school, aged 18, her career took her to Italy and a change of team in 2007 has dictated a move to her current home in Switzerland.

‘I’ve never felt like it’s a sacrifice,' said Cooke. 'It’s a lifestyle. I’m really excited by everything that comes with being a professional cyclist, it’s a fantastic opportunity – I want to make the most of it.

‘It may not be the most normal, but it’s one I’m happy to lead. I organise things around my cycling and my family and friends support me in that.

‘I miss my family and friends back in the UK and of course the familiarity one has with their local area, particularly the community spirit of South Wales.

‘However, I enjoy finding out about new cultures and tasting new cuisines including the local specialities. I’ve always learnt the languages for where I’ve been based and made sure I studied Italian before I left the UK.'

Despite having won Olympic Gold in Beijing, Cooke, who recently turned 28, believes a win in London would be even more special.

‘The gold medal in 2008 was a dream come true,' she said. 'I had thought it was possible, but doing it was incredible. When I finally won, it was like an explosion of emotions as more than 10 years of hard work and determination came out.

‘For me though, London 2012 is another once in a lifetime opportunity that I really want to go for. I don’t think anything can top an Olympics in your own country.

‘It’s a chance to compete in front of home crowds. I only have one race in the UK a year, so it’s a chance for the British public to find out what international road racing in all about.'

Cooke believes that those thinking about getting tickets for the road cycling at London 2012 would have a great day out.

‘You can bring deckchairs, a picnic and a radio to listen to the race coverage. You can also bring anything that’ll make a great atmosphere like bells, whistles or drums. It doesn’t matter where you are on the course, you will enjoy it.’

One of Cooke’s finest achievements was winning a bronze medal in the 2006 Commonwealth games. She was the sole Welsh road cycling representative and was outnumbered by stronger nations.

Her Welsh pride is clear and is further reflected when she tells Sportsmail of her Olympic inspirations.

'Growing up in Swansea, Colin Jackson was a big idol as were Welsh cyclists Sally Hodge and Louise Jones. Hodge won the World Championship on track and Jones won commonwealth gold.

‘They were real people who lived locally who I could go and chat to. They grew up in the same sort of area that I did before going onto success and I thought there’s no reason I can’t do that.'

Cooke regards herself as a huge sports fan and thinks London 2012 will ensure many wonderful memories.

‘I wouldn’t turn down a ticket to anything at London 2012. There are so many events that will be amazing – I couldn’t choose one single event above all others. I really enjoy learning of the drama and story behind every athlete.'

Whilst not a regular visitor to London due to her international cycling career, Cooke has been aware of the increase in cycling around the capital. London Mayor Boris Johnson introduced cycling stations to encourage more people to get on two wheels.

‘I’ve heard all about them. I think anything that gets people out and about cycling is fantastic. It’s something I’d love to see a lot more of. I really hope that more people will cycle around London’.

For now, Cooke remains training in Switzerland, but the gears will not be staying in neutral as she prepares to win back-to-back Olympic Gold medals.

To apply for London 2012 tickets visit tickets.london2012.com any time between now and 26 April.

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Gus Poyet: Brighton's new pitch will rival Barcelona's Nou Camp

2011-04-22T01:35:00.000+01:00

Gus Poyet won the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup with Real Zaragoza. He lifted the FA Cup and the European Super Cup with Chelsea. He won the Cup Winners' Cup with both of those clubs and the Copa America with Uruguay. But Poyet had never tasted promotion or won a league title until he arrived at Brighton and Hove Albion.

His team booked their ticket to the npower Championship with a 4-3 win against Dagenham and Redbridge last week and the League One title was sealed with a 3-1 victory over Walsall on Saturday.

The locations may lack the glamour of the Nou Camp or Wembley, the kind of stadiums Poyet frequented as a player with Zaragoza, Chelsea and Tottenham, but that doesn't diminish the achievement. Or the obvious pride.

His sons, Matias and Diego, who plays for Charlton and England Under 16s, and wife Madelon watched Albion beat Dagenham in the last night match at the Withdean Stadium, the club's makeshift home for the past 14 years.

'I would have liked to have my mum here. Even my Dadda is probably watching me,' says Poyet, 43, pointing to the sky. 'I'm a sport man and a person who only lives for football, 24/7, and to achieve things like this really makes you keep going.

'It's the first promotion of my career, as a player or manager.

'I was lucky enough to play in the first division, so I couldn't get up! I was very lucky.'

But luck, you feel, has very little to do with it. The transition from star player to assistant at Swindon Town, Leeds United and Tottenham to manager has been a studied, conscious one.

He says: 'I've learnt a lot. You have an idea, you put that idea on the pitch and you see if it works, if you win. Because it's about winning.

'There is no better feeling than sitting down, seeing the team playing the way you want and winning. Everything in my life is about winning. Nothing will take that away from me.'

Winning is a compulsion for Poyet. He is too intense to rely on luck. But for all the passion, there is a healthy dose of pragmatism, too. His team have won plaudits for the style they have brought to League One this season, but they ground out five 1-0 wins in March.

Poyet says he built his side from the back, picking his goalkeeper first. 'I think we are as good as our back five or six,' he says.

The decisions he has made about Albion's new home for next season, the 22,500-seat Amex Stadium in Falmer, have also been carefully calculated. Poyet says: 'The pitch is going to be the biggest pitch in England, because of the way we play. The teams that are going to come here are going to have a problem.

'They say, "Oh yeah, two yards, three yards, it doesn't matter".

'No, it does matter. Two yards is a goal. Two yards is a possibility to get away from a defender.

'When you go and play in the Nou Camp, you realise that when the pitch is big, it's big. I'm telling you, it's massive.'

Poyet barely stops for breath when he speaks, his native Spanish tongue clicking over English consonants in his favourite word - 'complicated'. It is almost exhausting just listening to the man nicknamed 'La Radio' by his team-mates. There is evidently no 'off' switch.

But his enthusiasm is electric and his intensity punctuated by moments of laughter and self-awareness. Why does he want the Amex Stadium to have 'the biggest dug-outs in the country', for instance? He looks at me like it is the most obvious question in the world.

'Because I like to watch football sitting down,' he says, smiling. 'I would love to have the sort of personality where you can just switch off, but managers can't. Not me. I would love to sometimes.

'It's a non-stop job, that's the complicated thing. It's constant. I need to know everything about the 25. When you're a player it's just you.

'We try to get a few rules at home now but it's complicated because the kids have got their own phones now.

'We sit down for dinner and everyone's got their phones so we say, "No phones at dinner". Like Fabio Capello (and the England team).

'But if the chairman (Tony Bloom) calls I answer. So how can you tell your kids and then answer the chairman? But we manage.'

Poyet and his assistant, Mauricio Taricco, 38, the former Ipswich Town and Tottenham defender, have taken to Brighton and Hove and the city has taken to them. The Uruguayan plans to move his family down from their home in Kent and buy 'somewhere by the sea'.

'I like the sea,' Poyet says. 'I come from a city, Montevideo, where we've got the sea in front. It's a bit colder here, of course.

'And no, I haven't been for a swim. No chance. I'm a really cold person. I saw they did that in the North East for charity and I thought, "No, you're mad".

'But I've really taken to the area. I think the Lanes - Lines or Lanes? Lanes (the twisting alleyways in Brighton) - are unique.

'We do a bit of shopping. And there's a tapas restaurant there (the owner's wife is Uruguayan).

'I was worried that I was going to get lost in there because I didn't know where to go, but now Tanu (Taricco) and I have got a way in and out. Maybe somebody will show us a different way. But I love it, I love it down there.'

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Harper may require knee operation

2011-04-22T00:57:00.000+01:00

Steve Harper may need surgery to resolve the knee problem that kept him out of the midweek draw against Manchester United.

Harper, 36, will not play against Blackpool on Saturday and Toon boss Alan Pardew says he could need an operation for the injury.

Pardew said: "Harper isn't right and we will have to review him over the next couple of weeks.

"It could be that he needs a small operation."

Pardew stressed that the injury does not necessarily signal the end of Harper's season.

"It's not a major problem, but we will have a look at that and weigh that up over the next couple of weeks," the former West Ham manager said.

Dutch keeper Tim Krul will replace Harper in goal at Bloomfield Road, with third-choice stopper Ole Soderberg providing cover on the bench.

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London 2012 Olympics: Locog faces new fight as Premier Inn withdraws cheap hotel rooms in row over reselling

2011-04-22T00:10:00.000+01:00

Other hotels, particularly Thistle Group, Hilton Worldwide and some Mayfair hotels are seriously considering withdrawing their rooms too — putting at risk the accommodation for some Olympic officials and guests.

Management of the hotels are furious that they had committed to providing the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games a large percentage of rooms under a fixed-price preferential scheme, based on the previous three years’ rates, only to discover Locog had passed on some of those rooms to their third-party ticket providers, Thomas Cook and US-based CoSport.

The two companies paid an undisclosed sum to Locog to gain access to the Olympic tickets and preferential-rate rooms and become official resellers.

Weeks of negotiations between Locog and the British Hospitality Association failed to resolve the row.

The prices being charged by Thomas Cook and CoSport have up to 300 per cent markups. One Park Lane hotel that usually charges £224 a night is being marketed by Thomas Cook for two nights with some

Olympic tickets for £5,300. Locog says the high prices reflect the “certainty” of being able to buy the tickets, as opposed to entering the public ballot.

But the hotels are refusing to sign agreements with the two ticket providers and scores of hotels have told Locog to formally withdraw their hotel rooms from the scheme or from providing them to any third parties.

Premier Inn said in a statement: “We do not intend to allow anyone to exploit our customers during the Olympics or any other major event, and we have asked Locog to honour our agreement and withdraw the rooms given to the third party.”

The co-operation of the hotels was central to the London 2012 bid and helped convince International Olympic Committee members that ‘price gouging’, one of the problems facing host cities, had been addressed.

Thomas Cook was the successful tender for a ”short breaks” ticket packages from Locog more than 15 months ago, which enabled it access to 300,000 tickets and 4,500 hotel rooms at the preferential rates. Locog has been unable to clarify if the rooms allocated to CoSport and included in premium packages costing more than £11,000 are provided under the preferential scheme.

But Premier Inn said it was upset the rooms were passed to a third party. “These rooms were to be allocated to groups connected to the event, not the general public, and we have been disappointed to learn that some of the rooms allocated to Locog have been passed on to a third party who have significantly marked them up for onward sale,” it said.

Hilton Worldwide said that the situation was “unacceptable”. Locog did not return calls on Thursday.

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Moeen Ali's patient innings puts Worcestershire in control against Warwickshire

2011-04-21T23:24:00.000+01:00

Moeen Ali never did fulfil his rich promise during his brief career with Warwickshire but his patient 92 increased the prospect of his former county’s first defeat by their Midlands neighbours in 11 years on an attritional day at New Road.

Warwickshire signed Moeen as 15 year-old but he played only seven first-class matches in four seasons with them before he grew disenchanted with life under former coach Mark Greatbatch.

Moeen, who this week signed a two-year contract extension, is happier at Worcester but, at 23, he needs to ally application and consistency to his undoubted talent if he is to improve on the England Lions honours he won last season.

This innings was a useful starting point, proving that there is more to Moeen’s game than flashy strokeplay. He faced 162 balls but scored off only 41 of them and demonstrated mature judgment in which deliveries to leave.

A decent arm ball from Ant Botha denied Moeen his sixth first-class century. Warwickshire were further frustrated by Matt Pardoe, another left-hander, who compiled a patient maiden fifty in only his second senior appearance.

Boyd Rankin’s persistence was rewarded with the fourth five-wicket haul of his career but Warwickshire failed to capitalise on a pitch that was grassy and cracked.

Varun Chopra, fresh from a maiden double-century against Somerset, led Warwickshire’s fightback with a fluent half-century.

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London 2012 Olympics: 20 questions with Drew Sullivan

2011-04-21T22:33:00.000+01:00

DS: Yeah I think so. I think it’s going in the right direction. We’ve got the European Championships this August, which is the last big tournament before the Olympics. We’re in an extremely tough group which I think really favours us in the long-run with the Games coming up. And that’s basically our big picture.

TS: When’s the last time you skipped training?

DS: I think about a month ago. I just didn’t feel like going in.

TS: Have you ever lied to get out of training?

DS: Yes – a month ago. I phoned up and said ‘oh, I don’t feel well....I’ll be in tomorrow’.

TS: Is sporting success down to luck, talent or hard work?

DS: A bit of all of them. I know a lot of talented people who don’t have jobs at the minute just because of the way the basketball market is at the minute. So that’s where the luck comes in. But I think it’s a lot of luck, a lot hard work and a lot of timing. It’s about just being in the right place and going to the right team and having a coach and team-mates that make you better and give you the opportunity.

TS: Is winning silver, losing gold?

DS: It is but I think from our standpoint – being in the Olympics for the first time – winning silver would be winning silver. I would be upset to make it to the final and lose but I think that playing in the final is actually less pressurised than playing in the bronze medal game. You could lose and not get anything. At least if you play in the final you could get silver.

TS: How do you celebrate after a tournament?

DS: I don’t really do a whole lot. I go home, maybe have a beer and sit down and watch TV. After we won a trophy this year I went back and hung out with my family. I’m sure that at the end of the season if we won the play-offs we’d go on a night out as a team but normally it’s just ‘on to the next one’.

TS: What is your idea of happiness?

DS: My idea of happiness is that my family and I are together and enjoying each other’s company. I’d like to grow old with my family around me.

TS: What is your idea of misery?

DS: Getting old by myself with nobody around.

TS: Are you jealous of anyone?

DS: No, I’m not jealous of anyone. I have my life – I’m extremely happy with it. I’m in a situation that’s been somewhat created by myself and my family – and we’re happy.

TS: Is there one thing you regret?

DS: No, not really because I feel like everything that’s gone on in my life has shaped the person that I am. If I take out even the smallest detail out of my life it could have such a detrimental effect on how my life turned out. And I like how my life has turned out.

TS: What’s the most expensive thing you’ve bought?

DS: I would say two kids but you don’t buy them, you just rent them don’t you? Probably my Sony TV. I’m trying to upgrade to 3D but I’m getting dirty looks about it.

TS: When did you last clean your toilet?

DS: Last night actually.

TS: How much is a pint of milk?

DS: A pound I think. Something in that region. [Nope – it’s 45p]

TS: McDonalds or Burger King?

DS: McDonalds. I like the fries there.

TS: iPad or newspaper?

DS: I go online on my iPhone to read the tabloids. Does that count?

TS: You see someone kick a dog, what do you do?

DS: I’d probably get really agitated as I’ve got two dogs myself. I love my dogs so I’d kick off pretty bad.

TS: Do you believe in UFOs?

DS: I don’t know, I’ve never seen one personally. It’d be a shame if we were the only intelligent life forms in the universe but I’ve never seen an UFO so I can’t comment.

TS: What would you like written on your gravestone?

DS: I didn’t want to have to think about that for a while..... Good dad, good husband. That’d be enough for me.

To apply for London 2012 tickets visit www.tickets.london2012.com any time between now and 26 April.

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Giro d'Italia 2011: Alberto Contador expected to compete

2011-04-21T21:46:00.000+01:00

The 2008 winner was among 207 riders from 23 teams named on the list of riders to compete in the opening grand tour of the season.

The Spaniard, whose reputation has been tainted following a positive test for clenbutrenol at last year's Tour, is waiting for the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to rule on an appeal by the International Cycling Union (UCI) and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) over the Spanish federation clearing him of the doping charge.

Saxo Bank-SunGard's Contador has not competed in the world's second biggest stage race since as he has concentrated on July's Tour each year.

However, following the fallout from his positive test last year for clenbutrenol, which Contador has blamed on contaminated meat, the 28 year-old is heading to Italy with his Tour place possibly in doubt.

CAS has said it is confident it can rule on his case before July's race.

Ivan Basso, last year's Giro winner, is among the big names skipping this year's race to focus on the Tour.

Katusha's Danilo di Luca, 2007 Giro winner and second in 2009, returns after being banned last year for taking CERA, a new generation of the blood-booster erythropoietin (EPO).

Giro d'Italia route

May 7, stage one: Turin, team time trial, 21.5km
May 8, stage two: Alba - Parma, 242km
May 9, stage three: Reggio - Emilia-Rapallo, 178km
May 10, stage four: Quarto - Livorno, 208km
May 11, stage five: Piombino - Orvieto, 201km
May 12, stage six: Orvieto - Fiuggi, 195km
May 13, stage seven: Maddaloni - Montevergine di Mercogliano, 100km
May 14, stage eight: Sapri - Tropea 214km
May 15, stage nine: Messina - Etna 159km
May 16, rest day
May 17, stage 10: Termoli - Teramo 156km
May 18, stage 11: Tortoreto Lido - Castelfidardo, 160km
May 19, stage 12: Castelfidardo - Ravenna, 171km
May 20, stage 13: Spilimbergo - Grossglockner (Austria), 159km
May 21, stage 14: Linz (Austria) - Monte Zoncolan, 210km
May 22, stage 15: Conegliano - Gardeccia Val di Fassa 230km
May 23, rest day
May 24, stage 16: Belluno - Nevegal, individual time trial, 12.7km
May 25, stage 17: Feltre - Sondrio 246km
May 26, stage 18: Morbegno - San Pellegrino Terme, 147km
May 27, stage 19: Bergamo - Macugnaga, 211km
May 28, stage 20: Verbania - Sestriere, 242km
May 29, stage 21: Milan, individual time-trial, 32.8km

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Pink or orange balls set for day-night Test matches

2011-04-20T16:44:00.000+01:00

Pink or orange balls appear to be the most likely to be used in day-night Test matches as the International Cricket Council continues to carry out trials.

The ICC have recently been presented with research gathered by Cricket Australia, while the MCC have trialled the use of a pink ball in their traditional domestic season-opener against the county champions.

'The trials are aimed at determining the sighting qualities of the different coloured balls during day, twilight and night conditions as well as their colour retention ability,' an ICC spokesman told The Australian.

'The tests are mostly positive with some reservations around batting in the twilight period.

'On the face of it, it appears to make little difference as to whether the ball is pink or orange.'

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Wimbledon winners will pocket �1.1m each

2011-04-20T16:06:00.000+01:00

By Mike Dickson

Last updated at 2:14 AM on 20th April 2011

The rich will get richer at Wimbledon this year with the likes of Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams getting an eyewatering ?1.1 million in prize money if they were to defend their singles titles in early July.

Any player getting to the third round or better will enjoy an austerity-beating 10 per cent pay hike at what will be the 125th anniversary edition of The Championships taking place from June 20.

First round losers, however, will get 'only' a 2.2 per cent increase to ?11,500, and it was that group, in the shape of the anticipated batch of early British defeats, that drew most of the attention at the official preview of this summer's event.

Just champion: Rafael Nadal won his second Wimbledon title last summer

In his first public pronouncements as the new Chairman of the All England Club, Philip Brook was repeatedly challenged on the Club's laissez-fair stance on the chronic state of British tennis.

Every year the profits from Wimbledon fund the domestic game to the tune of around ?25-30 million with little apparent return, but Brook insisted he was happy, like his predecessors, to leave the growing of the sport to the hapless Lawn Tennis Association.

This despite the worst performance from home players in history last year when everyone bar Andy Murray was wiped out in the first round.

'It is not our job to dictate or influence the way the money is spent,' said Brook. 'Our job is to focus on making sure that we continue to put on the best tournament in the world.'

There is little doubt that the All England Club is achieving that ambition but when there is a major summer football event every other year competing for attention it becomes more and more obvious that the tournament's potential is being restricted by recurring British failure.

One of the sub-texts in all this is Wimbledon's desperation not to tarnish its brand by getting too involved in trying to solve the problems of the domestic game beyond its free coaching programme for thousands of local schoolchildren.

Murray has withdrawn from this week's Barcelona Open after being advised to rest his troublesome elbow for four or five days, meaning he is expected to be fit for the Madrid Masters at the start of next month.

The 23-year-old Scot is unlikely to find himself playing in the latest new court being unveiled at Wimbledon this year, the new 2,000-seater Number Three, on the site of the old 'Graveyard of the Seeds' Number Two. Like much of the phenomenal development of recent years, bar the Centre Court, it is gleamingly functional but bereft of much style or character.

In an unusual venture into politics the All England Club revealed that, along with golf and Formula One bodies, it is lobbying the government about the tax treatment of individual sportsmen when they compete in this country.

At present someone like Rafael Nadal, who spends at least a month in the UK every year, has to pay tax on a month's worth of his annual endorsement earnings, wherever they are from, and the fear is this will deter top athletes of all sports from competing in Britain.

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Owen bemused by Newcastle booing

2011-04-20T15:19:00.000+01:00

Manchester United striker Michael Owen says he was disappointed after being booed by Newcastle fans during Tuesday's 0-0 draw at St James' Park.

The former Magpies man was jeered when he came on after 81 minutes.

Owen said on Twitter: "Got a poor reception off the home fans which was disappointing. Was desperate to score!"

He added: "Knew I would get booed as that's what a lot of fans do but if they knew the facts then they may have a different opinion."

Owen joined Newcastle from Real Madrid for £16m in 2005 and scored 30 goals in 79 appearances in an injury-hit four years on Tyneside.

The England striker was unable to prevent Newcastle being relegated to the Championship in 2009 and left the club that summer to join Manchester United on a free transfer.

Continue reading the main story Manchester United: 44 appearances 13 goalsNewcastle United: 79 appearances 30 goalsReal Madrid: 40 appearances 14 goalsLiverpool: 297 appearances 158 goalsEngland: 89 caps 40 goals

After Tuesday's match, Owen, 31, hit back at negative comments from Magpies' fans, saying (hereafter all quotes are reported verbatim): "From what most of you Newcastle fans are saying you should be pleased I left the club! If i had known that earlier I could have left sooner!

"For the record, I tried my best in every game for Newcastle. Under KK (Kevin Keegan) I played well and i'll never forget the 2 I scored against Sunderland (on 20 April 2008).

"When I meet Newcastle or Liverpool fans they all respect what I've done for their clubs. In stadiums it changes, 1 boo and the rest follow.

"By the way, im not looking for sympathy. As long as my family don't boo me when I walk through the door I couldn't care less!!!"

Owen had expected a difficult reception on his return to St James' Park, saying prior to the game: "What a day, it's even sunny here in Newcastle! Looking forward to seeing old friends but I doubt the fans will give me a warm reception!"

The result meant Manchester United missed the chance to open up a nine-point gap at the top of the Premier League table - with Arsenal seven points behind with a game in hand.

Owen added: "Disappointing result but credit to Newcastle, they played well and put us under plenty of pressure especially in the first half an hour."

But after the game, Owen, who has more than 120,000 followers on Twitter, was involved in a frank exchange with the Daily Mirror's chief sports writer Oliver Holt on the social networking site.

Owen and Holt's Twitter exchange in full:

Holt: "Honest question then Michael: why don't you tell them the facts?"

Owen: "I try to answer most questions Ollie but can't be bothered* being a back page story so some things don't need to be said!"

*The BBC has substituted "bothered" for the word Michael Owen actually used

Holt: "Fair enough, Michael. But I think sometimes if fans and journalists knew facts, there would be more sympathy with players."

Owen: "Fair point. The relationship between players and media is poor and needs improving as the people who suffer are fans."

Holt: "Probably worse now between media and players than back in 97-98 when you burst on to scene. More contact then, I think."

Owen: "If papers printed what is actually said then i think players would talk to you more openly. I know I would."

Holt: "You have spent a lot of your career writing for our newspapers, though Michael, both tabloids and broadsheets."

Owen: "It's the sensationalising of headlines that annoys most players. It makes us look like clowns when most lads are normal."

Holt: "Headlines are a problem for a lot of writers, too. Comes down to trusting a journalist to look after you, I suppose."

Owen: "But I made sure I had headline approval! My point is, the articles are fine, it's the headlines that make us look stupid."

Holt: "Agreed. Think we are at a point where writers need to fight for right headline to ensure bit of trust with player spoken to"

Owen: "And there is my point. The trust just isn't there hence the relationship between players and journalists is non existent."

Holt: "Players and media stuck in bad cycle now. Understand why trust has broken down but less contact is making things worse. Part of problem is no contact. GNev (Gary Neville) said journos should stay in England hotel so we'd have to face you after bad piece."

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Tottenham are creating 'a storm in a teacup', blasts Stoke chairman over Manchester City clash

2011-04-20T14:33:00.000+01:00

Chairman Peter Coates has dismissed talk that Stoke might under-perform in their rearranged Barclays Premier League game with Manchester City three days after they meet in the FA Cup final on May 14.

There could be a combination of factors that would mean a defeat for Tony Pulis' side at Eastlands would boost their chances of qualifying for next season's Europa League.

If Stoke were to lose the final, they could still qualify for next season's Europa League if City were to finish in the top four in the league.

That would see City go into the Champions League and mean they would not need the FA Cup's Europa League place, which would go to the Potters.

Tottenham, who are scrapping with Manchester City for a top-four place, want the date changed.

'The whole issue is a storm in a teacup,' Coates told Stoke Sentinal. 'Anybody who knows football and knows Stoke City will know we would never go into a game not trying to win - not least because there is a lot of money riding on where a club finishes in the Premier League.'

Redknapp had said: 'I think they should look at it. The chairman spoke to me last night about it. We feel it should be changed - but it's a bit out of my hands.'

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Hendry hints at summer retirement

2011-04-19T17:36:00.000+01:00

Stephen Hendry beat Joe Perry 10-9 in an epic first-round match at the World Championship, but later revealed he may quit snooker even if he wins the title.

Perry rallied from 6-3 down to force a decider, only to miss the brown and let the seven-time champion claim victory.

Hendry knew defeat would knock him out of the top 16 for the first time since 1988 and admitted he "got out of jail".

"If I win I might still contemplate retirement. I've a big decision to make at the end of the season," he added.

The Scot has not triumphed at the Crucible since landing his seventh title in 1999 and accepts it will become tougher to stay in the elite group.

That prospect - meaning he would have to play qualifying rounds for ranking events - has never appealed to a man who made his World Championship debut in 1986.

Hendry came through a final-frame decider in his opening match against Zhang Anda 12 months ago and it would be a similar story this time round.

The 42-year-old led 6-3 at the end of the first session but Perry made a break of 62 and then a colours clearance before levelling at 6-6.

After a superb 67 clearance allowed Hendry to lead at the mid-session interval, Perry made an 80 for 7-7 but missed the final blue in frame 15 as his opponent regained the lead.

Hawkins squeezes past Maguire (UK only)

Perry rallied once more with a break of 54 and, despite a scrappy 17th going to way of Hendry, the Englishman's 69 took them to a decider.

Hendry built a lead of 53-0 before Perry hit back with a 33, yet he over-cut the final brown to a centre pocket and a period of safety ensued.

Perry gained a second opportunity but then came the crucial error as he left the brown over a corner pocket and allowed Hendry to seal the win.

"When Joe was at the table I didn't expect to get another chance," said Hendry. "His safety was different class to mine so I just had to hang in there.

"I had chances to win more comfortably, but I can take the positives out of it because I played some good stuff in the first session.

"I'm not even thinking about the rankings because I've been in danger of dropping out of the top 16 all season. I won't play in the PTC events next season so I will get punished in the rankings.

"I still love it out in the arena and my pipe and slippers are still there! It's the best place to play snooker. I'm looking forward to my next match now - I got out of jail today so I can relax now."

In Monday's earlier game, China's Ding Junhui swept into the second round with a crushing 10-2 victory over Scotland's Jamie Burnett.

The world number four held a commanding 8-1 lead overnight and completed the job with a break of 71 in the morning session.

"It feels all right, I'm playing quite well," said the 24-year-old, who has never gone past the second round before. I'm just concentrating on my game and trying to play my best."

The Masters champion crashed out in the first round of the World Championship in 2007 and has been knocked out in the second round in the three following years.

"Everybody tries hard here so the second round will be quite a difficult match to get through," added Ding, who will now face Peter Ebdon or Stuart Bingham, who finished the evening session at 4-5.

In another compelling first round match at the Crucible, Barry Hawkins survived a stirring fightback from Scotland's Stephen Maguire.

Former semi-finalist Maguire faced an uphill battle to stay in the tournament after a disappointing morning session against Hawkins who, despite being winless in his five previous visits to the Crucible, romped to a 4-0 lead.

Maguire fought back though, first to 6-3 and, then in a thrilling evening session, to 9-9.

But it proved to be in vain as Hawkins won the deciding frame to book his place in the second round for the first time.

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Powell keen to race Bolt and Gay

2011-04-19T16:49:00.000+01:00

Former 100m world record holder Asafa Powell says the world's three fastest men should line up in a race together before August's World Championships.

Powell, Olympic champion Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay have not featured in the same race since the 100m final at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.

Bolt shattered the world record in that race with a time of 9.58 seconds.

"We're definitely up for it because the fans want it, and without them there is no sport," Powell told BBC Sport.

"We need to make sure the fans enjoy themselves and get to see what they want to see."

The World Championships take place in Daegu, South Korea, from 27 August until 4 September.

Powell, 28, finished in third place behind compatriot Bolt and American Gay in the 2009 100m final in Berlin and believes a race that sees all three men go head-to-head would be beneficial to all of them ahead of the World Championships.

"I think they're going out with the same mindset as me: to see what their weakness is, what they need to work on and everything like that," said Powell.

"I know I am going up against Usain before the World Championships, I'm also going up against Tyson, but when will you see us all in one competition?

"I don't know - hopefully before the World Championships but it depends on the managers and meet directors."

Powell will take on Bolt in a Diamond League meeting in Rome next month, before facing Gay in Birmingham and then London.

Bolt is unlikely to compete in the UK before 2012 because tax regulations mean he will could lose more money than he would earn in the Diamond League meetings there.

But Powell sees his UK races against Gay, the fastest American ever, as crucial preparation for the main event of the year.

"It's one of the two test runs before the World Championships to see what shape I'm in," he said.

"Maybe a month after you can be in a lot better shape but it still helps you to see what shape you're in, what you need to work on."

Powell has an impressive record in the UK, having run the fastest time ever on British soil to equal his then 100m world record of 9.77secs in Gateshead five years ago.

He is supportive of London's bid to host the 2017 World Championships and sees it as the perfect event to follow the Olympic games.

"The UK is very big in athletics," said Powell. "So everything would go well. It would be well organised and people would have a good time.

"Who wouldn't want to compete in the same stadium as the Olympic Games, so yes, I would definitely bid for that."

Bolt, Gay and Powell last faced each other at the 2009 Worlds

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Players to face longer Open test

2011-04-19T16:03:00.000+01:00

The world's top golfers will face a longer test at this year's Open Championship with the Royal St George's course being extended and par reduced.

More than 100 yards will be added to the course for the 14-17 July event, while par will go from 71 to 70.

Winner Ben Curtis was the only player to finish under par the last time the Open was held in Kent in 2003.

The fourth - with the bunker in front of the tee - will change from a 497-yard par five to a 495-yard par four.

Other changes to the course - hosting the Open for the 14th time - include lengthening the third by 30 yards to 240 yards, taking the seventh from 532 to 564 yards, while the ninth is up from 388 to 412 yards.

The main alteration on the back nine will be at the 15th as it is stretched from 475 yards to a 496-yard par four.

American Curtis, playing links golf for the first time, was the shock winner at Royal St George's eight years ago in his first major championship.

Thomas Bjorn had looked set to take victory at three ahead with four to play.

But the Dane bogeyed the 15th and went on to double-bogey the short 16th after needing three attempts to get out of a greenside bunker while he also dropped another shot on the 17th.

Bjorn shared second spot with Fijian Vijay Singh in 2003, while Tiger Woods was two shots back in joint-fourth place after starting the championship with a lost ball and a triple bogey seven.

The par at Sandwich was 70 when the course hosted the Open in 1993. On that occasion tournament winner Greg Norman finished with an Open record of 267 - 13 under - which still stands.

That year South African Ernie Els also become the first player in Open history to have all four rounds under 70.

With over 180,000 spectators expect to head to Sandwich over the four days, extra train services have been set up from London.

Two direct, high-speed services per hour will go to Sandwich during the morning from St Pancras International and two services an hour back, from lunchtime onwards - reducing regular journey times by one hour.

Additional early-morning trains from St Pancras International will ensure that spectators can get to the course in time to watch the first groups tee-off. Supplementary trains on the mainline service, early in the morning, will run from Charing Cross and Victoria.

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Murray waits on scan in Barcelona

2011-04-19T15:12:00.000+01:00

Andy Murray waiting for elbow injury verdict

Andy Murray will decide on Tuesday whether he is fit to compete in Barcelona this week following a scan on his injured elbow.

The Briton required a cortisone injection ahead of Saturday's Monte Carlo semi-final against Rafael Nadal.

After losing in three sets to the world number one, Murray travelled to Barcelona for this week's ATP event.

He will have treatment and test the elbow in a practice session on Tuesday afternoon before making his decision.

Should he take up his place in the draw, Murray has a bye in round one as the second seed and will face Juan Carlos Ferrero or Xavier Malisse in round two.

Top seed and five-times Barcelona champion Nadal is in the other half of the draw along with world number five Robin Soderling.

However, with Masters 1000 tournaments to follow in Madrid and Rome ahead of the French Open, which starts on 23 May, Murray is wary of causing the elbow further damage.

"I've seen the doctor here and been getting a lot of treatment from my physio the last few days, and I don't think it's anything serious," he told BBC Sport.

"Whether or not I'll be able to play this week, I'm not sure. I haven't hit any balls since Monte Carlo but I'm going to practise [on Tuesday] in the morning and see how it is, and then I'll make a decision after that."

Nadal tips Murray for clay success

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Carlo Ancelotti lined up to step in for Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid

2011-04-19T14:21:00.000+01:00

Carlo Ancelotti is on a shortlist of candidates to take over at Real Madrid when Jose Mourinho's controversial reign comes to an end.

Bernabeu chiefs have become increasingly concerned at Mourinho's admission that he has 'unfinished business' in England, and his strained relationship with the Spanish media.

The pressure increased on Mourinho on Monday when former Real Madrid legend Alfredo di Stefano criticised the Portuguese's tactics in Saturday's 1-1 draw against Barcelona, saying Madrid played like a mouse against a lion of a Catalan team.

Di Stefano, 84, Madrid's honorary president, said Mourinho's team showed no personality. He praised Barcelona's superiority, saying they 'treat the ball with adoration and respect'.

Sportsmail understands Real have made Chelsea boss Ancelotti one of the leading contenders to fill the possible vacancy and have even put feelers out to gauge his readiness to take on one of the biggest challenges in the game.

Ancelotti seems certain to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, after being left in little doubt he will have to pay with his job for falling behind in the Barclays Premier League title race and missing out on the Champions League title.

But while he is no longer wanted by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, he suddenly finds himself in demand on the continent as Roma also interested in his services.

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BOA drop legal action against 2012 organisers as cash row is settled

2011-04-19T13:34:00.000+01:00

The 'embarrassing' cash dispute that was threatening to overshadow the London 2012 Olympics has been resolved.

The British Olympic Association (BOA) have abandoned legal action against London 2012 organisers after being forced to accept defeat over the major issue of whether the cost of staging the Paralympics should be taken into account in calculating any surplus of the Games.

In return, as part of the settlement agreement signed by both parties, and the Games organising committee LOCOG will waive rights to royalties on two items of Team GB merchandise and will allow the BOA to buy extra Olympic Games tickets.

The dispute has called into question the handling of the situation by BOA chairman Colin Moynihan and chief executive Andy Hunt, who had been suspended from the London 2012 board after rejecting an IOC ruling and taking the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

London 2012 chief executive Paul Deighton said: 'I am glad this issue has been put behind us and we can all get on with delivering Games next year that will make this country proud. I would like to thank Andy (Hunt) and his team for creating the right environment for us to reach this settlement.'

The settlement confirms all previous financial arrangements between the two organisations with the only new details relating to the waiving of royalties and the extra tickets, which will be used by the BOA as part of their Team 2012 appeal and for a number of former athletes who have competed at the Olympics.

London 2012 will also 'pro-actively support' the BOA's efforts to secure sponsors and other commercial partners for the 2013-2016 period.

A statement said the agreement has been welcomed by the IOC and 'also brings to an end the request for arbitration that had been filed by the BOA with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to resolve a contractual dispute with LOCOG'.

Hunt added: 'We appreciate the spirit of partnership and cooperation that LOCOG brought to our discussions. With this matter now resolved, the BOA will be able to keep its attention focused entirely on our preparations to support Team GB at the Games.'

London 2012's board have agreed 'in principle' to lift the suspension against Moynihan and Hunt and will formally decide to do so before the next board meeting in May.

The BOA first suspended their legal action against London 2012 two weeks ago when fresh talks were opened.

It followed a period where they had come under intense pressure from the IOC and the Government over their stance.

Olympics minister Hugh Robertson called the dispute 'an embarrassment' and IOC president Jacques Rogge was understood to be furious that the BOA went ahead with a court submission after the international body had ruled against them.

The row centred on the money the BOA wanted from London 2012. They are due 20 per cent of any surplus after the Games but have claimed the cost of staging the Paralympics should not be taken into account when calculating that surplus.

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James DeGale eyes world title shot after clash with former friend George Groves

2011-04-19T12:48:00.000+01:00

James DeGale is grateful opponent George Groves beat him when they were amateurs as he can take revenge and move one step closer to becoming world champion.

Olympic champion DeGale is putting his British super-middleweight title on the line to fight Commonwealth champion Groves at London’s O2 Arena on May 21, as the two former friends go toe-to-toe.

The pair attended the Dale Youth ABC in west London, where Groves beat DeGale in an amateur competition and the pair have since fallen out.

DeGale has stepped up the trash talking, saying he will beat Groves inside four rounds and hopes a title shot will follow soon after.

He said: ‘Do you know what, I’m glad ugly kid (Groves) won that fight all those years ago. If he hadn’t won, we wouldn’t be here now talking about this exciting fight, a match-up which takes me one step closer to becoming world champion.

‘The bottom line for Groves is that he’s chinny. And I promise I will expose that. He got knocked out as an amateur, he got dropped in training by Carl Froch in training and he was all over the place in his second to last fight with Kenny Anderson.

‘He’s the one who’s looking nervous at the moment. He looks scared in interviews, he’s been beaten by the size of the occasion already.

He continued: ‘I’m sticking by my prediction of winning inside four rounds. But that’s only if he comes to fight me. If he tries to get all technical, he’ll drag it out longer. But this fight is definitely not going the full 12 rounds.

‘Groves is fixated with emotion. He even claims this won’t, in a technical sense, be his hardest fight. Trust me, this fight will test everything.

DeGale and Groves will slug it out on the undercard of Nathan Cleverly’s world light-heavyweight title clash with Jurgen Brahmer, a night of boxing which will be broadcast on Sky Box Office.

And DeGale expressed his surprise that Amir Khan decided against having his fight with Paul McCloskey shown on Sky after the plug was pulled on the pay-per-view event and moved to the fringe channel Primetime.

‘I think moving away from Sky was the wrong idea, said DeGale. ‘The channel stuck by him after he was floored by Breidis Prescott so maybe he should have shown some loyalty to them.

‘But boxing isn’t just a sport, it’s a business and he did what he had to do.’

And with the London Olympics just over 15 months away, DeGale is excited at the prospect of revisiting the Games, but this time as a spectator, four years after he won gold in Beijing.

‘I can’t wait for the track and field events. They produce the most memorable moments at every Games so I’m hoping to be there for the sprint finals and hopefully catch some of the field events, too,’ said the Olympic middleweight champion.

‘But its not just about being at the marquee events, I’m looking forward to just being part of it all and sharing the moment. Hopefully my gold medal will count for something when applying for tickets!’

To apply for London 2012 tickets visit tickets.london2012.com any time between now and 26 April

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Wembley to host NFL showdown between Buccaneers and Bears... if new labour deal can be signed

2011-04-19T11:57:00.001+01:00

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will host the Chicago Bears at Wembley Stadium in October if the NFL season goes ahead.

The league announced on Monday night that the Bucs will return to London for the second time in three years, having lost to the New England Patriots at Wembley in 2009, providing the current labour dispute is settled.

For the Bears, the game on October 23 will mark the 25th anniversary of having played a preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys at the stadium.

It is the fifth year in a row that the NFL will stage a regular-season game in London.

The league and its locked-out players have yet to reach a deal on a new labour agreement, meaning the 2011 season is in jeopardy. And if they don’t get a new deal in place by August 1, the game will instead be played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

However, talks between the two sides are on-going and those at the NFLUK headquarters in London were said to be 'quietly optimistic' that a deal will soon be done and the season will go ahead as planned.

The full 2011 NFL schedule will be announced at midnight on Tuesday (April 19). If past history is an indicator, the Bears and Bucs will likely have bye weeks scheduled for October 30, Week 8 of the season.

‘Our past four games in London have demonstrated the tremendous passion for NFL football that exists in the UK,’ said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

‘We hope by staging another extraordinary game at Wembley that we can continue to grow our existing fan base and attract even more new fans.’

The Buccaneers finished last season with a 10-6 record, led by one of the league’s most dynamic young rosters with seemingly unlimited potential. Head coach Raheem Morris was named as Coach of the Year by fans voting in the NFLUK Awards.

The Buccaneers previously capped the 2002 season with a win in Super Bowl XXXVII, while the Tampa Bay region has also played host to four Super Bowls.

‘We are honoured to be selected to participate in the NFL International Series for a second time,’ said Buccaneers co-chairman Bryan Glazer.

‘We are looking forward to promoting Tampa Bay’s emerging young team on the world stage. We have the longest-running fan club of any NFL team in the UK and look forward to seeing so many familiar faces from the Bucs UK fan club at the game.’

The Bears reached the NFC Championship Game last season before losing to NFC North rivals and eventual Super Bowl winners Green Bay.

One of the league’s most historic franchises, the nine-time NFL champions helped introduce the sport to a UK audience in the mid-1980s.

As the reigning Super Bowl XX champions, the Bears played a preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys at Wembley on August 3, 1986, the first of the American Bowl series of games designed to introduce American football to fans around the world.

‘To return to London to play an NFL game – this is going to be fun,’ said Chicago Bears chairman Michael McCaskey.

‘I remember how enthusiastic the fans were in 1986 when we played in Wembley Stadium and defeated the Dallas Cowboys.

‘London fans were so welcoming and blended their traditions of singing soccer songs with the NFL-style of presenting games. Of course the Chicago Bears are very pleased to have been named the 'Team of the Year' by UK fans following the 2010 season. So we are looking forward to facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in October and playing in person before our terrific fans in the UK and Europe.’

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: ‘Continuing London's love affair with the hugely popular stateside sport, we are proud to once again welcome two of America’s top NFL teams to the capital.

'With a growing local fanbase it is a fantastic opportunity for enthusiasts from London and beyond to experience the unique thrill of a live game in one of the most iconic sports venues around, Wembley Stadium.’

Live coverage in the UK will air on Sky Sports and BBC Radio, with highlights on BBC TV.

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2012 Paralympic countdown hits 500-day mark

2011-04-17T22:04:00.000+01:00

With 500 days to go to the start of the 2012 Paralympics, already there is plenty of speculation that London will host the most spectacular Games ever seen.

Britain has a proud history in Paralympic sport, with the first event taking place in Stoke Mandeville Hospital in 1948 when hospitals where British war veterans with spinal injuries were being treated competed against each other.

The first modern Paralympics were staged in Rome in 1960 and Britain have always been among the most successful nations, finishing second in the medal table behind the hosts China in Beijing in 2008 with 102 medals, including 42 golds.

Second place is again a realistic target, with the likes of swimmers Ellie Simmonds and Sascha Kindred, cyclists Sarah Storey, Jody Cundy and Darren Kenny, wheelchair racer Dave Weir and the rest of the GB squad relishing the chance to shine on home soil.

They will line up alongside world superstars like swimmer Natalie du Toit, tennis star Esther Vergeer and sprint rivals Oscar Pistorius and Jerome Singleton for a feast of elite disability sport.

More than 4,200 athletes from around 150 countries will participate in 20 different sports at the Games from 29 August - 9 September 2012.

The Beijing Games attracted 3,951 athletes from 146 countries and a total of 279 world records were broken during the 12 days of competition, which were watched by a global television audience of 3.8bn people.

Great Britain was represented in 18 sports in Beijing and the sports that missed out last time - goalball and sitting volleyball - will be hopeful of inclusion this time around, with a decision on their participation to be made later this year.

ParalympicsGB performance director Penny Briscoe knows the GB squad will have added pressure on their shoulders when it comes to the 2012 Games.

"We have been open about our ambition of maintaining our second place in the medal table, but we also recognise that Paralympic sport is developing quickly and we face ever-increasing levels of competition, so there is no room for us to be complacent," she said.

Continue reading the main story 10 May: 2012 Paralympic Games ticket prices revealed23-28 May: Paralympic World Cup, Manchester1-8 July: World Sailing Championships, Weymouth3-10 July: IPC European Swimming Championships, Berlin10-17 July: World Archery Championships, Italy14-19 July: World Wheelchair Fencing Championships, Sheffield19-24 July: British Open tennis, Nottingham18 Aug: World Cup Boccia, Belfast28 Aug-4 Sept: World Rowing Championships, Slovenia1-5 Sept: Para-equestrian Dressage European Championships, Belgium5-12 Sept: Para-cycling road World Championships, Denmark6-18 Sept: European Wheelchair Basketball championships, Israel8 Sept: International Paralympic Day, Trafalgar Square9 Sept: 2012 Paralympic Games tickets go on sale19-30 Oct: European Table Tennis Championships, Croatia17-20 Nov: European VI Judo Championships, Crawley

"2012 is undoubtedly the biggest event we have ever prepared for, so we have taken all the work that we have done in previous Games and expanded on it to ensure that we can say on 29 August 2012 that our team is physically, psychologically, technically and tactically ready.

"We all know that this is a one-off opportunity to put Paralympic sport on the map in Britain."

The Games will be staged in many of the Olympic venues, including the Olympic Stadium (athletics), Aquatics Centre (swimming) and Velodrome (cycling), as well as the likes of Eton Dorney (rowing), Weymouth (sailing) and Greenwich Park (equestrian para-dressage).

The Olympic Park will also stage the five-a-side and seven-a-side football at the Olympic hockey centre and goalball at the Olympic handball arena, as well as wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball at the Olympic basketball arena, although some basketball will also be held at the North Greenwich Arena.

The ExCel exhibition centre in the Docklands will host boccia, judo, sitting volleyball, wheelchair fencing, table tennis and powerlifting.

The wheelchair tennis events will be staged at Eton Manor while the archery and shooting will both be held at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich.

The London 2012 Organising Committee (Locog) will announce the ticket prices for the Games on 10 May with tickets going on sale on 9 September until 30 September.

Organisers say that in London there will be around two million tickets available to buy and so far more than 750,000 people have signed up for tickets - the most ever 500 days out from the start of the Games.

In Beijing, a total of 1.82m tickets were sold with a further 1.62m tickets provided to children, education and community groups.

Since finishing second in Beijing, Britain's Paralympic athletes have not been allowed to rest on their laurels and despite the recent departure of chief executive Phil Lane, they have continued to amass top-level success.

UK Sport had set a target of 34-52 medals for GB teams at 2011 World Championships.

However, that target has already been beaten with the athletics team winning 38 medals (their target was 15-25) at their World Championships in New Zealand in January.

The track cycling team, who were among the star performers in Beijing in 2008, were set a target of 10-16 medals from their World Championships in Italy last month and improved on that with 18 medals, including nine golds.

They have another chance to add to their medal haul in September's Road World Championships, which will be another key event as they bid to earn qualifying places for next year's Games.

Still to come this summer, the archery team, including Paralympic and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Danielle Brown, will be hoping for medals at their World Championships in Italy.

Paralympic single sculls rowing champion Tom Aggar will be bidding to retain his World Championship title in Slovenia while the sailing squad face a busy period with two competitions over the 2012 course in Weymouth - the Sail for Gold regatta for Olympic and Paralympic classes, as well as their own Paralympic World Championships.

Eleven-time Paralympic gold medallist Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson told the BBC that she has high hopes for the London Games.

"Back when I started competing the word Paralympic wasn't used that much and my first Games in Seoul in 1988 there was very little media coverage," she said.

"But since then, each Games has seen the Paralympic movement advance and this time, athletes have the most amazing opportunities in terms of media profile, access to sponsorship and the chance to become a household name.

"For the guys who are aiming for 2012 they can almost feel it - they know almost how many training sessions are left and what they need to be doing and it is getting exciting.

"I believe London will be the best Paralympics we've ever seen but we also have to use the legacy of the Games to encourage more young disabled people to get involved in sport at all levels."

International Paralympic Committee president Sir Philip Craven, who represented GB at five Games from 1972-88, believes his home nation will stage a Games to remember.

"I always thought that the 2008 Beijing Paralympics would take some beating as they really did set the benchmark for future Games," he said.

"However, Locog has so far done a tremendous job going about things. On current form it would not surprise me if in just over 500 days' time at the closing ceremony of the Games I have to eat my words and say the same things about London as I did about Beijing four years ago.

"One thing that I think is an absolute certainty for next year is that the performance levels of athletes will once again be significantly raised.

"I think those who have never seen a Paralympic Games before will be surprised and taken aback at the sheer quality of performances from the athletes."

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Purvis wins World Cup gold medal

2011-04-17T21:09:00.000+01:00

Scotland's Dan Purvis delighted the home fans with a gold medal performance at the Gymnastics World Cup event in Glasgow's Kelvin Hall.

The 20-year-old beat Germany's recently crowned European champion Phillip Boy into second place, with Spain's Rafael Martinez third,

"It was a bit of a shock to be honest," said Purvis, who trains in Southport.

"Coming back from the Europeans I just wanted to have fun but I managed some clean routines and came first."

But he added that he would not be resting on his laurels. "It'll be straight back to training on Monday," he continued.

"I've still got quite a few competitions coming up so my aim is to just keep fit and at the same time continue to compete well."

Gold in the women's competition went to Romanian teenager Amelia Racea, ahead of Venezuela's Jessica Lopez and another Romanian, Raluca Haidu.

Britain's Hannah Whelan had a mixed event but produced a strong final floor routine to finish fifth.

Gymnastics' international governing body introduced the revised World Cup format to showcase the world's top gymnasts in six events.

The Glasgow leg of the competition was one of four in which gymnasts will compete on every piece of apparatus - six for men, four for women - with one overall winner.

There are two other World Cup legs featuring individual apparatus finals only.

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Pagett debut ended by nervy Cope

2011-04-17T20:16:00.000+01:00

Welshman Andrew Pagett's World Championship debut ended at the first-round stage following a 10-7 defeat against Jamie Cope at the Crucible.

The 28-year-old won four qualifying matches to reach the final stages of a major event for the first time.

He resumed 5-4 down after losing the final three frames on Saturday, lost the first two on Sunday and despite a brave Pagett rally, Cope held on.

Ding Junhui fired two centuries for an 8-1 lead over Jamie Burnett.

The colourful Pagett created quite an impression on his first appearance at the Crucible with his pink bow tie and pink trimmed waistcoat and trousers.

Cope took a 9-5 lead but struggled to close out the one remaining frame he required for victory.

In the 18th frame Pagett was 10 points behind on the final red and snookered but though he escaped superbly he left the red over the centre pocket.

Cope potted it but broke down and Pagett looked to have seized his chance, needing just the pink to make it 9-8.

But as he lined up to play the shot, he was distracted by the light from the adjacent table being switched off, and after he regrouped he missed the pot.

Cope prevailed in the subsequent safety exchange and held position for the decisive black.

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Rory McIlroy stays positive after another final-round collapse costs him victory in Kuala Lumpur

2011-04-17T19:46:00.000+01:00

McIlroy came out on the final day four shots ahead, and extended his overnight lead with a birdie on 10, only to blow his chances by shooting four over par in the final round.

The 21-year-old Northern Irishman, who let a four-shot lead slip in the final round of the Masters last weekend, had been three shots ahead of the rest with four holes of his third round to play in Malaysia, but by the 12th hole of his final round he trailed leaders Gregory Bourdy of France and Italian teenager Matteo Manassero by three.

A double-bogey at the par-four 12th set him back to one under for the round up to that point, with a similar third-round setback at the 15th allowing Manassero and Sweden's Alexander Noren to finish in the lead heading into the final round.

"At this moment I'm pretty disappointed but it was a good week," he said."I'm proud of the way I have picked up myself from last week," a philosophical McIlroy told reporters.

"To shoot the scores I did considering the travel and stuff, it was a pretty good effort. Obviously the result was disappointing but everything else was positive."

McIlroy, who came into the tournament after a thirty-hour journey from Augusta, praised the performance of Manassero.

"Matteo is fantastic. He is a great talent - to get two wins on the European Tour before your 18th birthday is pretty special," said McIlroy, who won his first tour event aged 19.

"He is great and we've known he is a great player. He deserves it."

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Andy Murray may withdraw from Barcelona Open due to elbow injury

2011-04-17T18:52:00.000+01:00

Murray went down battling, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1, and admitted he will have to take medical advice before planning any further.

"Certainly I'll have an MRI scan, maybe tomorrow," said the Scot after going down in just under three hours. You sometimes get like a bit of bone basically that has fallen off.

"It sounds worse than it is, but it's basically floating around in the joint. So every time I bend it, I get of a lot of, like, clicking. It just feels really bruised because I obviously had a couple of injections. There's blood and stuff going in there.

"It was good because I managed to play. But I would have liked to have finished the match a bit better."

Murray had a fright when the problem first arose in the countdown to the semi-final.

"Yesterday at the beginning of the second set (in his quarter-final), I felt something, but I managed to play through it," he said. "This morning I was hitting, warming up fine. I went to hit some serves; I couldn't serve."

The world No 4 said the injury took a psychological toll.

"When you do have an injury, it's sometimes difficult to concentrate. Against someone like him, you need to play every single point, concentrate from every single point to the last.

"You can't just throw games, hope to hang onto your serve. You need to play every single point to put pressure on him."

But overall the Scot could fault little in his performance.

"I thought it was a good match, but I think I can play better. It's good to know you're able to play at a similar level to what he does on the clay. To win against him, you need to be able to do that for three and a half hours, four hours.

"The matches that he's lost on clay the last few years have been normally long ones. He's the best player in the world for a reason."

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Chinese Grand Prix 2011: Lewis Hamilton gets the better of Sebastian Vettel in Shanghai

2011-04-17T18:13:00.000+01:00

That mistake allowed Vettel to overtake Button but, somewhat surprisingly, it was Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg who emerged in the race lead after the first round of stops.

It was the start of a period during the race when different tyre strategies evolved and, just like last week in Malaysia, it became difficult to establish just who would emerge in front.

Cars that had just stopped for fresh rubber began moving through the field with ease, then just as fast would suddenly start going backwards as the rubber wore off. It was just a case of waiting for the strategies to play out.

The choice was between a two- or a three- stop and as it turned out, the latter option was preferable. Once all the pit stops were over Vettel was leading from Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, with both men having stopped twice. But Hamilton and Button, on three-stop strategies, were fast closing with fresh rubber.

Hamilton surged past Massa with 11 laps remaining, then picked off Vettel to claim the race lead with a moved which “surprised” the German into the left-hander at Turn Seven. He never looked back.

Button, meanwhile, had made it past Rosberg – who had been told that his fuel levels were critical, although it is unclear how much this affected his pace – and it looked as if he would take the final podium place.

He had not counted on Webber roaring back after a desperately disappointing Saturday in which he qualified 18th on the grid.

The Australian, driving as if his career depended on it – and it does – had stormed through the field on a three-stop strategy, despite having no KERS energy boost device, and with one lap of the race remaining he powered past Button to claim a hugely unlikely podium.

Webber’s finishing time was just seven seconds behind race winner Hamilton. “Maybe the best thing to do is not even take part in qualifying and go from there,” he joked afterwards. “It was a good day for racing and a good day in terms of points for the team."

Vettel admitted his two-stop strategy had been the wrong one but insisted he did not view the day as a disappointment.

"The start was not the best we have had,” he said. “It wasn't a 100 per cent good start so I lost position. We treated the tyres better up to the first pit stop. I came to the box and afterwards came out first. It was a surprise when Jenson went into my garage.

“We came out in the lead and then I think we tried too hard staying on two stops. I saw Lewis coming closer and there was no point defending too hard - he found his way past. We did a couple of mistakes but still finished second so I'm very happy with that.

“We can learn a lot today. I'm the only one with two stops up here so that's something to look into tonight. I was asking questions and not getting any answers, we had a problem with Kers so it wasn't a trouble free race. Once we decided to go two-stop we had to be patient."

The day, though, belonged to Hamilton who, after eight years in China, became the first man to win twice. Bowing to the crowd as he stepped out of the car he flung himself in to the arms of his mechanics in an emotional celebration.

“The strategy definitely paid off for me,” he said. The pit stops were fantastic and the car felt great. I tried to make my tyres last and I tried to push. It is one of the best races I have experienced."

Speaking about the problem he had in the build-up, which had his mechanics sweating as he made it to the grid with just seconds to spare, Hamilton added: "I was a bit worried as the car just wouldn’t start but fortunately everything just came together very quickly. I tried to stay positive.

"There is a long road ahead of us but I’m absolutely over the moon. It feels like a long time since I’ve been sitting here.”

Britain's Paul di Resta said he was content with his weekend in China despite failing to follow up an impressive qualifying display with a points haul.

The Force India rookie has been one of the stars of the early weeks of the season, picking up points at his first two grands prix and lining up eighth in Shanghai - once again getting the better of experienced team-mate Adrian Sutil.

But the race proved a bridge too far for the 25-year-old, who finished in 11th place, just outside the points after a remarkable afternoon which saw position changes and drama throughout the field.

"It was always going to be quite a tough race, starting from where we were," Di Resta said. "We came very close to scoring points, but just missed out at the end when the tyres had gone."

Final positions after 56 Laps: 1 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) McLaren 1hr 36mins 58.226secs, 2 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull 1:37:03.424, 3 Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull 1:37:05.781, 4 Jenson Button (Gbr) McLaren 1:37:08.226, 5 Nico Rosberg (Ger) Mercedes GP 1:37:11.674, 6 Felipe Massa (Bra) Ferrari 1:37:14.066, 7 Fernando Alonso (Spa) Ferrari 1:37:28.848, 8 Michael Schumacher (Ger) Mercedes GP 1:37:29.252, 9 Vitaly Petrov (Rus) Renault 1:37:55.630, 10 Kamui Kobayashi (Jpn) Sauber-Ferrari 1:38:01.499, 11 Paul di Resta (Gbr) Force India 1:38:06.983, 12 Nick Heidfeld (Ger) Renault 1:38:10.965, 13 Rubens Barrichello (Bra) Williams 1:38:28.415, 14 Sebastien Buemi (Swi) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:38:28.897, 15 Adrian Sutil (Ger) Force India at 1 lap, 16 Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) Lotus F1 at 1 lap, 17 Sergio Perez Mex Sauber-Ferrari at 1 lap, 18 Pastor Maldonado (Ven) Williams at 1 lap, 19 Jarno Trulli (Ita) Lotus F1 at 1 lap, 20 Jerome d'Ambrosio (Bel) Virgin Racing at 2 laps, 21 Timo Glock (Ger) Virgin Racing at 2 laps, 22 Vitantonio Liuzzi (Ita) HRT-F1 at 2 laps, 23 Narain Karthikeyan (Ind) HRT-F1 at 2 laps

Not Classified: 24 Jaime Alguersuari (Spa) Scuderia Toro Rosso Retired

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Paul Scholes set to miss Manchester United v Arsenal after Wembley red card

2011-04-17T17:35:00.000+01:00

Paul Scholes is set to miss Manchester United's top-of-the-table tussle with Arsenal on May 1 following his sending-off in the FA Cup semi-final.

Scholes was dismissed for a studs-first, thigh-high challenge on Pablo Zabaleta during the second half of Saturday evening's derby clash with Manchester City at Wembley as his side lost 1-0.

If violent conduct is confirmed as the reason for his sending-off when referee Mike Dean's report is received by the Football Association, it will condemn Scholes to a three-match suspension.

That would rule the 36-year-old out of Tuesday's trip to Newcastle, the Easter Saturday encounter with Everton at Old Trafford and that crucial trip to the Emirates Stadium to face United's closest title challengers.

Scholes' latest disciplinary transgression is a blow to United given the veteran midfielder had only just returned from a two-match ban for amassing 10 yellow cards.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson could offer no explanation after the game for a woeful tackle that left his team trying to overhaul City with only 10 men.

'We've seen over his career, Paul has had unbelievable moments,' said Ferguson. 'He is one of the greatest players this club has ever had. But he has his red mist moments - he caught the boy on his thigh.'

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London Marathon 2011 winners: Mary Keitany and Emmanuel Mutai glory for Kenya

2011-04-17T16:48:00.000+01:00

Emmanuel Mutai made it a Kenyan double after winning the Virgin London Marathon in a new course record.

Earlier, his compatriot Mary Keitany smashed her personal best to claim a commanding victory in the women's race.

Mutai's time of 2:04.38, beats the previous best of 2:05.10 set by Samuel Wanjiru in 2009 and also the fifth-fastest time ever.

The 26-year-old, second here last year, broke away at around the 21-mile mark with three-time winner Martin Lel and Patrick Makau making it a clean sweep for Kenya - Lel just edging out his countryman in a sprint finish.

Britain's David Weir claimed an unprecedented fifth Virgin London Marathon wheelchair title with a perfectly-timed sprint finish.

Weir waited until he was within sight of the finish on The Mall before powering past Switzerland's Heinz Frei to become the most successful wheelchair athlete in the event's history.

The victory completes a memorable week after he discovered on Tuesday his partner Emily is expecting a baby boy in August.

Keitany broke away after 15 miles and never looked like being caught as she clocked an unofficial time of two hours 19 minutes and 17 seconds, almost 10 minutes quicker than her debut in New York last year.

The 29-year-old began the year by setting a new world record of 1:05.50 for the half-marathon, becoming the first woman to run under 66 minutes.

And she proved equally adept at double the distance to relegate defending champion Liliya Shobukhova of Russia into second, with Kenya's Edna Kiplagat in third.

Jo Pavey enjoyed an excellent marathon debut, finishing 19th in 2:28.23, comfortably inside the qualifying times for both this year's World Championships in Daegu and next year's London Olympics.

The 37-year-old may opt not to compete in Daegu, but now seems certain to concentrate fully on the marathon rather than returning to the track.

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