England back Cook to save series and job July 22, 2014 ENGLAND cricket chiefs have ignored the clamour to end Alastair Cook’s torturous reign as captain and backed him to engineer a dramatic change of fortune in the current Test series against India. Wicketkeeper Jos Buttler’s call-up in place of Matt Prior, who bowed out of the series citing fitness concerns following Monday’s second Test defeat [...]
Queen’s Ascot Gold Cup winner in positive test July 22, 2014 THE QUEEN’S horse racing interests were last night embroiled in a doping controversy after it emerged that 2013 Ascot Gold Cup winner Estimate had tested positive for the banned drug morphine. The five-year-old mare, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, is one of five horses from various stables whose samples from post-race tests showed traces of [...]
Squash ace Matthew beats Farah and Wiggins to flagbearer role July 22, 2014 THREE-TIME squash world champion Nick Matthew admits he is humbled to have been chosen to carry England’s flag at today’s Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in Glasgow. Matthew, 33, enjoys a low profile despite his numerous successes but was nominated by his team-mates ahead of household names such as Mo Farah and Sir Bradley Wiggins. “I’m [...]
Dyke in North Korea jibe at Fifa and rules out fresh World Cup bid July 22, 2014 FOOTBALL Association chairman Greg Dyke has compared world governing body Fifa to North Korea and pledged that England will not bid to stage a World Cup while Sepp Blatter remains president. Dyke told a Culture, Media and Sport select committee yesterday that the FA and other European associations opposed Blatter but that he remained popular [...]
Cricket Comment: Fear of failure crippling England means selectors must break cycle July 22, 2014 I DON’T want to hammer England’s selectors. They generally get it right. There is a huge gap between county and Test level and not everyone is able to bridge it, yet they tend to choose well. But they really must grasp the nettle right now and remove captain Alastair Cook. England cannot get any worse. [...]
Mourinho issues title challenges July 22, 2014 CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho says his team have matured from last season’s “little horse” and are ready to mount serious challenges for the Premier League and Champions League. Mourinho memorably used the equine analogy last term to depict the Blues as outsiders in the hunt for silverware, saying in February that they still “need milk [...]
Cook: I’m not quitting July 21, 2014 England skipper rejects clamour to resign despite India Test defeat deepening crisis BESIEGED England cricket captain Alastair Cook refused to quit last night despite defeat in the second Test against India at Lord’s increasing calls for him to relinquish the role. Chasing 319 to win, England capitulated from 173-4 to 223 all out as Cook [...]
Gerrard: I am quitting (England duty) July 21, 2014 LIVERPOOL skipper Steven Gerrard has hinted that he hopes to play on until the age of 38 after retiring from international football to prolong his club career yesterday. Gerrard’s decision comes weeks after England’s worst World Cup for more than 50 years, though he insisted that had no bearing on his decision to bow out [...]
Kaymer may just pip McIlroy to career grand slam, says Player July 21, 2014 NINE-TIME Major winner Gary Player insists it is a matter of time before Open champion Rory McIlroy joins him in a select band of players to have won a career grand slam. But the South African believes Germany’s Martin Kaymer could beat the Northern Irishman to it, and warns that talk of an era of [...]
McIlroy eyes Masters next after Open triumph July 20, 2014 FORMER world No1 Rory McIlroy immediately set his sights on completing a career grand slam at the Masters next year after clinching a commanding wire-to-wire Open victory at Hoylake yesterday. McIlroy kept rivals Sergio Garcia and Rickie Fowler at arm’s length with a final round 71 to win by two shots and become only the [...]