Hammers miss chance to open four-point gap February 14, 2012 WEST HAM 1 vs SOUTHAMPTON 1 WEST HAM manager Sam Allardyce blamed referee Lee Probert for his side’s failure to move four points clear of Southampton at the top of the Championship. Probert turned down two strong penalty claims for handball against Rickie Lambert and Jos Hooiveld in the opening 15 minutes. And when the [...]
Will the real Abramovich please stand up? February 14, 2012 POPULAR wisdom has it that Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas is facing his moment of truth, but the next week promises to tell us at least as much about the man who hired him, Roman Abramovich. Villas-Boas swept into Stamford Bridge in the summer at a cost of £28m armed with a reputation as the next [...]
It’s business as usual for Rangers, say administrators February 14, 2012 ADMINISTRATORS insist Rangers’ fixture against Kilmarnock on Saturday will go ahead despite the club entering into administration yesterday. The Scottish champions became the biggest British club yet forced to take the step, which carries an immediate 10-point penalty in the Scottish Premier League. Paul Clark, of London-based administrators Duff and Phelps, said the move would [...]
Patel: We’re out for revenge with whitewash of our own February 14, 2012 STILL smarting from the whitewash Pakistan inflicted on them in the recent Test matches, England are determined to give Misbah-ul-Haq’s side a taste of their own medicine by sealing a 4-0 clean sweep in the current one-day series, according to all-rounder Samit Patel. After Pakistan’s spinners made a mockery of England’s world No1 Test ranking [...]
Man City stars welcome back returning Tevez February 14, 2012 MANCHESTER CITY striker Carlos Tevez returned to the club’s training ground yesterday after he decided to end his four-month self-imposed exile. The Argentina star has effectively been on strike since manager Roberto Mancini accused him of refusing to come off the bench against Bayern Munich back in September. Tevez will return for training today but [...]
Ireland discover Paris date February 14, 2012 RUGBY UNION: Six Nations chiefs announced yesterday that Ireland will play France in their rescheduled match in Paris on 4 March. The game was due to be played last Saturday but was called off shortly before kick-off by referee David Pearson, who deemed frozen sections of the Stade de France turf to be a danger [...]
Synchronised handed top weight February 14, 2012 HORSE RACING: The Jonjo O’Neill trained Lexus Chase winner Synchronised has been handed top weight of 11st 10lb for this year’s Grand National at Aintree. Last year’s winner Ballabriggs has been asked to shoulder 11st 9lb ahead of the world’s most famous steeplechase on 14 April.
Sweden next for Murray’s girls February 14, 2012 TENNIS: Great Britain’s Fed Cup squad will travel to Sweden for April’s World Group II play-off tie following yesterday’s draw. Captain Judy Murray led the team of Elena Baltacha, Anne Keothavong, Heather Watson and Laura Robson through Euro/Africa Zone Group I two weeks ago. “Sweden’s top two players are similar in ranking to our top [...]
Dhoni heroics save India again February 14, 2012 CRICKET: Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was India’s hero again as they tied with Sri Lanka in the fifth match of the tri-series in Australia. Sri Lanka batted first at the Adelaide Oval and made a competitive 236-9, built around Dinesh Chandimal’s 81, and India were always right on the rate. A nervy finish saw the [...]
Cook sets tone as England win at long last February 13, 2012 Captain excels with best ever one-day score while Finn does the damage with the ball as Pakistan are crushed by 130 runs in one-sided series opener ENGLAND one-day captain Alastair Cook admitted to feeling a combination of jubilation and relief after his century helped set the tone for his side’s first significant victory of their [...]