England star Hartley lands eight-week ban for biting March 27, 2012 SIX NATIONS rugby chiefs were last night coming under increasing pressure to explain their reasoning after England hooker Dylan Hartley escaped with an eight-week ban for biting Ireland’s Stephen Ferris. The suspension, which leaves Hartley free for the summer tour to South Africa, is four weeks shorter than the minimum stipulated by the International Rugby [...]
Batsmen have let side down, confesses Bell March 27, 2012 ENGLAND cricketer Ian Bell admits he and his fellow batsmen have failed their bowling colleagues too often this year after spin again proved their undoing on day two of the first Test in Sri Lanka. Woefully off-form Bell and out-of-sorts twirler Graeme Swann were the tourists’ unlikely star performers on an eventful day that saw [...]
Murray on course for Nadal clash in Miami March 27, 2012 BRITISH No1 Andy Murray swept into the quarter-finals of the Miami Masters with a straight-sets triumph over Frenchman Gilles Simon last night. World No4 Murray beat Simon for the ninth time in 10 meetings 6-3, 6-4 to set up a last-eight clash against Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic. The Scot profited from a patient approach against Simon, [...]
Pendleton stokes rivalry with Meares March 27, 2012 BRITAIN’S Olympic track cycling champion Victoria Pendleton has branded her arch-rival, Australia’s Anna Meares, a rider who “pushes the rules”, just days before they are due to clash. There has been no love lost between the pair since Meares cut Pendleton off at a race more than five years ago, and nowhere is their duel [...]
Bradford Bulls beg fans for £1m March 27, 2012 HARD-UP rugby league outfit Bradford Bulls have warned the club will go out of business unless they raise £1m – and have asked fans to chip in. The four-time Super League champions want supporters to pledge £100 each, and say they need £500,000 by the middle of next month to reduce their debts. Chairman Peter [...]
Real strike late to dash Apoel Nicosia dream March 27, 2012 EUROPEAN minnows Apoel Nicosia need a miracle to prolong keep their Champions League adventure after Real Madrid struck three times in the last 16 minutes in Cyprus last night. France striker Karim Benzema netted twice and forgotten man Kaka notched the other as the Spanish league leaders won the quarter-final first leg 3-0. Apoel, the [...]
Milan: We’ll attack Barca March 27, 2012 AC MILAN manager Massimiliano Allegri insists his team will not adopt an ultra-defensive approach against holders Barcelona in the Champions League tonight. The Italians, conquerors of Arsenal in the last 16, host the Spanish champions in an eagerly anticipated quarter-final first leg. “It’s difficult for us to play a match in the style of [Jose] [...]
Bahrain rejects GP security fears March 27, 2012 ■ FORMULA ONE: Bahrain’s top motorsport chief insists there is no need for extra security at the country’s grand prix next month, despite it being cancelled last year over safety fears amid anti-government protests. Sheikh Abdullah bin Isa Al Khalifa, president of Bahrain’s Automobile Federation, said: “I can guarantee you will be as safe as [...]
Jockey Lee swaps jumps for flat March 27, 2012 ■ HORSE RACING: Grand National-winning rider Graham Lee has made a shock code switch from jumps to flat racing. Lee, 36, said he found it too gruelling to keep up the weight required for jumps racing.
Jol cries foul after United open up gap March 26, 2012 Rooney’s strike puts the champions back in front of rivals Man City but Fulham are left to rue penalty controversy MANCHESTER UTD 1 vs FULHAM 0 FULHAM manager Martin Jol accused referee Michael Oliver of ducking a late penalty decision last night after Manchester United edged out the west Londoners to climb three points clear [...]