Pietersen and Swann miss Tigers ODIs July 4, 2010 ENGLAND selectors insist they planned to rest out-of-sorts batsman Kevin Pietersen for the forthcoming one-day series against Bangladesh even before he was struck by injury. Three meetings with one of the game’s lesser lights – the first of which takes place on Thursday at Trent Bridge – would have provided Pietersen with the perfect chance [...]
Beaten Murray goes back to the drawing board July 4, 2010 CRESTFALLEN Andy Murray is set to take a few weeks off as he tries to figure out how to avoid becoming a perennial Grand Slam nearly-man. Murray’s latest bid to end his wait for a major title died at Wimbledon on Friday when eventual winner Rafael Nadal overpowered him in straight sets. It was the [...]
Capello has been unlucky and we’d be mad to get rid of him, says Defoe July 4, 2010 ENGLAND striker Jermain Defoe insists the whole squad is unanimously behind manager Fabio Capello after national chiefs decided to spare him the axe. The Italian has taken much of the blame for a disastrous World Cup campaign and was made to wait while his Club England paymasters weighed up whether to keep him. But Capello [...]
SPORT | IN BRIEF July 4, 2010 Brazil axe boss Dunga FOOTBALL: Brazil manager Dunga has been sacked after failing to lead his team beyond the quarter-finals of the World Cup. Dunga had said he planned to leave the post after the tournament, but Brazilian football chiefs made sure by dismissing him and his staff. A successor is expected to be appointed [...]
PETACCHI PREVAILS July 4, 2010 ITALIAN veteran Alessandro Petacchi survived a chaotic final 3,000m to claim the first stage of the Tour de France – but British hope Mark Cavendish crashed out. Cavendish fell in the first of three collisions – the last a huge pile-up – before Petacchi won a sprint finish into Brussels. Swiss Fabian Cancellara retained the [...]
Cecil’s Twice Over looks good to Eclipse his Sandown rivals at 2/1 July 1, 2010 THERE is certainly no Sea The Stars in tomorrow’s Coral Eclipse field, but the £500,000 added Group 1 contest has still attracted last year’s Champion Stakes winner TWICE OVER and Dubai Sheema Classic winner Dar Re Mi in what looks set to be an intriguing battle of both generation and sex. Twice Over was last [...]
the INSIDER July 1, 2010 Back in the day I used to visit one or two fashionable clubs, including some in Manchester. However, it’s not just the name that is drawing me to HACIENDA (5%) in the big Heritage Handicap over one mile at Sandown (2.35) tomorrow. This son of Kheleyf looks like a typical improver from the Mark Johnston [...]
Samba Boys have the edge against Holland July 1, 2010 HOLLAND vs BRAZIL TODAY – 3.00PM ITV1 BRAZIL have been unfamiliarly clinical so far in this tournament. They just did enough to beat North Korea, before impressing against Ivory Coast in the second group game. The Portugal match was a non-event, but Dunga’s side showed their true mettle against Chile on Monday night. That was [...]
Murray: Hard court won’t favour Nadal July 1, 2010 ANDY MURRAY has brushed off fears that a sun-baked Centre Court will help his opponent Rafael Nadal as he seeks to become the first British man to reach the Wimbledon final since 1938. Murray is already the underdog for this afternoon’s semi-final against the Spaniard, who has reclaimed the world No1 spot following an outstanding [...]
Johnson hails axed captain Borthwick July 1, 2010 ENGLAND manager Martin Johnson admits dropping long-standing captain Steve Borthwick from his 32-man elite squad has been the hardest decision of his coaching career. Johnson installed Borthwick as skipper upon taking over in 2008 and stuck by him for two years, despite vociferous criticism of the Saracens lock’s international performances. But Borthwick’s injury in March [...]