Chief defiant over Semenya row September 20, 2009 ATHLETICS: South African federation chief Leonard Chuene has refused to quit after admitting he knew all along about runner Caster Semenya’s gender test. Government ministers have called on Chuene to resign after it emerged he kept secret the tests on the women’s 800m world champion. But he said: “I’ll face this head on. I won’t [...]
Poker: a hard way to make an easy living September 17, 2009 ONE OF THE old maxims about poker is that it’s a hard way to make an easy living. You can grind out in a game for hours and hours and come away a loser, you can play for days in a major tournament and still bust out just short of the money, and you can [...]
Redford and Hayley the Gold bet at Ayr September 17, 2009 I think we may need Derren Brown’s help to pick the winner of tomorrow’s William Hill Ayr Gold Cup as the six furlong cavalry charge looks harder to call than ever. The ground continues to dry out while the importance of the draw won’t be known until after the running of this afternoon’s Silver Cup [...]
the INSIDER September 17, 2009 WE HAD a good week with the column last week, backing Goldolphin’s Sand Vixen to win the Flying Childers and laying Luca Cumani’s Seta in the May Hill. Seta is definitely very promising and it was encouraging to hear Kieren Fallon’s positive noises for the future after the race, but it showed again that wide [...]
Chelsea can continue amazing home record September 17, 2009 CHELSEA vs TOTTENHAMSunday 4pm, Sky Sports 1 CHELSEA V BOLTON, Saturday 13th December 2003, won’t resonate with most football fans, but that was the last time Chelsea tasted defeat in the league at Stamford Bridge against non Big Four opposition. They are now unbeaten at home against such teams in an astonishing 91 Premier League [...]
United easier without Ron, taunts Micah September 17, 2009 MANCHESTER CITY defender Micah Richards has fanned the flames ahead of Sunday’s local derby by insisting Manchester United miss Cristiano Ronaldo. United sit second in the Premier League but have yet to find top gear this season, since selling £80m winger Ronaldo to Real Madrid over the summer. And Richards believes that makes them ripe [...]
Tim ensures a Paine-ful loss September 17, 2009 ENGLAND will be looking to avoid a humiliating series whitewash at the Riverside on Sunday after slumping to another heavy defeat by Australia at Trent Bridge yesterday. Wicketkeeper Tim Paine struck 111 in a 163-run stand with Mike Hussey to help the tourists close on an imposing 296-8. Indeed, it proved too much for shambolic [...]
Grand slams no longer just for the top two, says Cash September 17, 2009 FORMER Wimbledon champion Pat Cash believes Juan Martin del Potro’s shock US Open success is a sign that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal’s grand slam stranglehold is slipping. Before this year’s visit to Flushing Meadows, Federer and Nadal had enjoyed a near monopoly at the slams, winning 17 of the previous 18 events. But 20-year-old [...]
Out-of-favour Kamara earns Fulham September 17, 2009 CSKA MOSCOW (1) vs FULHAM (1) FORGOTTEN striker Diomansy Kamara secured a patched-up Fulham a creditable draw in Sofia last night. Boss Roy Hodgson gave notice of his intentions in Europe this season by making no fewer than nine changes from the side which beat Everton on Sunday. But still his men got their campaign [...]
No sticky opener for Toffees as rearguard spark four-goal show September 17, 2009 EVERTON (4) vs AEK ATHENS (0) EVERTON opened their Europa League group stage campaign in fine style in a game which saw both sides end the game with ten men. The Toffees took an early lead through Joseph Yobo’s header on 10 minutes before his centre-back partner Sylvain Distin netted his first goal for the [...]