Five-star Anderson has the toiling Aussies in his sights July 2, 2009 SEAMER James Anderson signalled his intentions ahead of Wednesday’s first Ashes Test with Australia with a devastating five-wicket spell to put England in control of their warm-up match with Warwickshire. The Lancashire pace man shared a blistering opening spell with Andrew Flintoff to claim 5-34 as the Bears were skittled out for a measly 102. [...]
Sir Alex lines up surprise bid to lure Michael Owen July 2, 2009 MANCHESTER United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is on the brink of securing a shock deal to bring former European footballer of the year Michael Owen to Old Trafford on a free transfer. Owen, whose career has been blighted by injury of late, is a free agent after his contract with Newcastle United ended on Tuesday [...]
Japanese take over at Plymouth July 2, 2009 FOOTBALL: A consortium of Japanese businessmen yesterday secured a majority interest in Plymouth Argyle. Japanese businessman Yasuaki Kagami now owns 38 per cent of the Championship club’s shares with Sir Roy Gardner and Keith Todd owning 13 per cent, giving the consortium 51 per cent. Sir Gardner, the former Manchester United chairman, takes over the [...]
Derby hero heads field of 10 July 2, 2009 HORSE RACING: Epsom Derby and 200 Guineas hero See The Stars heads a strong field of 10 for Saturday’s big race at Sandown, the Coral-Eclipse Stakes. John Oxx’s charge is joined by Rip Van Winkle, who finished fourth in last month’s Derby, as well as Ballydoyle stablemates Malibu Bay and Set Sail. Sir Michael Stoute’s [...]
BRITAIN’S GREAT TRAIN DEBACLE July 1, 2009 NATIONAL Express was last night fighting to remain in the rail industry, as fears mounted it could be stripped of its two remaining franchises. The operator announced it was walking away from its east coast rail franchise, triggering a shock renationalisation of the Kings Cross-Edinburgh line. The news capped a day of woe for the [...]
EXCLUSIVE July 1, 2009 STANDARD Chartered, the emerging markets bank, is close to confirming acting chairman John Peace as its new chairman, sources said last night. The impending appointment, after a period of search led by consultants Egon Zehnder, means it is ever more likely that Win Bischoff, the 67 year-old former chairman of Citigroup, will take the job as chairman of Lloyds [...]
SABMiller in S Africa deal July 1, 2009 SABMILLER, the world’s second largest brewer, yesterday signed a deal to sell black investors 10 per cent of its South African business to comply with post-apartheid rules. The deal will hand black employees and other stakeholders a $775m (£454m) chunk of the company’s Johnannesburg-based subsidiary, at an estimated cost of $220m in the biggest empowerment deal [...]
Britain’s transport policy in deep crisis July 1, 2009 BRITAIN’S transport policy is in chaos. This is hardly news, you might say, but the issue is once again at the fore. It is clear that there is a big problem with the way the rail franchises have been allocated. Firms have an incentive to bid too much for a franchise because they know that [...]
Royal Mail sell-off shelved July 1, 2009 THE government yesterday shelved controversial plans for a part-privatisation of the Royal Mail due to the depressed state of the economy. Business Secretary Lord Mandelson told the House of Lords that “market conditions” had made it “impossible” to complete a deal on “favourable terms.” He added there was “no prospect” of the proposed sale of up [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING July 1, 2009 FINANCIAL TIMES SCRAPPAGE INCENTIVES REVIVE CAR DEMAND Car sales rose in several big European and Asian markets last month, lifted largely by government scrapping incentives aimed at reviving consumer demand. The numbers give weight to the notion that stimulus measures are pulling the global motor industry out of its deep downturn, but carmakers and industry [...]
