England face daunting bid for Test glory May 31, 2015 ENGLAND bowling coach Ottis Gibson has blamed his side’s substandard performance with the ball for New Zealand seizing control of the second Investec Test at Headingley yesterday. The hosts face a daunting task to wrap up a 2-0 series victory after New Zealand finished day three on 338-6, as BJ Watling struck an unbeaten century [...]
Walcott planning Arsenal stay after FA Cup final heroics May 31, 2015 FA CUP final hero Theo Walcott has indicated he plans to extend his stay at Arsenal by signing a new contract but warned that the impasse may not be resolved for several weeks. England forward Walcott scored the opening goal as the Gunners routed Aston Villa 4-0 to retain the FA Cup at Wembley on [...]
Dyke urges Platini to lead World Cup boycott May 31, 2015 FOOTBALL Association chairman Greg Dyke has called on European chief Michel Platini to coordinate a major boycott of the 2018 World Cup in protest at embattled world governing body Fifa. Dyke believes Holland and Germany would be prepared to join England in refusing to play the tournament but insists it would take Uefa president Platini [...]
Ennis-Hill books Rio title defence on full comeback May 31, 2015 BRITAIN’S Jessica Ennis-Hill was thrilled to achieve the qualifying standard for next year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro during her first competitive heptathlon since London 2012 at the Hypo-Meeting in Gotzis yesterday. The 29-year-old Olympic champion finished fourth to secure 6,520 points, 320 more than the tally needed, which also gives her the option [...]
Lancaster relief as Farrell avoids suspension risk May 31, 2015 SARACENS fly-half Owen Farrell has escaped a citing for a high tackle on Bath’s Anthony Watson during Saturday’s Premiership final which could have presented England head coach Stuart Lancaster with an additional World Cup selection headache. The decision means Farrell is free to play in all three of England’s World Cup warm up matches, which [...]
Cipriani eyes England spot after Baa-Baas rout May 31, 2015 FLY-HALF Danny Cipriani has refused to relinquish his World Cup dream despite facing fierce competition for the No10 jersey within England head coach Stuart Lancaster’s World Cup training squad. Cipriani is competing with two formidable opponents in the shape of George Ford and Owen Farrell for a starting berth, but racked up 33 points in [...]
Tsonga into last eight as Murray targets Roland Garros progress May 31, 2015 HOME favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga surged into the French Open quarter-finals after beating Czech fourth seed Tomas Berdych 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3 yesterday. Tsonga will play Kei Nishikori in the quarter final after the fifth seed dispatched Teymuraz Gabashvili 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 to become the first Japanese player in more than 80 years to reach [...]
Boxing’s stars next for Brook May 31, 2015 BRITAIN’S IBF world welterweight champion Kell Brook plans to target boxing’s biggest names after successfully defending his title against domestic rival Frankie Gavin on Saturday night. Unbeaten Brook, who stopped Gavin in the sixth round to extend his record to 35 wins, has been linked with American Brandon Rios. “I want massive names,” said the [...]
Arsenal FA Cup Parade: Pictures as Gunners celebrate in Islington May 31, 2015 Arsenal celebrated their record 12th FA Cup victory with an open top bus parade through Islington today. On Sunday Islington was awash with Arsenal fans hoping to catch a glimpse of the famous trophy and congratulate their heroes on the 4-0 demolition of Aston Villa which secured the Cup in style on Saturday evening. Three [...]
Fifa crisis: Barclays, HSBC and Standard Chartered to launch internal review following FBI investigation May 31, 2015 Barclays, HSBC and Standard Chartered are all believed to have launched internal investigations into their role in the Fifa corruption scandal that has engulfed world football this week. The British banks were all named in the US Department of Justice's (DOJ) lawsuit against 14 people – including nine Fifa officials – for racketeering, wire fraud and [...]