England skipper Alastair Cook urges debutant Jake Ball to seize Test opportunity and rip through Pakistan July 13, 2016 England skipper Alastair Cook has backed seamer Jake Ball to rack up the wickets when he makes his international debut in today’s first Investec Test against Pakistan at Lord’s on Thursday. Cook has confirmed that Nottinghamshire quick Ball, who has claimed 96 first-class scalps, has been given the nod over Middlesex rookie Toby Roland-Jones to [...]
Cricket betting: Comeback kid Mohammad Amir to shine – but England to take series July 13, 2016 England swatted Sri Lanka away in an underwhelming start to the cricketing summer and now face a far stiffer opponent in the shape of Pakistan. The two nations have a chaotic cricketing history, littered with controversy and confrontation. If Mike Gatting’s famous finger-wagging with umpire Shakoor Rana in 1987 wasn’t bad enough, Inzamam-ul-Haq then refused [...]
Cricket betting: Forcing a result could be step too far for England at Lord’s July 13, 2016 When Pakistan last played a Test at Lord’s in 2010, three of their players ultimately ended up serving time in jail. Fast-bowler Mohammad Amir, who was convicted of deliberately bowling no-balls in exchange for cash alongside Mohammad Asif, returns to the home of cricket today after serving a five-year ban from the game. The bad [...]
Rory McIlroy deepens golf’s Olympic snub row by saying he may not even bother watching on TV July 12, 2016 Four-time Major winner Rory McIlroy has stoked golf’s Olympic row further by saying he may not even watch the competition in Rio next month because he considers it to be of such little significance. McIlroy pulled out of the Games citing fears over the Zika virus, a position also adopted by Jason Day and Dustin [...]
Bolton heyday shows that England candidate Sam Allardyce is more than just a firefighter July 12, 2016 You don’t need to cast your mind back far if you want evidence of the importance a strong team identity: it was the foundation of a Portugal side that won Euro 2016 even though they were without Cristiano Ronaldo for most of Sunday’s final against France. Portugal weren’t the only team to benefit from a [...]
Chris Froome conserves energy for crucial double-header as Briton retains Tour de France lead July 12, 2016 Britain's Chris Froome concedes he is keeping his powder dry for two crucial stages later this week after preserving his 16-second lead at the Tour de France on Tuesday. Froome finished safely in the peloton, more than nine minutes behind Australian Michael Matthews, who pipped Peter Sagan and Edvald Boasson Hagen in a sprint finish [...]
England flanker James Haskell could miss autumn internationals after being sidelined for up to six months July 12, 2016 England boss Eddie Jones will be without flanker James Haskell for this year's autumn internationals after the Wasps captain was ruled out for up to six months. The 31-year-old requires reconstructive surgery on his toe due to an injury sustained in England's second test in Australia last month. Read more: Wasps make Kurtley Beale the highest paid player in Premiership Rugby [...]
John Wesley exhibition: the Los Angeles-based artist to host exhibition at London’s Waddington Custot July 12, 2016 At first glance, you might throw Wesley in with the pop artists. Recurring female nudes recall a less fetishised Allen Jones, the industrial blocks of colour echo both Haring and Lichtenstein, his rhythmic repetition brings to mind Warhol. But Wesley sits uneasily in this company; even his more overtly pop motifs – Pop Eye and [...]
Tottenham’s return to Champions League lured me to White Hart Lane, says £18.5m striker Vincent Janssen July 12, 2016 Tottenham's newest recruit Vincent Janssen admits the lure of Champions League football was a key factor in the striker’s £18.5m transfer from Dutch side AZ Alkmaar. Janssen, who notched 27 goals in 34 appearances for AZ to finish as the Eredivisie’s leading scorer last season, completed the switch on Tuesday and has committed to a [...]
The Open 2016: Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer set to fly the flag for Europe at Royal Troon July 12, 2016 European golf has been in rude health for a while, and there are a few players from this side of the Atlantic who’ll fancy their chances of taking home the Claret Jug on Sunday evening. Rory McIlroy waltzed to a wire-to-wire victory in 2014 at Hoylake, and represents the continent’s best chance of victory this [...]