Imperious Brazil are going through the gears June 30, 2010 WITH England disgraced and back on home soil, it’s left a strange feeling here in South Africa – almost like you’ve been invited to a surprise party and someone forgot to tell the birthday boy. No-one can argue that England deserve to be in the final eight given the way they performed, so thoughts turn [...]
Aussies fight back to save face at Oval June 30, 2010 ENGLAND captain Andrew Strauss lamented his team’s complacency after suffering a 78-run defeat to Australia in the fourth one-day international that ruined hopes of a series whitewash. A 155-run stand between Michael Clarke (99 not out) and Ricky Ponting (92) propelled Australia towards a commanding total of 290-5 at The Oval. And England failed to [...]
Lion king Geech returns to take director role at Bath June 30, 2010 BRITISH LIONS legend Sir Ian McGeechan is back in the Premiership after agreeing to become performance director at Bath. The 63-year-old has been out of the game since leaving Wasps after the 2009 Lions tour, but has now signed a two-year-deal with the Recreation Ground club, to work alongside head coach Steve Meehan. “I am [...]
SILVA LINING FOR CITY June 30, 2010 MANCHESTER CITY boss Roberto Mancini insists the £25m signing of David Silva is a major statement of the club’s intent. The coveted Spanish international winger joins City from Valencia on a four-year deal after the World Cup, and Mancini said: “In signing David, we are showing the world that we are bringing the best players [...]
SPORT | IN BRIEF June 30, 2010 Westwood in blood clot scare GOLF: England’s Lee Westwood is still hopeful of playing in the French Open, which starts today, despite a blood clot scare. The world No3 pulled out of yesterday’s pro-am in order to see a doctor about his swollen right calf and ankle, sparking fears he could miss next month’s Open. [...]
Sorry Blatter to reconsider technology June 29, 2010 FIFA president Sepp Blatter has admitted that the widespread embarrassment caused by Frank Lampard’s wrongfully disallowed goal against Germany has forced the world governing body to reconsider its opposition to goal-line technology. And in a further attempt to defuse the row, Blatter revealed that he had telephoned the Football Association to apologise for the colossal [...]
Capello will stay, insists FA bigwig June 29, 2010 BOLTON chairman and Football Association board member Phil Gartside insists Fabio Capello deserves to keep his job despite England’s World Cup debacle. England chiefs have told the Italian they need two weeks to decide whether to sack him, following a hugely disappointing second-round exit. But Gartside has become the first FA figure to reveal his [...]
Spanish Villa proves to be hot property June 29, 2010 SPAIN (1) vs PORTUGAL (0) BARCELONA hotshot David Villa struck again as Spain took a huge step towards adding the World Cup to their European Championship. Villa finally broke Portugal’s resistance just after the hour to set up a quarter-final with Paraguay on Saturday that they will be expected to win – and send their [...]
Venus sent crashing out by Pironkova June 29, 2010 GIANT-KILLER Tsvetana Pironkova told of her dream come true after sending five-time champion Venus Williams spinning out of Wimbledon. The unseeded Bulgarian put in the performance of her life, returning everything Williams had to throw at her, to come through 6-2, 6-3 in one of the biggest shocks in SW19 history. “It seems like a [...]
It’s the best England team for 20 years June 29, 2010 ALEC STEWART believes England are reaping the rewards of their best one-day side in nearly 20 years as they go in search of a 5-0 series whitewash over Australia. Andrew Strauss’s men will be looking to build on their unassailable 3-0 lead over their arch-rivals when they lock horns for the fourth one-day international at [...]