Tuesday, July 14, 2009

England wait on Flintoff fitness

Second Ashes Test, Lord's: England v Australia
Date: 16-20 July
Coverage: Test Match Special commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live sports extra, BBC Radio 4 Long Wave, Red Button and BBC Sport website, plus live text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles. Live on Sky Sports

Andrew Flintoff
Flintoff bowled 35 overs in the first Test

England will continue to monitor Andrew Flintoff's fitness before naming their team for the second Ashes Test, which starts at Lord's on Thursday.

The all-rounder had a scan and cortisone injection to his right knee following the drawn first Test having felt discomfort while fielding.

National selector Geoff Miller said: "I don't think it's a flare-up - just a reaction to one of his old injuries.

"It's not disastrous but we just have to be very wary of it and monitor it."

Flintoff experienced the pain in his knee after playing in the first Test in Cardiff, prompting England to name Steve Harmison in a 14-man squad for the match at Lord's as cover for the 31-year-old.

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How important is Flintoff to England's chances?

The scan was to the same knee Flintoff underwent an operation on last month and England will be keen for him to prove his fitness ahead of the game.

Miller added: "Andrew knows himself how painful it is and whether he'll be able to compete, but it's a long series and we've got four more games to play so we've got to take that into consideration."

England squad: AJ Strauss (capt), AN Cook (Essex), RS Bopara (Essex), KP Pietersen (Hampshire), PD Collingwood (Durham), MJ Prior (Sussex, wkt), A Flintoff (Lancashire), SCJ Broad (Nottinghamshire), GP Swann (Nottinghamshire), JM Anderson (Lancashire), MS Panesar (Northamptonshire), IR Bell (Warwickshire), G Onions (Durham), SJ Harmison (Durham)


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о 2:29 AM 0 коментарі

Gibernau's team quits MotoGP grid

German MotoGP, Sachsenring
Date: 18-19 July
Saturday 18 July: Qualifying: 1150-1500, BBC Red Button/online) Sunday 19 July: 0950-1205, BBC Red Button/online Race live: 1230-1400, BBC Two/online ; MotoGP Extra, 1400-1430, BBC Red Button/online

Sete Gibernau
Gibernau's career has been blighted by a string of injury problems

Sete Gibernau's future in MotoGP is in doubt after his Ducati satellite team Grupo Francisco Hernando withdrew from the championship for financial reasons.

The Spaniard returned to the series this season after two years away and competed in six races, missing two others because of a broken collarbone.

"I am the most surprised at this decision," said Gibernau.

"It's a shame that just as we're getting close to picking up the results we were after we have had to pull out."

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The former world championship runner-up has yet to make a statement over whether he plans to continue riding.

He retired for the first time in 2006 after a crash at the Portuguese Grand Prix.

Gibernau's most recent race of his comeback also ended in disappointment, crashing out of the United States Grand Prix at Laguna Seca.


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о 2:08 AM 0 коментарі

Notts County takeover completed

Notts County

Munto Finance have completed their takeover of Notts County, reports BBC Radio Nottingham.

Peter Trembling has been named as the club's new chairman and chief executive with Peter Willett alongside him on the board of directors.

Former directors, including chairman John Armstrong-Holmes, have resigned.

Trembling told BBC Radio Nottingham: "Our plans are very straightforward. We want to bring success back to Notts County Football Club."

He added: "We have already voiced our plans for the next five years, and that's very clearly to get us into the Championship.

"It may be that this season is one of consolidation...but without doubt, the concentration, the onus, is on getting up this season."


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о 1:50 AM 0 коментарі

Gallacher condemns Lyle outburst

The 138th Open, Turnberry
Date: 16-19 July
Coverage: Live TV coverage on BBC Two, Online and the Red Button, live on Radio 5 Live and text commentary online on all four days

Sandy Lyle and Colin Montgomerie with the Ryder Cup in 2006
Lyle and Montgomerie share a happier day at the 2006 Ryder Cup

Sandy Lyle was wrong to accuse 2010 European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie of cheating in an event four years ago, says Bernard Gallacher.

Asked if his own decision to walk off after 10 holes of last year's Open cost him the captaincy, Lyle brought up an incident at the 2005 Indonesian Open.

"Monty dropped the ball badly and that is a form of cheating," said Lyle. "What he did was far worse."

But former Ryder Cup captain Gallacher said: "Sandy is wrong here."

The row comes in the build-up to this week's 138th Open Championship at Turnberry.

The tournament committee and the tournament director have drawn a line under it, and it's wrong that Sandy has not drawn a line under this as well

Bernard Gallacher,
Former Ryder Cup captain

Lyle, who won the Open in 1985, was referring to an incident four years ago when Montgomerie appeared to take an incorrect drop in a bunker after a rain delay.

Montgomerie was cleared of any wrong-doing in Jakarta by rules officials, but issued an apology for his "unwitting error" and donated his £24,000 prize money to charity.

Lyle and Montgomerie were both in the running last year to captain the European Ryder Cup team in 2010 at Celtic Manor, but Montgomerie was given the nod.

And Lyle also hit out at Montgomerie over what he claims was a snub over a possible role assistant's at Celtic Manor.

"I rang him a few times after the decision but didn't get a reply," said Lyle.

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BBC Sport's Peter Scrivener

"I got a letter but I had the impression it was written by his manager, Guy Kinnings. He (Montgomerie) is a bit aloof sometimes. He disappears. Playing on the regular Tour you don't see him much."

Gallacher told BBC Radio 5 Live he was "shocked" to read Lyle's comments, adding: "Colin Montgomerie is not a cheat.

"What happened in Indonesia - the tournament committee looked into it, the tournament director looked into it, and Colin's explanation as to what happened was accepted by a very forthright committee.

"The tournament committee and the tournament director have drawn a line under it, and it's wrong that Sandy has not drawn a line under this as well."

Five Live golf correspondent Iain Carter added: "These comments from Lyle came at Loch Lomond last week.

"That this has now been dredged up again is the last that thing that Monty would have wanted in Open week, and it's impossible to see Montgomerie considering Lyle as part of his back-up team for next year's Ryder Cup in Wales."


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о 1:47 AM 0 коментарі

Fulham bid for Greening rejected

Jonathan Greening
Greening began his career as a trainee at York City

West Bromwich Albion have rejected a "derisory" offer from Fulham for their captain Jonathan Greening.

The 30-year-old midfielder has a year left on his deal at The Hawthorns and has been offered a four-year contract.

"We made it abundantly clear at the end of last season that should any players leave, it will be on our terms," said West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace.

"We didn't give Fulham's offer a second thought. It is derisory for a player of Jonathan's talent and experience."

Greening joined the Baggies for £1.25m from Middlesbrough in July 2004 and has made over 200 appearances for the Black Country club.

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BlackCountryGods

"Jonathan is our captain and a vital member of the squad," added Peace.

"Contrary to reports, this is the only offer we've received from Fulham.

"We want to keep all of our best players as we strive to gain promotion back to the Premier League. We are under no financial pressure to sell anyone."


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о 1:43 AM 0 коментарі

Live text - Tour de France

Stage 10 - Limoges to Issoudun, 194.5km

LATEST ACTION (all times BST)

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Your thoughts on the action

To get involved use 606 or text us your views & comments on 81111. (Not all contributions can be used)

By Chris Bevan

1250: The next three stages are all fairly flat and should be ideal for Cav, who is second in the points category, 11 points behind Norway's Thor Hushovd. Hopefully, getting over the Pyrenees did not take a lot out of the Manx Missile - we might find out what shape he is in later on...

Get involved on 606
1244: RicksWords on 606: "If Cavendish wants this stage the peloton will have to watch these breakaways, surely all the teams have worked on alternative communications today?

Mark Cavendish
Green jersey
1237: Mark Cavendish's Team Columbia team-mates have been doing plenty of work at the front of the peloton - they don't want any breakaways to succeed here. The gap is coming down too - just three minutes now. Just a reminder that we have three Frenchmen - Benoit Vaugrenard (FDJ), Thierry Hupond (Skil-Shimano) and Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis) and a Russian - Mikhail Ignatiev (Katusha) - out in front.

Text in your views on 81111
1227: From James in the Peak District (the UK capital of road cycling!), via text on 81111: "Let's hope George Hincapie and the Columbia crew can help rein in the break for Cav - was very unimpressed by George's intermediate sprint efforts to protect his team mate's Green Jersey the other day. Maybe they can deliver better today! Am heading out to the Tour next week and hope the General Classification is still open by then."
Poor old George was always going to struggle against Thor Hushovd in those sprints - I fear the only way he could have stopped him was if he was on a motorbike...

1227: Er, you might have to give this page a manual refresh if you want to comment on 606 - I've just been told the link above has been directing people to my profile page, which I'm sure is an entertaining read. Not sure I can pin the blame for that mistake on anyone else, but I will try! The gap to the front four is up to three minutes and 50 seconds now, with 160km to go.

Polka dot jersey
1222: Mikhail Ignatiev has just taken the points from the second climb of the day - the Cote de Saint-Laurent-les-Eglises (at the 27.5km mark). The Russian rider won the first climb (Cote de Salvanet, 12.5km) too. None of these front four riders are in contention in the King of the Mountains category though.

Text in your views on 81111
1216: From Adam in Bollington, via text on 81111: "How is it possible that AG2R are ahead of Astana in the team standings? I thought it went on the first three riders. Surely Contador, Armstrong, and Leipheimer are ahead of Nocentini, Efimkin, and Goubert?"
This is because the team standings are calculated by adding the times of the best three riders of each team in each stage rather than just using each rider's time in the General Classification. It means teams are rewarded for good performances in individual stages.

1214: Just a reminder that you will be able to listen to the climax of today's stage via our live stream from 5 Live which starts at 1445 BST. Oh, and if you are outside the UK then worry not, you can listen too.

Text in your views on 81111
1211: From Jamie (with sore legs) working in Camberley, lives in Reading, via text on 81111: "Chris, as a biking novice with a pretty good road bike, is a 32-mile round-trip commute to work a touch over the top? Bearing in mind that I am not in the best of shape. Oh and Cavendish for the win after a breakaway is reeled in."
A 32-mile round trip is certainly a good way of getting in shape Jamie! My advice is to stick at it. Got to be more fun than the train!?

1207: That gap is still growing you know. With 18km gone, the front four are now three minutes and 10 seconds clear.

1203: Another rider to face the gentlemen of the press was Silence-Lotto's Australian (1/8th Welsh) rider Cadel Evans, the runner-up in Le Tour on 2007 and 2008. Poor old Cadel is almost three minutes down on maillot jaune Rinaldo Nocentini this year and his failed attack on stage eight - an attempt to make up some of that time - was described as the 'last cigarette of a condemned man' by veteran sporting director Cyrille Guimard.


Cadel's take on this year's Tour? "Attacking my real challengers for the race is easier said than done," he said.
"But as soon as an opportunity presents itself, I'm going to try and benefit. I will need a lot of good luck, a lot of good legs, and the stars to align."

1202: So, what do riders get up to on their day off? A lie-in and a chance to update your Twitter feed before a couple of massages with the team soigneur? Not if you're Alberto Contador. The 2007 Tour winner had to face more questions about his relationship with Astana team-mate Lance Armstrong yesterday. Do you get the feeling he'd rather talk about pretty much anything else?

Text in your views on 81111
1200: From Jack in London, via text on 81111: "A breakaway group will win today. Would be great if Bradley Wiggins could repeat earlier aggressive riding, but I am going against Lance's shout - a Frenchman will triumph."

1158: Dumoulin is up with the front three now, so make that a front four. Believe it or not, they have just had to wait at a level crossing (do Astana control the trains in France too?), but are now more than a minute-and-a-half clear of the peloton.

Text in your views on 81111
1154: From Chris in Stafford, via text on 81111: "I hope the lack of radio will give Lance the freedom for a trademark break away, less tactics means more excitement for us!"

1152: Ignatiev is the only one of these four breakaway riders who isn't French - the other three are clearly going for a Bastille Day win already. With just over 10km of today's 194.5km stage done, the front three are now more than 50 seconds clear off the bunch and 25 seconds clear of Dumoulin.

1150: Phew! They're not hanging around today. A couple of early attacks from the Skil-Shimano team failed to come off but three riders have now got around 30 seconds clear - Benoit Vaugrenard (FDJ), Mikhail Ignatiev (Katusha) and Thierry Hupond (Skil-Shimano). Samuel Dumoulin of Cofidis is off the front of the peloton and trying to bridge the gap.

Get involved on 606
1147: SeanF81 on 606: "Must be frustrating for Cav to have one of his targeted stages become an experiment. Can't help but feel its no co-incidence it comes on Bastille day in the hope a (French) breakaway will succeed."

Yellow jersey
1146: GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE NINE:

1. Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita/AG2R) 34hrs 24mins 31secs
2. Alberto Contador (Spa/Astana) + 6secs
3. Lance Armstrong (USA/Astana) + 8
4. Levi Leipheimer (USA/Astana) +39
5. Bradley Wiggins (GB/Garmin) + 46

White jersey
Polka dot jersey
Green jersey
Yellow jersey
1145: TOUR DE FRANCE 2009 AFTER STAGE NINE:

Yellow jersey: Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita/AG2R)
Green jersey: Thor Hushovd (Nor/Cervelo Test Team)
Polka dot jersey: Egoi Martinez (Spa/Euskaltel)
White jersey: Tony Martin (Ger/Team Columbia)

1143: The peloton has just rolled out of the neutral zone and stage 10 is officially under way.

Green jersey
Mark Cavendish
1141: What can we expect today then? Well, more drama for a start - breakaways are more likely to succeed. Expect a few French riders to try their luck. But the other radio-free stage this year (on Friday) is likely to have more of a bearing on the overall race because the riders will have mountains to negotiate. This stage is a 'transitional' one to take Le Tour towards the Vosges...it's fairly flat, and could bring us another mass sprint finish...keep an eye out for Mark Cavendish!

1138: Without radios, riders have no way of monitoring what is happening in the race apart from with the 'old skool' 'blackboard man' - a man on a motorbike ahead of the peloton who scrawls down some of the information they would get above and shows it to the riders. The teams aren't happy - 14 of them lodged an official protest about the ruling - they think it will make things more dangerous as riders will have to take more risks.

1135: "How will the lack of radio contact affect today's stage," I hear you ask (at least, I hope you ask!). Well, radios play a big part in the tactical battle that goes on in a stage - the team managers following the race watch the live broadcast on TVs in their team cars and can contact their riders to tell them about breakaway groups, time gaps, and offer advice over whether to attack or defend.

Twitter
Lance Armstrong, about two hours ago, on Twitter: "Driving to the start. Slight drizzle. Bastille Day. A Brit will win though."

1132: Yep, not only is it Bastille Day, meaning every French rider in the race will be desperate for victory, but there is an extra twist to today's 194.5km trek from Limoges to Issoudun. It's the first of two stages in this year's Tour where riders are without radio contact with their team managers.

1130 BST: Feeling refreshed after yesterday's Tour de France rest day? I hope so, we've got quite a day ahead of us...



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о 1:27 AM 0 коментарі

Ferrari set to focus on 2010 car

Ferrari's car for 2009
Ferrari trail Brawn by 80 points in the constructors' table

Team boss Stefano Domenicalli has revealed Ferrari will cease development of their 2009 car, despite an improved showing at the German Grand Prix.

Felipe Massa finished third on Sunday to secure the team's second podium of the season, but Domenicalli is close to writing off the current campaign.

"We've already started work on the new project and in the next couple of weeks we will move on to that," he said.

"We want to start with a different pace compared to this year."

Ferrari's switch of emphasis means the next grand prix, in Hungary, could be the team's last realistic hope of winning a race this season.

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T-Aire

But with both Massa and Kimi Raikkonen out of contention in the drivers' championship, and Ferrari a long way adrift in the constructors' standings, it is no surprise they are already looking beyond this season.

"A podium is always important, and third is a good result for us, but we cannot say it's our return," said Massa after his third place at the Nurburgring.

Domenicali admitted the recent political infighting in Formula 1 had been a major drain on his time and energy and he was looking forward to getting involved in car development again.

"To be honest, I would have preferred to have been more balanced for the team," he stated.

"But it was a very critical moment for F1 and we have had to make sure we were doing our job.

"Being the team principal of Ferrari, with all that Ferrari means for F1, I also felt a responsibility."


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о 12:56 AM 0 коментарі

Man City hold talks over Adebayor

Emanuel Adebayor
Adebayor almost left Arsenal last summer when AC Milan came calling

Manchester City are in negotiations to sign Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor, BBC Sport understands.

The Togo international, 25, is believed to be on sale for about £25m after three-and-a-half seasons at Arsenal.

Adebayor, who scored 16 times for the Gunners last season, has also been linked to AC Milan and Chelsea.

City are intent on building a new-look attack and are on the verge of signing Carlos Tevez, while they have already captured Roque Santa Cruz this summer.

The Eastlands club are eager to break into the Premier League's top four this coming season and have shown their determination with their close-season spending.

Midfielder Gareth Barry was bought from Aston Villa, and from under the noses of last season's Premier League runners-up Liverpool, for £12m and City paid Blackburn about £18m for Paraguay international forward Santa Cruz.

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Blue_Thru_and_Thru

City are expected to complete a deal for Tevez on Tuesday - the Argentine will join for free after his contract with Premier League champions Manchester United expired.

And if Adebayor also makes the switch to Eastlands, City will have captured players from three of the top six clubs in the top flight last season.

Additionally, there is growing speculation that Chelsea and England captain John Terry could be persuaded to follow suit.

In Adebayor, City would be buying a player who has scored 62 goals in 142 appearances for Arsenal since he joined from Monaco for £7m.

He hit 30 goals in the 2007/08 season but struggled with injuries in the last campaign and also incurred the wrath of some Arsenal fans who felt the striker lacked commitment.

With the influx of big-name players at Eastlands comes a new challenge for manager Mark Hughes, according to former Manchester City player Dennis Tueart.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "The big challenge for managers now is to manage extremely wealthy young men, who do not need to work beyond their football careers.

"How does that affect their psyche and professionalism? These are things that the manager has got to sort out."


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о 12:50 AM 0 коментарі

Monday, July 13, 2009

Delap extends contract at Stoke

Rory Delap
Delap has played 80 league games for the Potters

Rory Delap has signed a one-year contract extension that is set to keep him at Stoke until 2011.

The 33-year-old midfielder made 36 appearances last season and played a key role in helping the Potters retain their Premier League status.

Delap, who joined Stoke from Sunderland in 2007 following a loan spell, used his long throw-ins to good attacking effect, helping create eight goals.

"I said I'd like to stay here for as long as I can," said a delighted Delap.

"I think we exceeded everybody's expectations last year, apart from our own, and we've got to do it all again next year."

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InvernessStokie

Stoke chief executive Tony Scholes added: "We're very pleased that Rory has agreed to sign an extension to his contract.

"He was an important player in Tony Pulis' squad last season and helped us maintain our Premier League status."


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о 11:59 PM 0 коментарі

Hull to sign Sunderland's Murphy

Daryl Murphy
Murphy found his chances at Sunderland limited last season

Hull City have agreed a fee to sign Republic of Ireland striker Daryl Murphy from Sunderland for an initial fee of £1.5m, BBC Sport understands.

The 26-year-old, who joined the Black Cats from Waterford in 2005, failed to score in 27 appearances last season.

"We've agreed terms with Sunderland but there's a long way to go," Tigers boss Phil Brown told BBC Radio Humberside.

"I won't be able to talk to him until I'm back from Italy on Thursday and he'll have to undergo a medical."

"He's been playing out of position on the left for Sunderland but there's a good striker in there," added Brown.

The signing of Murphy would be a boost for Hull after missing out on Fraizer Campbell, Marc-Antoine Fortune and Michael Owen.

Brown had a bid accepted for Campbell, who enjoyed a successful loan spell at the KC Stadium during the 2007/08 season, but the striker opted to leave Manchester United for Sunderland, while Owen moved to Manchester United from relegated Newcastle and Fortune agreed terms with Celtic.

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Your thoughts on Hull's transfer requirements

Hull have also been linked with Cardiff's Ross McCormack and Fulham striker Bobby Zamora as they look to retain their Premier League status into a third year.


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о 10:23 PM 0 коментарі

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