South Africa abuse makes me laugh, says Pietersen December 7, 2009 PANTOMIME season is upon us – and England batsman Kevin Pietersen insists he is happy to play the role of villain for South Africa fans. The fit-again Hampshire star is frequently treated to a hot reception when he takes to the crease in the country of his birth. But ahead of the upcoming four-Test series, [...]
Wasps cleared in Sale match fiasco December 7, 2009 SALE have slammed Premier Rugby’s decision not to punish Wasps for pulling out of last month’s Premiership clash at short notice. Wasps appeared before a hearing yesterday charged with breaching regulations by refusing to play at a rain-soaked Edgeley Park on 27 November. Sale had been happy for the match to go ahead while referee [...]
Young Guns get Greek outing December 7, 2009 ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger has promised to give his young stars a chance to make amends for recent setbacks in tomorrow’s clash with Olympiacos. Wenger’s fringe players were well beaten 3-0 by a full-strength Manchester City in last week’s Carling Cup quarter-final. But the Frenchman is ready to unleash them on European competition, having already [...]
Bullard out for six weeks December 7, 2009 INJURY-PLAGUED Hull midfielder Jimmy Bullard has received a dose of festive cheer after learning his latest knee problem is not as bad as first feared. Bullard, who has twice suffered cruciate ligament damage, left the pitch in tears against Aston Villa on Saturday. It sparked fears that the 31-year-old had sustained another career-threatening injury, just [...]
European Open gets axe as six events join Tour December 7, 2009 THE EUROPEAN Open, a mainstay of the European Tour since 1977, has been axed from next year’s schedule. The 2010 season, which gets underway on Thursday, will feature six new tournaments but there is no place for the European Open, which has been held at the London Club in Kent for the past two years. [...]
SPORT IN BRIEF December 7, 2009 Ex-champs set for Open eventGOLF: Former Open winners will take part in a four-hole challenge on the eve of next year’s tournament to mark the 150th anniversary of the game’s oldest Major. All 32 living champions have been invited to play the first, second, 17th and 18th holes at St Andrews, with prize money being [...]
Jobs outlook improving for UKeconomy December 7, 2009 EMPLOYERS expect to hire rather than fire staff for the first time in a year in the first quarter of 2010, driven by the positive outlook for the finance and business sector, according to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey published today. For the UK as a whole, the survey reports that the balance of employers [...]
BRC: solid start to Christmas despite weaker sales growth December 7, 2009 BRITISH retailers saw weaker growth in sales values last month after experiencing their best October since 2002, the latest survey from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) will show today. Retail sales rose 1.8 per cent on a like-for-like basis in November compared to the same period last year when sales volumes fell 2.6 per cent [...]
Iceland’s GDP shrinks sharply as the island is pummelled by crisis December 7, 2009 ICELAND’S gross domestic product shrank 5.7 per cent in the third quarter from the second for an annual contraction of 7.2 per cent as the island’s financial crisis pummelled the economy, data showed yesterday. The North Atlantic island nation was plunged into its worst ever economic crisis last year as its main banks, heavily indebted [...]
AIGexecs threaten to quit if pay is cut December 7, 2009 FIVE senior executives at bailed-out bank AIG said that they are prepared to quit if their pay is cut significantly by the US pay tsar Kenneth Feinberg. The five senior AIG executives indicated last week in written notices that they were prepared to leave by the end of the year, according to sources. However, two [...]
