Once, twice, goald: Maradona ‘Hand of God’ ball to go under hammer October 13, 2022 The ball which became the infamous victim of Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ fist in the 1986 World Cup is set to go under the hammer next month. The ball, used for the entirety of the match between Argentina and England in Mexico, is being sold by the man who refereed the match – Ali [...]
Chris Tremlett: T20 World Cup is a shopping window for cricket’s talent October 13, 2022 When the T20 World Cup gets going in Australia this weekend, the bigger teams will still have a little while to wait before their campaigns begin. England don’t start their World Cup until next weekend – when they play Afghanistan – but it’s still a good chance for the team, under Matthew Mott, to get [...]
Ed Warner: Boxing’s parallel existence, Benn-Eubank, and a Trussian shambles October 13, 2022 The Sweet Science. The Noble Art. Boxing has a lore of its own and is a law unto itself. It occupies a parallel existence in which its rules, first published under the sponsorship of the ninth Marquess of Queensbury in 1867, and a love of litigation – real and threatened – are deemed sufficient to [...]
Wasps teeter on the brink as Premiership club suspended October 12, 2022 One of the Premiership Rugby’s most successful and historic clubs has become the second English side within a month to be suspended from the top flight after Wasps announced that they would likely fall into administration in the coming days. The Coventry-based outfit today said that they had withdrawn from their Premiership fixture against Exeter [...]
Rugby league aim high with men’s, women’s and wheelchair World Cups October 12, 2022 This weekend sees the start of a trio of Rugby League World Cups that could propel the sport through a glass ceiling of publicity and awareness, as England becomes the first host nation of simultaneous men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournaments. Delayed a year from 2021 for pandemic-related reasons, the three World Cups will take place [...]
Sharks circling: Sale’s unbeaten start testament to mixing talent October 11, 2022 In Sale’s post-Steve Diamond era, no one really knew what to expect from a rugby union outpost written off season after season. But in their third year under former Saracens coach Alex Sanderson, Sale are one of two unbeaten sides in the Premiership and motoring along nicely. With four wins from four, including over the [...]
Fownes’ Jumbos to stop Purton from running riot again October 11, 2022 NO PRIZES for guessing who the headline act will be when racing gets underway with a nine-race programme at Happy Valley today. Champion Jockey Zac Purton reached new heights at Sha Tin last Sunday, riding his first ever seven-timer and sending home his many thousands of supporters with bulging pockets full of dollars. The Zac-Man [...]
Chan seeking long-awaited sweet taste of victory with Sugar October 11, 2022 IF ANY jockey in Hong Kong needs a change of fortune it’s 28-year-old Alfie Chan. Locally born Chan, who learnt his racing skills abroad in New Zealand and Australia, has found it hard going in the territory in the last couple of seasons. Having joined Frankie Lor’s stable when arriving on the scene, Chan initially [...]
Trevor Steven: Liverpool are defending too deep and it has cost them any title chance October 11, 2022 For so long a team who overwhelmed their opponents, Liverpool have become strangely hesitant and disconnected this season. Against Arsenal on Sunday Jurgen Klopp’s side had good spells of possession and carried a goal threat but always looked stretched. Their 3-2 defeat left them 10th in the Premier League, 14 points off the top of [...]
Tsunami of takeovers in sports swells deal values by record 433 per cent with private equity leading the pack October 11, 2022 The value of M&A and major stake-building in the sports industry has increased 433 per cent in the last year, rising from £1.8bn last year to £9.6bn this year, according to fresh data shared with City A.M. this morning. As more private equity, sovereign wealth funds and other institutional investors pursue deals in the sports [...]