England insist lack of bowlers not to blame for loss to Aussies September 8, 2013 ENGLAND captain Eoin Morgan last night refused to blame his side’s batting-heavy line-up after suffering an 88-run defeat to Australia in a high-scoring second one-day international at Old Trafford. The home team needed to call on all-rounder Ravi Bopara and sometime-spinner Joe Root to bowl 12 overs as Michael Clarke’s side made hay, hitting 315-7 [...]
Williams is US Open champion for fifth time September 8, 2013 WORLD No1 Serena Williams fought her way to a gritty three-set victory against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus at the US Open last night, claiming her second grand slam of the season. Williams had not lost a single set during this year’s tournament before last night, yet faced an epic battle during a 7-5, 6-7 (6-8), [...]
Wrestling gets Olympic reprieve September 8, 2013 OLYMPICS: Members of the International Olympic Committee yesterday voted to reinstate wrestling at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The sport, included at the inaugural modern Olympics in 1896, was due to be dropped from the programme after the 2016 Games in Rio, but won a majority vote by ballot to be reinstated ahead of [...]
Bjorn back among the silverware September 8, 2013 GOLF: Three-time Major runner-up Thomas Bjorn tasted victory for the first time in two years yesterday, after beating Scotland’s Craig Lee on a play-off at the European Masters in Switzerland. The 42-year-old, trailing Lee by two shots overnight, carded 65 to finish on 20 under par. And, in the first extra hole, Bjorn sunk a [...]
US fight back in America’s Cup September 8, 2013 SAILING: Emirates Team New Zealand lead the America’s Cup 3-0 going into the third day tomorrow, despite losing race four late last night. Oracle Team USA will not put a point on the board until their third victory, after being docked two points. Races five and six are scheduled for tomorrow night.
GB and Ireland lose Walker Cup September 8, 2013 GOLF: The US comfortably regained the Walker Cup last night, its team of amateurs defeating Great Britain and Ireland’s with a final score of 17-9.
You’ll feel like you’ve been here before with this time travel rom-com September 5, 2013 FILM ABOUT TIME Cert 12a | By Daniel O’Mahony Three Stars FOR ME, it was always going to be about love.” That’s the reaction of Domhnall Gleeson’s Tim upon discovering he can travel through time. A knowing line from writer-director Richard Curtis, whose Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and Love Actually trademarked the [...]
A third installment that’s as Riddick-ulous as the first two September 5, 2013 FILM RIDDICK Cert 15 | By Daniel O’Mahony One Star IN A heated standoff with bounty hunters Vin Diesel’s Riddick offers some ominous advice: “Forget about the start; it’s the end you want to think about now.” Say what you want about Vin Diesel, he clearly knows his audience: I had forgotten all about the [...]
England boss dodges row after FA chief Cup blunder September 5, 2013 ENGLAND manager Roy Hodgson refused to be drawn into a row with Greg Dyke yesterday after the Football Association chairman classed the national team as no-hopers for next summer’s World Cup. Dyke’s assertion that nobody “realistically thinks we are going to win the World Cup in Brazil” threatened to overshadow the team’s preparations for two [...]
Supersub tasked with torpedoing Moldova September 5, 2013 ONE-CAP wonder Rickie Lambert has been handed the task of firing England back to the top of qualifying Group H tonight and breathing new life into the team’s hopes of reaching next summer’s World Cup. The 31-year-old Southampton forward, a former beetroot factory worker who was playing third-tier football little more than two years ago, [...]