Cook calls on players to be Ashes heroes August 6, 2015 CAPTAIN Alastair Cook has urged one of his England colleagues to write their name into Ashes folklore with a series-clinching contribution in the fourth Investec Test, which starts today at Trent Bridge. Seamer Stuart Broad and batsmen Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen have all ensured their places in national cricket history by starring in decisive [...]
Chris Tremlett’s Cricket Comment: Time for Broad to take the lead and give England vital early edge August 6, 2015 England's main concern, as they prepare for today’s fourth Ashes Test, will probably be ending their unhappy habit of following a victory with an immediate defeat. They fell into that trap at Lord’s, having won the first Test in Cardiff, so hopefully they can change that pattern and continue the momentum they built up [...]
Windfall due next year but clubs can’t wait to spend their billions August 6, 2015 PREMIER League clubs are ramping up their spending this summer in anticipation of the television cash bonanza on the horizon next year, according to a new survey. The findings, from accountants BDO’s annual survey of financial directors at English football clubs, comes after it emerged this week that spending by top-flight sides in this transfer [...]
Costa may miss season opener, says Mourinho August 5, 2015 CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho is sweating on the fitness of striker Diego Costa for Saturday’s Premier League opener after his side rounded off a miserable pre-season by losing to Fiorentina last night. A makeshift Blues side managed just two shots on target as defender Gonzalo Rodridguez’s first-half strike condemned them to a second consecutive defeat [...]
Hammers bank on reserves to save Euro hopes August 5, 2015 WEST Ham manager Slaven Bilic admits he is taking a gamble by fielding a weakened team for tonight’s Europa League qualifier against Astra Giurgiu in Romania. Bilic has left several first-team players at home, despite effectively needing a win following last week’s 2-2 draw at Upton Park, as he keeps one eye on Sunday’s Premier [...]
Winger Sako’s Eagles swoop August 5, 2015 WINGER Bakary Sako cited the appeal of working under Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew after signing for the south London club on a free transfer yesterday. The Mali international left Wolves at the end of last season after failing to agree a new contract, having alerted top teams to his ability by scoring 15 goals [...]
Anti-doping chiefs deny blood data leak as Coe says: this is war August 5, 2015 ATHLETICS’ doping row has taken another twist after the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) denied provoking the storm by leaking thousands of blood test results. Embattled governing body the IAAF emphasised this week that none of its employees had passed on the data, as it denounced claims that it had failed to act on mountains of [...]
Manchester United kit launch already worth £1.5m to Adidas in social media value August 5, 2015 Adidas' record breaking £750m kit deal with Manchester United is already beginning to pay off thanks to a successful social media launch. Read more: Even at £750m Adidas' Man United kit deal could prove to be a bargain for the sportswear giant The launch of United's new kit – the first from Adidas in a 10-year [...]
Even at £750m Adidas’ Manchester United kit deal could prove to be a bargain for the sportswear giant August 5, 2015 £75m per year. That’s how much Adidas is paying Manchester United to make their kit. To put that into context, that’s about 2.5 times more than the next biggest Premier League deal (Arsenal and Chelsea both receive £30m per year from Puma and Adidas respectively) and over 10 times more than NFL teams receive from [...]
Cricket Comment: England must clinch Ashes this week as Oval will favour Aussies August 5, 2015 THIS Ashes is almost impossible to predict but I think England need to try and wrap it up at Trent Bridge this week. A drawn series would see Australia retain the urn and England don’t want to wait until the Oval, where I think conditions will favour the tourists. The ball swung around in the [...]