Cook’s captain’s innings takes Test the distance November 18, 2012 ENGLAND batting coach Graham Gooch hailed Alastair Cook’s greatest ever innings after the captain’s defiant 168 not out took the first Test against India in Ahmedabad into a fifth and final day. Cook’s 21st Test century and Matt Prior’s unbeaten 84 gave the tourists a sliver of hope of snatching a draw from the jaws [...]
Black Cats beat Fulham but confirm death threats made to McClean over poppy shirt November 18, 2012 FULHAM 1 vs SUNDERLAND 3 SUNDERLAND manager Martin O’Neill saw his team grab their second win in 19 league games yesterday, but confirmed after the match that James McClean was sent death threats following the winger’s decision not to wear a poppy on his shirt the previous week. Three second half goals from Steven Fletcher, [...]
Our lack of killer instinct cost us against Australia, says Ashton November 18, 2012 WING Chris Ashton blasted England’s wastefulness after Saturday’s 20-14 defeat to resurgent Australia at Twickenham dented their hopes of being top seeds for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Stuart Lancaster’s men failed to score a single point after half time, despite dominating the closing stages and forgoing several kickable penalties in search of a decisive [...]
Wasps bounce back with win over Worcester November 18, 2012 LONDON Wasps recovered from last week’s defeat at Cardiff Blues to see off Worcester Warriors 28-19 yesterday at Adams Park. Tries from Simon McIntyre, Jack Wallace and Charlie Davies saw them past the Warriors to keep their LV= Cup hopes alive. Elsewhere a strong London Irish side lost 22-15 at Leicester thanks to a great [...]
Defeat turns up heat on Hughes November 18, 2012 QPR owner Tony Fernandes failed to give his customary backing to manager Mark Hughes after Saturday’s 3-1 loss at fellow strugglers Southampton left them anchored to the bottom of the Premier League. Defeat in the game dubbed El Sackico, due to the pressure on both teams’ bosses, leaves winless Rangers with just four points from [...]
Loss won’t kill season – AVB November 18, 2012 TOTTENHAM manager Andre Villas-Boas insists a 5-2 defeat at local rivals Arsenal will not inflict lasting damage on their attempts to beat them to a Champions League place. The Gunners overtook Spurs in the Premier League with Saturday’s emphatic win against 10 men, although Villas-Boas is adamant his team will take heart from their performance. [...]
Allardyce eyes Potters boost November 18, 2012 WEST HAM boss Sam Allardyce has urged his high-flying team to give themselves a boost before a tricky run of fixtures by beating Stoke tonight at Upton Park. The Hammers have made a fine start on their return to the Premier League, with five wins and 18 points from 11 games, but face Tottenham, Manchester [...]
Stadium row has gone on too long, Boris November 18, 2012 THE rage has abated but the anger inside still burns after the announcement last week that it might take until after the Games of Rio in 2016 for the Olympic Stadium to be operational, under whatever guise. This is depressing, outrageous, scandalous, shameful. The “told you so” brigade who were silenced so magnificently in the [...]
Unfit Trott bags track gold No2 November 18, 2012 BRITAIN’S Laura Trott admitted to not being fit, despite winning her second gold of the Track Cycling World Cup in Glasgow yesterday. The Olympic champion pipped Australia’s Ashlee Ankudinoff to the omnium title, 48 hours after winning the team pursuit with Dani King and Elinor Barker. “It’s so hard coming back from the Olympics. I’m [...]
Win lifts Luke above Woods November 18, 2012 ENGLAND’S Luke Donald climbed above Tiger Woods and into second place in the world golf rankings with a comfortable victory at the Dunlop Phoenix tournament in Japan yesterday. Donald’s final-round 68 left him 16 under par and five strokes clear of nearest challenger Hideki Matsuyama. Three birdies and an eagle outweighted two bogeys and earned [...]