Kieswetter relishes a second opportunity June 23, 2011 ENGLAND wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter believes his unscheduled sabbatical from international cricket has helped him to come to terms with the standard of performance required of him. The 23-year-old made a thrilling start to his England career by playing a pivotal role in clinching the World Twenty20 tournament last year, but lost his place in the [...]
Young deal part of £50m United spree June 23, 2011 MANCHESTER UNITED’S summer spending is set to smash through the £50m mark after they completed the signing of England winger Ashley Young yesterday. Young (inset), 25, joins the champions from Aston Villa for a fee of around £16m having agreed terms on a five-year contract. Manager Sir Alex Ferguson has already recruited England Under-21 defender [...]
SKY’S THE LIMIT: WIGGINS HAILS TEAM STRENGTH June 23, 2011 OLYMPIC champion Bradley Wiggins believes the revamped Team Sky should be targetting a top 10 finish at next month’s Tour de France. Wiggins was yesterday named alongside fellow Britons Geraint Thomas and Ben Swift in a nine-man squad. He said: “We are now in a better position than I’ve ever been in. Top 10 seems more [...]
India clinch series opener June 23, 2011 CRICKET: England’s upcoming opponents India won the opening Test against West Indies by 63 runs after running through the home side’s batting line-up on the fourth day at Sabina Park. Starting the morning on 131 for three and needing another 195 runs to win, West Indies lost six wickets in the first session before they [...]
Arsenal target hints at Rovers exit June 23, 2011 FOOTBALL: Blackburn defender Chris Samba has cast doubt over his future at Ewood Park by claiming he would leap at the chance to leave if a “good opportunity” arose. Samba has been strongly linked with a summer move to Arsenal.
Murray to progress but it won’t be easy against Ljubicic June 23, 2011 ANDY MURRAY vs IVAN LJUBICIC TODAY – FROM 1PM, BBC WIMBLEDON’S large contingent of British fans has been happy to declare Andy Murray as its own so far, but he’ll soon be dismissed as a grumpy Scot if he bites the dust against his third round opponent Ivan Ljubicic. Murray has come through his opening [...]
Bell has plenty on his Plate at Newcastle June 23, 2011 MICHAEL Bell won tomorrow’s Northumberland Plate (3.05pm), or Pitmen’s Derby as it is known locally, in 2007 with an unexposed four-year-old in Juniper Girl. He has two to go to war with this year – Tactician, owned by the Queen, and ACTIVATE, who is seeking a four-timer after an impressive win at Haydock last time. [...]
THE HUMBLE ONE June 22, 2011 NEW CHELSEA manager Andre Villas-Boas admits he will never be able to avoid comparisons with Jose Mourinho but insists his tenure will be underpinned by a focus on the team rather than self-promotion. The 33-year-old’s career has mirrored that of his mentor, who announced his arrival at Stamford Bridge in 2004 by anointing himself as [...]
Bold choice demands a bold response June 22, 2011 IT GOES without saying that Chelsea have made an extremely bold decision in paying a world record sum to hire a 33-year-old with less than two years’ management experience. But what fascinates me about the appointment of Andre Villas-Boas is how bold he is going to be in putting his stamp on a Blues set-up [...]
Easy does it for on song Murray but it’s heartache for wounded Watson June 22, 2011 FOURTH seed Andy Murray made serene progress into the third round of Wimbledon after a straight sets win over Germany’s Tobias Kranke, but it was an otherwise mixed day for British hopes, encapsulated by Heather Watson’s galling defeat against Sweden’s Mathilde Johansson. After beginning his campaign in less than commanding fashion against Daniel Gimeno-Traver on [...]