Captain Cook drops out of tour of West Indies after latest loss January 26, 2014 ENGLAND captain Alastair Cook revealed he will skip next month’s trip to the Caribbean after his side lost the final one-day international in Australia yesterday. Cook hit 39 in Adelaide, while decent innings from Joe Root and Eoin Morgan – adding 55 runs and 39 runs respectively – gave the tourists a good chance of [...]
Li Na looks towards career slam January 26, 2014 TENNIS: China’s Li Na has set her sights on a career slam after winning the Australian Open over the weekend, having won the French Open in 2011. “Of course if I want to win another one or two. I have to get back on the court working hard and even tougher than before, otherwise no [...]
Hurricane Fly extends record run January 26, 2014 HORSE RACING: Hurricane Fly overcame a bruised foot to win the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown yesterday, beating Our Conor in a thrilling finish. It was the fourth time he has won the race, and extends his world record run of Grade One victories to 19. The 10-year-old Irish thoroughbred has now won 23 out [...]
Garcia moves into world’s top 10 January 26, 2014 GOLF: Spain’s Sergio Garcia will move into the top 10 in the world when the rankings are updated today, having claimed victory via a play-off at the Qatar Masters over the weekend. Garcia finished on 16 under par, level with Mikko Ilonen, yet overcame the Finn after playing the 18th for a third time.
Chelsea move for Salah with Mata en route to Manchester January 23, 2014 CHELSEA agreed an £11m fee for FC Basel winger Mohamed Salah yesterday, freeing the way for playmaker Juan Mata to join Manchester United. Salah scored twice against the Blues this season in Champions League group matches with Basel and also netted in last year’s Europa League semi-final second-leg defeat at Stamford Bridge. A Chelsea statement [...]
Football Comment: Mata signing is David Moyes’s 999 moment January 23, 2014 LIKE the desperate Manchester United fan who dialled emergency services following Wednesday’s Capital One Cup elimination, signing Juan Mata feels like David Moyes’s 999 moment. Nothing against Mata, but I’m not sure he’s what United need, and I find it very hard to believe that signing him has been in their plans for long. Instead [...]
Federer hopes Edberg effect can end losing streak against Nadal January 23, 2014 OLD ADVERSARIES Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal prepare to do battle in this morning’s Australian Open semi-final, and the Swiss star has revealed plans to end his grand slam hoodoo against the world No1 have been afoot since appointing Stefan Edberg as coach last month. Federer has failed to beat Nadal at a grand slam [...]
Ecclestone board exit heads off threat to F1 future of Mercedes January 23, 2014 THE FUTURE of Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes team has been secured by Bernie Ecclestone’s exit from the board of Formula One last week. Ecclestone’s involvement in a bribery row had been tipped to force Mercedes out of the sport as the carmaker’s parent company Daimler’s statutes declare it “does not tolerate the immoral or corrupt practices [...]
Fired-up Sarries aiming to heal last year’s scars January 23, 2014 WITH Saracens’ three heartaches last season still fresh in the memory, lock Mouritz Botha insists everyone at the club is determined to ensure history does not repeat itself – starting with the LV= Cup. Despite promising so much, Sarries finished empty handed last term, losing at the semi-final stage of the Aviva Premiership, Heineken and [...]
24 January on this day… January 23, 2014 24 JANUARY 1973. World Cup Qualifier: England 1 (Hunter) Wales 1 (Toshack). England skipper Bobby Moore (left) and Rodney Marsh (right) joke before kick-off, but the match would end with England booed off at Wembley after a scrappy draw; it was apparent a great era for English football was ending. The dropped point became crucial [...]