Downton lands leading ECB role October 16, 2013 FORMER wicketkeeper and City-based stockbroker Paul Downton has been named England and Wales Cricket Board’s new managing director. The 56-year-old made 30 Test appearances for England, but was forced to retire after being hit in the eye by a bail and subsequently embarked on a career with Cazenove, who later merged with JPMorgan. Downton will [...]
Sport Comment: You’re giving us hope, Roy, and we don’t want it October 16, 2013 IT’S NOT the despair. I can stand the despair; it’s the hope, John Cleese once wailed. As, no doubt, have countless England supporters, judging by the current collective cautiousness. Because England seems fairly unanimous. We are not being lured into the trap of getting excited about next summer’s World Cup just because Roy Hodgson’s men [...]
Southgate: I must tame warring team-mates October 16, 2013 ENGLAND Under-21 boss Gareth Southgate believes restoring harmony among his young squad could be the most challenging aspect of his tenure, following a bust-up involving rising star Ravel Morrison. The on-field clash between Morrison and team-mate Wilfried Zaha soured the young Lions’ 5-0 victory over Lithuania at Portman Road on Tuesday night, with the pair [...]
Latin Americans book spots in Brazil as line-up takes shape October 16, 2013 CHILE, Ecuador and Honduras have taken the number of teams qualified for the World Cup to 21 after they sealed their places in Brazil early yesterday morning. Barcelona’s Alexis Sanchez scored as Chile narrowly beat Ecuador 2-1, ensuring they took third and fourth spots in the South American qualifying group. Victory over Argentina was not [...]
India complete record run chase October 16, 2013 CRICKET: India successfully completed the second-highest run chase in one-day international history to beat Australia by nine wickets in Jaipur yesterday. Having been set an unlikely 360 to win off 50 overs opener Rohit Sharma scored an unbeaten 141, while Virat Kohli reached 100 not out off just 52 deliveries to steer India home with [...]
Saracens swoop for centre Bosch October 16, 2013 RUGBY UNION: Aviva Premiership pacesetters Saracens have signed Argentina centre Marcelo Bosch from Biarritz. The 29-year-old has won 23 caps for the Pumas, scoring three tries. Meanwhile, former Sarries coach Eddie Jones, now in charge of Japan, was admitted to hospital in Tokyo yesterday after showing signs of a minor stroke.
Double trouble: Investors wipe millions from Invesco and Burberry as star names quit October 15, 2013 TWO of the City’s biggest names shocked investors yesterday by stepping down from their jobs, leaving gaping holes at the top of multi-billion pound firms. Invesco’s star fund manager Neil Woodford announced he would leave the company next year after more than two decades, while Burberry chief executive Angela Ahrendts has spectacularly quit the luxury [...]
Fitch threatens US rating as debt talks enter final day October 15, 2013 WITH just a day left until the US Treasury reaches the debt ceiling, the country’s politicians remained gridlocked last night, lacking a crucial deal to prevent a financial default. Credit ratings agency Fitch placed the country’s current AAA rating on negative watch, saying that “prolonged negotiations” over the debt ceiling undermine “confidence in the role [...]
UK housing soars back to pre-financial crash prices October 15, 2013 THE PRICE of an average house in the UK steamed past its previous nominal peak during August, reaching record levels again, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures revealed yesterday. The announcement came as Martin Weale, a member of the Bank of England’s rate-setting monetary policy committee (MPC), voiced his concern over the recent [...]
It’s a tragedy that the Royal Mail’s sell-off has been so chaotic October 15, 2013 IT goes without saying that, with the benefit of hindsight, the government sold the shares in Royal Mail too cheaply. A decent discount would have been fine; they are routine with flotations and privatisations as the buyers are taking a risk and nobody knows the value of a firm before it starts trading. A deliberate [...]
