Button: I took a pay cut to join McLaren November 19, 2009 JENSON BUTTON has denied his move to McLaren was motivated by money – insisting he even took a pay cut to make the switch. The 29-year-old clinched his first world championship with Brawn GP this season, but has signed a three-year deal to join fellow Brit Lewis Hamilton at the Woking-based McLaren outfit. Brawn were [...]
Westwood seizes upper hand in Dubai November 19, 2009 STARLET Rory McIlroy admitted struggling to cope with the pressure after England’s Lee Westwood snatched the initiative on the first day of the Dubai World Championship. McIlroy, 20, came into the season-ending tournament – which will decide who scoops the European Tour Order of Merit and a €1.8m cheque – leading the money list. But [...]
‘In your face’ tactics won’t concern us, warns Strauss November 19, 2009 ANDREW STRAUSS has told his players to let their cricket do the talking while ignoring South Africa’s “in your face” tactics. The England captain has history against the Proteas and is fully expecting another series of confrontation and controversy this winter. Strauss leads his side out for the first of a five-match one-day series in [...]
Johnson’s England are being unfairly criticised November 19, 2009 KICKING INTO TOUCH WITH BRENDAN VENTER ENGLAND’S performance against Argentina attracted much criticism at the weekend, but I think Martin Johnson and his team are being unfairly treated. Argentina finished third in the 2007 World Cup and are ranked fourth in the world – four places ahead of England. With their physicality, they are a [...]
Semenya ‘won’t be stripped of her gold medal’ November 19, 2009 GENDER-ROW 800m runner Caster Semenya will be allowed to keep her World Championship gold medal, according to South African officials. World governing body the IAAF have still not decided whether the 18-year-old will be permitted to continue competing as a woman. But her country’s Department of Sport and Recreation said yesterday that Semenya would not [...]
England at risk of Portugal group clash November 19, 2009 ENGLAND are in danger of being drawn in the same group as arch-rivals Portugal or big hitters Holland at next summer’s World Cup. France’s contentious qualification means they will join England as one of eight seeded teams in South Africa, if governing body Fifa uses its normal formula. And that means Portugal and Holland will [...]
SPORT IN BRIEF November 19, 2009 Del Potro first up for MurrayTENNIS: Britain’s No1 Andy Murray will kick off the ATP World Tour Finals in London on Sunday with an opening clash against US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro. Murray, the world No4, is also pooled with world No1 Roger Federer and Fernando Verdasco in Group A at the O2 [...]
ROMA MOVE IN FOR ROMAN November 19, 2009 ITALIAN side Roma took the lead the race to sign Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko last night after club director Daniele Prade flew into London to discuss a possible transfer. The £13.8m Russian has fallen out of favour under Harry Redknapp this season, prompting Prade to push a deal through. Pavlyuchenko’s representative Oliver Wendt said: “It’s [...]
Notre Pere to upset Kauto Star’s bid for third Betfair Chase at Haydock November 19, 2009 I have read in the press this week that Kauto Star doesn’t like Haydock. From memory, Paul Nicholls said as much after the dual Gold Cup winner’s defeat in this race 12 months ago. However, he unseated at the last that day when arguably coming with a winning run, having previously won the last two [...]
the INSIDER November 19, 2009 Alan King hasn’t been in the best of form but the last few days he has seen a healthy return to the winner’s enclosure. When a stable of immense power and strength starts to hit form it is probably best to follow it, so my advice is to keep Barbury Castle runners on side. AWESOME [...]