Jacques Kallis is fourth man to reach 13,000 Test runs

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Veteran South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis has become the fourth batsman to pass 13,000 Test runs. 

The 37-year-old reached the mark with a four through third man off seamer Doug Bracewell after tea in the first Test against New Zealand at Cape Town. He joins India's Sachin Tendulkar and Raul Dravid, and ex-Australia captain Ricky Ponting in passing the figure. "I'm probably batting as well as I've ever batted in my career," said Kallis, who was later out for 60. "Hopefully I can carry on with that form for a little while longer." Kallis achieved the milestone having played the fewest Tests of the four (159). However, Tendulkar, who tops the standings with 15,645 runs, managed to reach the 13,000 mark in fewer innings (266 to Kallis's 269). Cape Town-born Kallis, who celebrated the milestone on his home ground at Newlands, has also taken 282 Test wickets in a 17-year Test career. Having needed to score 20 to reach the 13,000 figure, he completed his 57th Test fifty in 68 balls, before departing for 60 when he edged seamer Trent Boult to keeper BJ Watling. "I love playing at Newlands so it was nice that I could get that achievement here," said Kallis. "The public have been fantastic to me. To get an ovation like that certainly means a lot to me, and these are very special moments that will live with me forever." Kallis, now on 13,040 runs, may struggle to overtake Tendulkar at the top of the list but, with no thoughts of retiring from Tests, should pass the retired Ponting (13,378) and Dravid (13,288). "When I feel that I'm not contributing to the team in the way that I think I should be, or holding some youngster up, then I'll definitely start thinking about it (retirement)," he added. "But that's certainly the furthest thing from my mind at the moment." Earlier in the day, New Zealand were bowled out for 45 - their third lowest all-time Test score - in only 68 balls, while the Proteas finished day one on 252-3, with Alviro Petersen 103 not out. Highest run-scorers in Test cricket: 15,645 - Sachin Tendulkar, India (194 Tests) - average 54.32 13,378 - Ricky Ponting, Australia (168) - average 51.85 13,288 - Rahul Dravid, India (164) - average 52.31 13,040 - Jacques Kallis, South Africa (159) - average 56.94 11,953 - Brian Lara, West Indies (131) - average 52.88 11,174 - Allan Border, Australia (156) - average 50.56 10,927 - Steve Waugh, Australia (168) - average 51.06 10,696 - Shivnarine Chanderpaul, West Indies (146) - average 51.67 10,674 - Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka (137)- average 49.41 10,122 - Sunil Gavaskar, India (125) - average 51.12













 2 January 2013 Last updated at 15:29
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/20891908

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India v England: Jonathan Trott & Ian Bell lead England to series win

Monday, December 17, 2012

England completed their first series victory in India for 27 years as Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell both hit centuries on the final day in Nagpur.

  Trott scored 143 and Bell 116 not out as the tourists - who lost in Ahmedabad before winning in Mumbai and Kolkata - earned the draw they needed to secure an historic achievement. India took just one wicket all day as debutant Joe Root added an unbeaten 20. England finished 356 runs ahead on 352-4 when stumps were drawn early. Their final-day dominance was fitting because, since being beaten by nine wickets in the first Test, England have outplayed their hosts in every department. While recent Ashes victories will rank as some of England's finest displays in recent years, former captain Michael Vaughan put the accomplishment into context by describing winning a Test series in India as the hardest thing to do in cricket. It is only the fourth time in history England have won there, and it is the first time since David Gower's tourists were triumphant in 1984-85. England also inflicted India's first series loss on home soil since the legendary Australia team of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Ricky Ponting won in 2004 - a series which became billed as "The Last Step To Greatness". Cook's team may not be "great" yet, but they certainly gave players like Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Mahendra Dhoni plenty to think about with their dominant performances. Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar outbowled India's spinners, James Anderson underlined his status as one of the best seamers in the world, while - led by the insatiable run-scoring feats of captain Cook - all of England's batsmen scored runs. Trott and Bell were the two players most in need of a good score on the final day of the match - and both delivered emphatically. The Warwickshire pair posted their highest Test scores of the year, with a century particularly welcome for Bell who averaged just 18 in India before he came to the crease when England were stuttering slightly at 94-3 on the fourth day. Scoring may have been slow, with Trott facing 310 balls and Bell 306, but it is a measure of England's progress that they suffered so few alarms on the final day after such a chastening start to the year. Both Trott and Bell were part of the side in January which was bowled out for 72 against Pakistan, on their way to a series whitewash in the United Arab Emirates. But there was no way Trott was going to allow the year to end on a sour note. He continued in a defiant manner on the fifth morning - timing the ball to perfection - as he eased a four through the leg side to bring up his eighth Test century. It appeared he might bat throughout the final day until his dismissal just before tea.

The 31-year-old chased a Ravichandran Ashwin delivery and chipped the ball into the hands of Virat Kohli at leg-slip. Bell batted similarly serenely, but did enjoy a let-off on 75 when he slashed hard outside off stump and was dropped at slip by Sehwag. He capitalised on his fortune late in the day when he completed his 17th Test century - the slowest of his international career - as he and Root, who swept Ashwin for six to compound the off-spinner's misery, closed out the historic and memorable series victory. England, who consolidated their second-placed position behind South Africa in the ICC Test rankings, travel to New Zealand for a three-Test series in March before hosting the Kiwis in the summer ahead of back-to-back Ashes contests. Listen to match highlights and Jonathan Agnew and Geoffrey Boycott's analysis of the day's play on the Test Match Special podcast. We are using archive pictures for this Test because several photo agencies, including Getty Images, have been barred from the ground following a dispute with the Board of Control for Cricket in India, while other agencies have withdrawn their photographers in protest.














17 December 2012 Last updated at 10:23
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/20752998

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Joe Root call-up 'double-edged sword' for Yorkshire

Friday, September 21, 2012

Yorkshire director of cricket Martyn Moxon believes batsman Joe Root's England call-up is a "double-edged sword" for the county. 

 The 21-year-old has been included in the squad for the winter tour of India. "It's fantastic to see young players called up by the country but it means they're unavailable for county matches," Moxon, himself a former England opener, told BBC Radio Leeds. "Having said that, it's fantastic news for him." Moxon added: "We continually have to try to produce players to replace those that get called up to play for England. "We're delighted for Jonny Bairstow too because he had a tough time against West Indies but for him to bounce back the way he did against South Africa showed tremendous skill and character." Root enjoyed a fine season as Yorkshire gained promotion back to Division One of the County Championship at the first attempt. The Sheffield-born youngster hit 937 first-class runs, including a superb 222 not out at Hampshire in July. Meanwhile, Moxon said the future of one of Yorkshire's more experienced players, Anthony McGrath, remains unsettled. The 36-year-old former skipper could leave the county 17 years after making his debut, despite making a series of vitally important contributions in the final part of the season. He has made it clear he wants to continue playing. "It's still not been decided," Moxon continued. "We've had a lot of chats with him over the last few months but he's got a few options of where his career is going to go so that's still ongoing."











21 September 2012 Last updated at 13:23
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/19673300

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Bradford Bulls handed six-point deduction by RFL

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Bradford Bulls have been handed a six-point deduction by the Rugby Football League for entering administration. 

 The points have been removed from the club's total with immediate effect, meaning they drop outside the Super League play-off positions. Bradford now sit in ninth position, two points below Hull KR, who occupy the final play-off berth. A consortium submitted a conditional bid for the Bulls last week and this was passed to the RFL on Tuesday. The six-point penalty is two points more than Wakefield and Crusaders were given when they went into administration and is the largest the RFL could have handed out. Bulls interim chief executive Gary Tasker said: "We expected a deduction of points by the RFL and we of course accept that penalty. We are not yet in a position to be able to offer any recompense to our creditors and as such a six-point deduction was what we expected. "We are still in the competition and a place in the top eight - and with it the ability to make the play-offs - is still within our grasp and we will be travelling to Warrington on Sunday in a confident and determined mood." Centre Chev Walker responded to the news of the points deduction by tweeting: "6 points of hard work on the field taken because of sloppy work off it!! Play-offs are still in reach long as we get our heads down." Administrator Brendan Guilfoyle revealed last week that the bid put forward by the consortium would be conditional on the Bulls being allowed to continue in Super League and lease back Odsal, which is owned by the RFL. "The best the RFL will get is a conditional bid," he told BBC Look North. "The consortium I'm dealing with won't move forward with the club in the second tier. It would be a totally different business model. "If this bid isn't accepted by them then this club will cease to exist and I will have failed." Bradford Bulls entered administration on 26 June after attempts to raise £1m to keep the club running were unsuccessful.











 25 July 2012 Last updated at 10:40
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/18981223

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Kevin Pietersen quits international limited-overs cricket

Thursday, May 31, 2012

England batsman Kevin Pietersen has announced his retirement from international limited-overs cricket.

 

The 31-year-old, who made his debut in 2004, played 127 one-day internationals and 36 Twenty20 internationals. "I think it is the right time to step aside and let the next generation of players come through to gain experience for the World Cup in 2015," he said. "I still wish to be considered for selection for England in Test cricket." Pietersen, who was player of the tournament in England's World Twenty20 triumph in the Caribbean in 2010, had been expected to be at the forefront of the side again during this year's competition, which takes place in Sri Lanka from 18 September to 7 October. But it has emerged that the ECB does not allow players to pick and choose between ODI and Twenty20 formats. Pietersen said: "For the record, were the selection criteria not in place, I would have readily played for England in the upcoming ICC World Twenty20." Hugh Morris, managing director of England Cricket, said the ECB was disappointed with the timing of Pietersen's decision, coming four months before the World T20. "As the programming and planning for ODI and T20 format cricket are very closely linked, we have a selection policy that means that any player making himself unavailable for either of the one-day formats, rules himself out of consideration for both formats," he said.

"The selectors will now replace Kevin in both the ODI and the T20 squads. "Kevin is a world-class player and I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his efforts and we look forward to his continued contributions to the Test match side." Andrew Strauss was the last senior player to retire from ODI cricket, although he was not part of the Twenty20 set-up. In an interview with BBC Sport late last year, England spinner Graeme Swann said the 50-over international format should be scrapped. Pietersen said he had considered the "intensity of the international schedule and the increasing demands on my body, approaching 32". South Africa-born Pietersen, who has an English mother, has been one of the most successful England batsmen of recent times since he qualified to play international cricket by serving four years in the county game. His 4,184 one-day international runs at an average of 48.14, puts him sixth in the all-time list of England batsmen, and he heads their T20 list with 1,176 runs at 37.93, the only England player to pass four figures in the shortest form of the game. Pietersen's relationship with the ECB, which came under scrutiny when he as England captain in January 2009 following a rift with then coach Peter Moores, was tested again this month after he was fined for criticising commentator Nick Knight on Twitter.














31 May 2012 Last updated at 11:46
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/18280196

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RFL will hand out right punishment after brawl - Shaun Wane

Monday, May 28, 2012

Wigan coach Shaun Wane believes the Rugby Football League will hand out suitable punishments after a mass brawl marred their victory over St Helens.

 

Warriors' Gareth Hock and Chris Tuson, plus Saints' Shaun Magennis, were all shown red cards in Wigan's 42-16 win. "Whatever happens, we'll deal with it," Wane told BBC Sport. "The RFL will do the right thing and we'll deal with it. "We've got a lot of kids coming through that are chomping at the bit to get a game and this might be their chance." A disciplinary hearing on Tuesday is likely to determine any retrospective punishments for all three players, who were dismissed by on-field referee Ben Thaler after consultation with his two assistants. Forward Hock, who missed the final five matches of last season after being found guilty of gouging, could face a lengthy suspension if he is deemed to have been the main perpitrator. "If he's made a mistake, I'll be into him," added Wane. "I don't want to lose Gareth Hock. "He needs to be better and he has been better while he's been under me. He's no angel, but neither are St Helens and neither are we." Meanwhile, St Helens captain Paul Wellens has apologised to supporters after the club succumbed to defeat at the Etihad Stadium, their third loss to Wigan this season. Saints were blown away by five tries in a stunning opening 25 minutes from the Warriors, a start from which they never recovered. Wellens, who had the minor satisfaction of scoring his 200th try for the club in the closing stages, told BBC Radio Merseyside: "It's hugely disappointing. "Our supporters came here expecting a much better performance than what we've shown and we have to apologise to them. "We played well below what we're capable of and it's hard to take. We know that we have to improve."












28 May 2012 Last updated at 12:17
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/18235546

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Kevin Pietersen: Andrew Strauss calms Twitter row

Friday, May 25, 2012

England captain Andrew Strauss has tried to calm the Twitter row involving Kevin Pietersen.

 

Batsman Pietersen was fined an undisclosed sum by the England and Wales Cricket Board following criticism of commentator Nick Knight on Twitter. But Strauss hopes the fine has resolved the matter. "The Twitter thing is a difficult issue and there's a line to tread. As players there are certain things we can't comment on," Strauss said. "Sometimes we've got to be a bit economical with what we say." Strauss explained that the players' contracts restrict what they are allowed to say in public. "We have conditions of employment that don't allow us to talk about everything and anything," he explained. "We can't criticise the ICC, we can't criticise umpires and in this case the board wasn't happy with Kevin's comments with regard to our broadcaster. "That's their right as a board, so Kevin has obviously received a fine because of that. "You can understand that the board is concerned with making sure their sponsors and broadcasters are looked after. "That's the way of the world. If you sign an England contract you can have opinions on certain things but can't say them publicly.

That's the way it is and there are good reasons for that." England head into Friday's second Test at Trent Bridge hoping to build on their fine victory in the series opener at Lord's. They overcame West Indies by five wickets in an impressive start to the summer. But Strauss feels that the first Test showed that the visitors pose a signficant threat. "It's so easy to get carried away after winning a game," he said. "If Lord's taught us anything, it's that the West Indies are a side very much to be respected. If we do win, we'll deserve it because we'll have had to play some pretty good cricket. "No-one has a God-given right to win a Test match. It's about hard work and West Indies showed glimpses of being quite obdurate and difficult to dislodge at times. "We've just got another five days of very hard work ahead." England paceman Stuart Broad took 11 wickets in the first Test and is hoping conditions at Trent Bridge will give him even more help. "It's an exciting cricket wicket," he told BBC Radio 5 live. "If you bat well you can score 100, if you bowl well you can take wickets. It's a good battle between bat and ball. The outfield is so fast here you get great value for runs and you have to play great cricket to win Test matches here. "Lord's was particularly slow and was very hard to drag anyone into a false shot if they play disciplined. Trent Bridge plays a little quicker and tends to be a pretty true so I'm hoping for a bit of pace and bounce."













 24 May 2012 Last updated at 20:49
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/18198258

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Alec Stewart column: West Indies may struggle at Trent Bridge

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

England made a good start to their international summer with a pretty convincing win over West Indies at Lord's, but there were a couple of hiccups along the way that they will want to rectify, starting at Trent Bridge on Friday.

 

In the first innings, they had an opportunity to bat West Indies out of the game by posting a score in excess of 450. However, they failed to fully build on the platform laid down by Andrew Strauss's fine century and if West Indies had batted in their first innings anything like they did in their second, the game could have been even closer than it was. You can forgive both teams a little ring-rustiness with the bat, given the amount of rain we have had in the early part of the season, but too many players on both sides got starts and then failed to turn them into the big scores that really influence Test matches. Having said that, I expect England to be stronger at Trent Bridge, where they have won their last three Test matches - against India, Pakistan and New Zealand - by massive margins. The West Indies will find the going in Nottingham even tougher than they did at Lord's because the ground is renowned as a swing bowler's paradise and in James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan, England have three of the best in the business. Since the new Radcliffe Road Stand went up, it seems to swing more than it ever did and the lush outfield at the ground means the ball stays in a better condition to swing for longer.

 The Windies attack has plenty of pace but you wouldn't call them big swing bowlers, so conditions are likely to favour England heavily. The key to the match could be how the inexperienced West Indies batsmen handle the moving ball. We saw glimpses that both Adrian Barath and Darren Bravo are talented cricketers, and if they can learn from their Lord's examination it will stand them in good stead for the rest of their careers. Shivnarine Chanderpaul showed the rest of his team that if you occupy the crease and put a high price on your wicket it is possible to score big runs, and I thought Marlon Samuels supported him well in the second innings. They will need a few more to follow their lead if they are to get back into the series. England have announced the same squad for Trent Bridge and I don't expect a change to the final XI either. Bresnan may only have taken one wicket in the match but he bowled well enough and, with his ability to swing the ball, will have a big part to play in Nottingham. He has also now played 12 Test matches and won them all so I wouldn't even contemplate leaving the lucky mascot out. The Windies, on the other hand, have plenty of selection issues to consider. Ravi Rampaul should have recovered from his injury setback and is likely to replace Shannon Gabriel, who is flying home with a back injury after an impressive debut at Lord's, while the off-spinner Shane Shillingford would provide variety. The age-old issue of getting the right balance is the biggest problem any team faces when they don't possess a genuine all-rounder. I expect them to stick with four frontline bowlers.

The question is, which four? With Chris Gayle's Indian Premier League commitments now over, it will be interesting to see whether the selectors rush him straight into the team. He has had well-documented issues with West Indies cricket but has now resolved his differences and is available. Another player currently out of favour, and plying his trade with Leicestershire, is Ramnaresh Sarwan and after his excellent interview on Test Match Special it was obvious he still has a real desire to represent the Caribbean. On talent alone they would both strengthen the side but the West Indies Cricket Board has some big decisions to make. England's biggest dilemma is probably finding a way to dismiss the brilliant Chanderpaul and they will be studying plenty of footage of him between now and Friday. He has a very open, unorthodox stance, which has served him well over the years, but I still believe the best bet is to bowl full and straight at him. He is a prime candidate for leg-before as he hangs back and plays from the crease line. It does mean potentially giving away a few runs through mid-wicket or square leg but as he batted for more than 10 hours at Lord's for just once out, I would suggest it's worth a go. England need to come up with strategies for Chanderpaul and if Plan A doesn't work, try Plan B. If they end up at Plan Z, that's the time to panic!











 23 May 2012 Last updated at 06:57
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/18153830

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Varun Chopra ton puts Warwickshire in charge

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Varun Chopra's second century of the season for Warwickshire piled more pressure on champions Lancashire. 

Chopra hit a patient 113 as he put on 168 for the first wicket with Ian Westwood, who made 70 for his highest score of the campaign so far. William Porterfield added 34 from 50 balls as the hosts looked in control. But they fell from 224-1 to end the day on 289-4 as Lancashire, who are still aiming for their first Championship victory of 2012, fought back well. Porterfield was caught at slip by Paul Horton, Chopra picked out Karl Brown at mid-wicket and Jim Troughton was bowled by on-loan Ajmal Shahzad. However, the visitors will be keen to quickly end a fifth-wicket partnership of 53 between Darren Maddy (29 not out) and Tim Ambrose (22 not out). Warwickshire were without England pair Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott as they looked to claim the victory that could take them back to the top of Division One. They were helped when second slip Stephen Moore dropped Chopra off of Shahzad when the batsman had only scored 51 and that proved costly as Chopra added another 62 before being dismissed. VIEWS FROM THE COMMENTARY BOX BBC Coventry and Warwickshire's Clive Eakin: "Varun Chopra's second century of the season was an impressively disciplined innings. "He took few risks and resisted the temptation to hit out at Lancashire's spin attack when they bowled in tandem.

"Along with Ian Westwood he was efficient at gathering singles and keeping the scoreboard ticking over without giving the bowlers much encouragement. "Chopra only gave one chance before eventually falling to possibly his first really loose shot. "The wickets in the final session have got Lancashire back into the game to a point, but the Bears will believe they have at least one more productive partnership in them which would lift them to a commanding total." BBC Radio Lancashire's Scott Read: "Lancashire should feel pretty happy with their efforts today as the close of play score isn't really a reflection on how well they bowled. "Leading the way first up this morning was the captain Glen Chapple and Ajmal Shahzad. They bowled with aggression and accuracy and were well backed up by Luke Procter and the spin twins Kerrigan and Keedy. "They got their rewards after tea with a good final session which sets things up nicely for day two. "However, the big concern for the Red Rose is a potential side injury for their captain. Chapple had to leave the field late on, fingers crossed it was just a precaution."












16 May 2012 Last updated at 19:19
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/18078285

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Challenge Cup: Wigan Warriors v St Helens

Friday, May 11, 2012

Wigan prop Paul Prescott has recovered from a back injury and returns for his side's televised Challenge Cup quarter-final clash with arch-rivals St Helens.

 

Anthony Gelling is expected to continue to deputise for Pat Richards (knee) after scoring two tries last week. Saints expect to have back rower Jon Wilkin (shoulder) available after a five-match absence, while Josh Perry and Gary Wheeler are close to fitness. Only prop Tony Puletua and winger Ade Gardner remain on the sidelines. Saturday's match takes place at the DW Stadium following days of protracted talks due to the stadium hosting Wigan Athletic's final Premier League home game 24 hours later.

Bolton's Reebok Stadium and the Leigh Sports Village were considered as alternative venues before Warriors chairman Ian Lenagan managed to agree a deal with stadium owner Dave Whelan. Cup holders Wigan will be hoping for a repeat of last season's Challenge Cup victory over St Helens, who they beat 18-12 at the semi-final stage. They went on to lift the trophy for a record 18th time, ending a nine-year spell without the title. Saints, meanwhile, will be looking for an improved performance after losing 28-10 to the Warriors in the Super League on 6 April. That loss was their only defeat in eight league and cup games under caretaker head coach Mike Rush since the departure of Royce Simmons on 19 March.








11 May 2012 Last updated at 12:00
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/18001083

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Mitchell Johnson back for Australia ODI tour of England

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Australia have recalled fast bowlers Mitchell Johnson and Patrick Cummins to their one-day side for next month's tour of Ireland and England.

 

Johnson, 30, has recovered from foot surgery, while 18-year-old Cummins is back after a heel injury. Veteran Brett Lee is also in the squad while Matthew Wade is the only specialist wicketkeeper included. Selector John Inverarity said: "Johnson is in contention for the World Twenty20 and needs some quality cricket." Inverarity added: "We are also excited about the return of Pat Cummins and we are looking to ease him back into the team. "He will not be expected to play in all of the eight scheduled games." Both Johnson and Cummins have been selected for Australia A's tour of England that follows the ODI tour. Former captain Ricky Ponting is not in the squad having admitted earlier this year that he does not expect to play one-day cricket again after being dropped. The tourists begin against Leicestershire on 21 June, and play Ireland and Essex before taking on England in five ODIs.

Australia A, who will be captained by Test opener Ed Cowan, have included 11 players with international experience in their 17-man squad. They will play warm-up games against Derbyshire and Durham before two four-day matches against England Lions. Australia squad: Michael Clarke (captain), Shane Watson, George Bailey, Patrick Cummins, Xavier Doherty, Ben Hilfenhaus, Mike Hussey, David Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Clint McKay, James Pattinson, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade (wk), David Warner Australia A squad: Ed Cowan (captain), Peter Forrest (vice-captain), George Bailey, Jackson Bird, Joe Burns, Tom Cooper, Patrick Cummins, Ben Cutting, Liam Davis, Jon Holland, Mitchell Johnson, Michael Klinger, Nathan Lyon, Tim Paine (wk), James Pattinson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc












 10 May 2012 Last updated at 10:14
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/18016732

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David Haye & Dereck Chisora to fight at Upton Park

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

David Haye and Dereck Chisora are to face each other at Upton Park on 14 July in a fight sanctioned by the Luxembourg Boxing Federation.

 

Chisora's manager Frank Warren told the BBC he would officially announce the fight at 1230 BST at a news conference. The British heavyweights were involved in a brawl following Chisora's defeat by Vitali Klitschko in Munich. The British Boxing Board of Control will not sanction the fight because neither holds a British licence. Chisora had his licence withdrawn after a number of controversial incidents before and after the Klitschko fight - but he has appealed against the decision. The 28-year-old slapped Klitschko at the weigh-in and spat water at the Ukrainian's brother Wladimir before the contest. Haye relinquished his licence when he retired in October last year , three months after losing his WBA title to Wladimir in Hamburg. Warren had previously said he would not go ahead with a fight between the two boxers. However, he said he changed his mind because Chisora's appeal against his licence withdrawal had been "pushed back to July". Warren said: "What he [Chisora] did was stupid and there should be some sort of punishment. "But he will be out of action for six months and will lose money.

Why should he not make a living?" Chisora was granted a licence to fight by the Luxembourg Boxing Federation but Warren added that "a number of commissions" had been willing to do so. Warren said he would not be taking a commission from Chisora for the fight, but would make money as a "shareholder" in the Box Nation subscription channel that will air the fight. When asked whether holding the fight might threaten his own licence as a promoter with the British Boxing Board of Control, Warren said he hoped they would not hold it against him. "What I'm doing is legal and lawful," he said. "I have a managerial contract with Chisora, I have legal obligations to him and I won't have these compromised by the British Boxing Board of Control. "When they made their decision, they said he was able to apply for a licence in another jurisdiction, that was said at the hearing, and that is what he's done."













8 May 2012 Last updated at 08:20
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/boxing/17987600

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James Anderson given all-clear after thumb injury

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

England pace bowler James Anderson has been given the all-clear after undergoing an X-ray on a thumb injury.

 

The 29-year-old was twice struck on the hand while fielding for Lancashire on the first morning of the game against Nottinghamshire at Old Trafford. But the county champions said on Twitter there was "no break to his thumb" and later added: "Anderson has returned to the field." England's first Test against West Indies at Lord's begins on 17 May. Andrew Strauss's side play three Tests, three one-day internationals and one Twenty20 against the Windies, with five ODIs against Australia scheduled before the visit of South Africa. Anderson, playing in first match since England's tour of Sri Lanka, is lining-up against a Notts side that includes England team-mates Graeme Swann, Samit Patel and Stuart Broad, himself returning to action after a spell on the sidelines with a calf problem.

The right-armer had bowled 10 wicketless overs and showed no obvious signs of discomfort but, at the end of his spell, left the field and went to hospital as a precaution. BBC Radio 5 live's Kevin Howells, who was at Old Trafford, said: "He was involved in an unusual dismissal when he parried the ball from gully over to third slip where the South African Ashwell Prince caught Michael Lumb. "I understand it wasn't actually that incident that caused Anderson the problem, rather one a little bit later off his own bowling." Anderson looks likely to return to bowl for Lancashire in the remainder of the match against Nottinghamshire and is set to be available for next week's game at Sussex.









2 May 2012 Last updated at 14:07
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/17925340

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Worcestershire on flood alert as rivers rise at New Road

Monday, April 30, 2012

Worcestershire are on flood warning at New Road again due to the rising river levels of the nearby Severn and Teme. New Road was last under water late on in 2008, having lost half of the 2007 season when they suffered the second worst flood in the county's history. And chief executive David Leatherdale admits this could be a very close call. "The level of the Severn is about 3.6 metres above the norm and that is borderline for us as a club," he told BBC Hereford & Worcester. "We are guesstimating where we might be. If it reaches 4 metres above the normal level it's touch and go. We could be in trouble." Fortunately, after Sunday's wash-out of the final day of their game against Nottinghamshire, Worcestershire are not at home this week. They return to action on Thursday when they head off to face Middlesex at Lord's. And they are not due at New Road again until the CB40 game against the Netherlands next Monday, two days before they host Surrey in the Championship. "We have the use of Kidderminster as a second ground," said Leatherdale. "The agreement is they are available at very short notice.

"Ironically we have a second team game there tomorrow [Tuesday], and as far as cricket goes that is not a problem." Although the River Severn runs right past New Road, the flooding problem is actually caused about a mile downstream where it meets its tributary, the Teme, from where excess water is sent back over the flood plain beyond the Diglis End of the ground and back up through the drains. But the Worcestershire groundstaff are keeping a careful eye on rising waters in the Severn as they know that means potential trouble is not far away. "On Sunday it was touching the banks," said Leatherdale. "And now it's three quarters up the fence on the river side. "As long as it does not get on the square, that is the key point. It needs protecting but it is a fine line between reaching the car park and the edge of the square. "We have made some contingency plans, we have cleared out some of our low-lying areas and have gone on our normal alert for this sort of situation."








30 April 2012 Last updated at 13:19
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/17894700

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Salford City Reds pay outstanding tax bill

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Salford chief executive Dave Tarry has told BBC Radio Manchester that the immediate future of the club is secure after paying an outstanding tax bill.

It emerged in February that the Super League side owed a five-figure fee to HMRC, which has now been paid.

"I wouldn't say people should be worried about Salford's immediate future, but we haven't got crystal balls," said Tarry.

"We've just got to keep moving on, just like everybody else."
Salford moved into a new 12,000-seater stadium at the beginning of the season and have been attracting crowds of around 5,000 to Super League matches, well below the club's target figure of 8,000.

The City Reds recently announced that they will be sharing their ground with rugby union outfit Sale Sharks from the beginning of the next Premiership season.
"Times are tough in sport, as they are in many other walks of life," added Tarry. "In today's world, if you're not on your toes with the HMRC, they take action very quickly.

"There's not a lot of discussion going on. It's about being able to respond as and when required.
"We've seen it throughout the whole of sport, not just in Super League. In rugby union, there are one or two interesting cases bubbling along at the moment, as there is in football with Rangers.

"Times are tough in business and in sport. Unfortunately today, they authorities don't seem to want to wait. It's one of those things and we carry on like every other club."









24 April 2012
Last updated at 13:48
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/17828808

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Saeed Ajmal out of Worcestershire's T20 campaign

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Worcestershire have confirmed Saeed Ajmal will miss the FL t20 campaign due to a clash with Pakistan's tour of Sri Lanka.

The spinner will play in his country's tour, which is scheduled to be played from May to July, and the Royals will now be in the market for a replacement.
"Losing a player of Saeed's quality is a big disappointment," director of cricket Steve Rhodes said.

"However, we are extremely active in finding a replacement for the T20."
Ajmal tormented England's batting order in February's Test series, taking 24 wickets in three matches.











19 April 2012
Last updated at 08:40
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/17757586

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Stuart Law quitting as Bangladesh national coach in the summer

Monday, April 16, 2012

Former Australia batsman Stuart Law is quitting as Bangladesh coach after just nine months, citing family reasons.

Law, 43, will step down when his contract expires in June.
The decision comes a day after the Tigers confirmed a tour of Pakistan later this month, and within a month of them finishing second in the Asia Cup.
"Cricket has been a huge part of my life but, over the years, I have realised that there is nothing more important than family," said Law.









16 April 2012
Last updated at 11:23
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/17728170

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Alastair Cook and Tim Bresnan on Wisden cricketers list

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

England pair Alastair Cook and Tim Bresnan have been named among Wisden's five cricketers of the year.

Cook averaged 84 and Bresnan took 21 wickets in 2011 as England reached the top of the world Test rankings.

Sri Lanka batsman Kumar Sangakkara becomes the first man to be leading cricketer in the world and make the list in the same year.
Lancashire captain Glen Chapple and Worcestershire seamer Alan Richardson complete the list.
The Five Cricketers of the Year are chosen by the editor of Wisden since 1889 to reflect an impact on English cricket, and no-one can be chosen more than once.
Cook scored 927 Test runs as England won 10 Test matches out of 10 and replaced India as the world's best side - including a career best 294 at Edgbaston. Having inherited the one-day captaincy from Andrew Strauss, Cook led by example in series victories over Sri Lanka and India.
Bresnan hit a powerful 90 against India at Trent Bridge in that series, taking 16 wickets at 16 runs along the way.
The Yorkshire all-rounder said: "It's a very select membership and I'm over the moon to receive such a prestigious honour."
Sri Lanka batsman Sangakkara compiled 2,267 international runs last year with five centuries and 13 fifties, including a century in probably his last Test on English soil at Hampshire.

"I had always wanted a Test hundred at Lord's but, if that was not to be, then anywhere in England," Sangakkara told David Hopps in the Almanack.
"The Rose Bowl felt as if it might be my last opportunity."
Chapple, 38, was Lancashire's talisman as they won a first outright County Championship in 77 years, taking 55 wickets and bowling through injury on the final day as they clinched the title with victory at Somerset.
He told BBC Radio Lancashire: "Personally I had a good season but that wouldn't, in itself, be enough normally to win this award.
"The credit has to go to the players for the way they performed last year.
"It was a fantastic year for Lancashire and all the lads who played so well have obviously played a big part in me receiving this award."
Richardson was the leading wicket taker in county cricket last summer, taking 73 for Worcestershire in Division One.
Richardson told BBC Hereford and Worcester: "To be recognised along world-class cricketers such as Alastair Cook, Tim Bresnan, Glen Chapple and Kumar Sangakkara is a real honour, to have my name up against some of the greats of the game."









11 April 2012
Last updated at 11:29
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/17675636

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Courts orders Force India to hand over £700,000 in unpaid fees

Thursday, March 22, 2012

A High Court judge has ordered the Force India team to pay more than £700,000 in unpaid fees to Italian race car design company Aerolab.

It comes as a part of the verdict in an intellectual-property dispute involving the two parties and the Caterham team.
Aerolab pursued Force India for unpaid fees before Force India accused them and Team Lotus, now known as Caterham, of misuse of confidential information.
Force India were given £20,900 over use of its intellectual property rights.
The property rights, the judge said, had been used as a "shortcut" to speed up the initial design of the 2010 Team Lotus Formula 1 car.
Mr Justice Arnold rejected Force India's claim that there had been "systematic copying" of their designs, saying they had "come nowhere near establishing that was the case".

He held that neither Caterham nor their chief technical officer Mike Gascoyne were liable for breach of confidence.
Force India has referred the case to F1's governing body the FIA and asked it to look into the use of its intellectual property by Team Lotus.
In 2009 Caterham, who were then competing as Lotus, began working with Aerolab days after the design company had decided to terminate its contract with Force India for unpaid fees.

Legal costs, which could raise Force India's bill considerably further, have not yet been established.
The ruling comes as the Kingfisher Airlines company of Force India owner Vijay Mallya is in serious financial trouble.
It announced last week that it was "curtailing" its international flights because of a shortage of airline crew.

Staff have gone on strike because of unpaid wages.
At the same time, its accounts have been frozen by authorities for non-payment of taxes, resulting in cash-flow problems for the carrier.
Kingfisher is a major sponsor of Force India. Last October the Indian Sahara Group bought a 42.5% stake in the team for £63m, with Mallya remaining as team principal.












22 March 2012
Last updated at 09:04
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/17471815

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Chris Adcock and Imogen Bankier lose Swiss Open semi-final

Monday, March 19, 2012

Chris Adcock and Imogen Bankier are close to breaking into the world top 10 despite losing in the Swiss Open mixed doubles semi-finals.
They went into the tournament in 14th place and their run will earn valuable ranking points as they look to claim a Great Britain spot for London 2012
The pair were beaten by Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir 21-15 16-21 21-13.
Adcock and Bankier beat their rivals for an Olympic place, Nathan Robertson and Jenny Wallwork, in round two.

Their conquerors in the semi-final are All England champions and were the top seeds. The Indonesians made a flying start, racing into an 8-1 lead and reaching the interval 11-3 ahead.
Adcock and Bankier fought back but the closest they got was within four points, at 19-15, before Ahmad and Natsir won the next two to take the opener.

The second game was far tighter and level at 13-13 before the Britons edged into a two-point lead at 17-15 and went on to level the match with a 21-16 success.
In the decider, the Indonesians again set the pace and led 5-2 but Adcock and Bankier reeled them in at 8-8 before Ahmad and Natsir reached the interval 11-9 ahead.

But then came a big push from the eventual winners, who won six of the next seven points, on the way to taking the decider.










18 March 2012
Last updated at 15:17
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/badminton/17422524

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