Rain ended England’s run of seven straight limited-overs defeats as the first one-day international against Pakistan ended in a no-result at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Wednesday. Pakistan, chasing a revised target of 159 in 32 overs after a rain break, were 46 for one off seven overs when a second downpour ended the match.
Pakistan captain Inzamam ul-Haq has said umpire Darrell Hair is now in ”big trouble” as the ball-tampering row took a new twist. Pakistan Cricket Board chiefs on Tuesday called on the International Cricket Council to hold an inquiry into the conduct of 53-year-old Australian umpire Hair before disciplinary charges, due to be heard late next month, are considered against Inzamam.
Liverpool beat Chelsea 2-1 in the FA Community Shield at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday, putting the champions on notice that they are serious about stealing their English Premiership title. In the English top flight season’s traditional curtain-raiser, which pits the champions against the FA Cup holders, England striker Peter Crouch headed an 80th-minute winner.
Watford beat Leeds 3-0 in Sunday’s play-off final to win promotion to the Premier League. American defender Jay DeMerit put the Hornets 1-0 ahead at half-time, before an own goal by goalkeeper Neil Sullivan and Darius Henderson’s late penalty completed a win that made Watford the third and final team to go up.
Jose Reina redeemed himself in the most extraordinary fashion with three penalty shoot-out saves to win Liverpool the FA Cup after a classic final encounter with West Ham on Saturday. Liverpool required a last-minute equaliser from man-of-the-match Steven Gerrard to take an exhilarating contest into extra-time with the sides tied at 3-3.
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/ 27 February 2006
Sir Alex Ferguson has voiced confidence that he is capable of building another great Manchester United side and that he will be given the time to do it by the Glazers, the club’s American owners. The Scot was in bullish mood after watching Wayne Rooney mastermind a 4-0 win over Wigan in the League Cup final.
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/ 13 February 2006
Scott Murray insisted he was not a ”dirty player” after becoming the first Scot to be sent-off in a Six Nations match during the 28-18 defeat against Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Sunday. With Wales narrowly ahead at 7-3 midway through the first-half, Murray was dismissed by New Zealand referee Steve Walsh.
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/ 5 December 2005
Jonah Lomu is on track to make his long-awaited Cardiff Blues debut on Saturday after coming through his first week of tough contact training in six months. Barring any unexpected setbacks this week, the 30-year-old former All Black, battling back from a rare kidney disease, will be in a 22-man squad to face Italian outfit Calvisano in the Heineken European Cup.
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/ 27 November 2005
Wales beat Australia for the first time since 1987 with a 24-22 victory in a rugby union international on Saturday. Missing five British and Irish Lions in Gavin Henson, Gethin Jenkins, Dwayne Peel, Ryan Jones and Tom Shanklin, Wales dominated possession through their forwards’ scrummaging and mauling advantage.
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/ 20 November 2005
Wales were left to rue their error-strewn performance in their 33-16 loss to South Africa, who will be looking to round off their autumn tour in style next week against France. South Africa won four tries to one at the Millennium Stadium and played the last 10 minutes with 14 men after fullback Percy Montgomery was sent off after picking up two yellow cards.
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/ 17 November 2005
Flyhalf Meyer Bosman will make his South Africa rugby debut in a new halves pairing with Free State teammate Michael Claassens against Wales on Saturday at the Millennium Stadium. The 20-year-old Bosman replaces Andre Pretorius, who injured his ankle during the 34-23 win in Argentina on November 5.
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/ 15 November 2005
Wales captain Gareth Thomas wants the injury-hit Six Nations champions to show character when they face South Africa at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday. ”I am not going to make excuses regarding injury or lack of preparation, because that is all it is — excuses,” Thomas said on Monday.
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/ 15 November 2005
New Zealand great Jonah Lomu is humbled and excited to be part of a rugby team again following his lifesaving kidney transplant, he said at his presentation by the Cardiff Blues on Monday. Lomu has a seven-month contract to play for Cardiff in Welsh and European competitions.
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/ 1 November 2005
Combative All Blacks scrumhalf Byron Kelleher said the New Zealand team are itching for their ”massive” grand-slam tour to kick off. The Kiwis start their tour on Saturday against Wales and go on to play Ireland, England and Scotland. They have not defeated the four home nations in quick succession since 1978.
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/ 3 September 2005
David Beckham has warned Michael Owen that he cannot expect to walk straight back into England’s side for Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier away to Northern Ireland. Owen is suspended from Saturday’s match against Wales, and Beckham insisted that if the team play well without him, Sven-Goran Eriksson should stick to that line-up.
The Premier League schedule doesn’t start for another week, yet Chelsea look like they are in midseason form by beating Arsenal in the Community Shield. A pair of Didier Drogba goals gave Chelsea the 2-1 win in the traditional season curtain-raiser between the league champion and the FA Cup winner.
Chelsea and Arsenal kick off the new English season on Sunday locked in a familiar war of words over spending power and with lingering bitterness over the Ashley Cole affair still splitting the London rivals. The Community Shield at the Millennium Stadium used to be known as the Charity Shield.
Jonny Wilkinson marked his return to international rugby by rescuing a share of the spoils for the British and Irish Lions in their 25-25 draw against an under-strength Argentina at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Monday. The England flyhalf had not played Test rugby since booting the winning drop goal at the 2003 World Cup final.
Arsenal won the first FA Cup final to be decided on a penalty shoot-out, beating arch-rivals Manchester United 5-4 in a dramatic spot-kick climax at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday. Arsenal skipper Patrick Vieira drove in the decisive kick after 120 minutes’ action saw the teams locked at 0-0.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson wants to get one over arch-rivals Arsenal even before the English giants meet for next month’s FA Cup final in Cardiff at the Millennium Stadium. FA Cup holders United made it through to the showpiece game with a 4-1 semifinal thrashing of Newcastle in Cardiff on Sunday.
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/ 28 February 2005
Didier Drogba and Mateja Kezman scored in extra time on Sunday to help Chelsea take the League Cup with a 3-2 win over Liverpool. Drogba poked the ball in from close range in the 16th minute of extra time from a Glen Johnson throw-in. Kezman added a second goal five minutes later, awkwardly tapping the ball over the line from a Eidur Gudjohnsen cross.
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/ 28 February 2005
Controversial Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho insists he doesn’t care if he is loved or loathed as long as his team keep winning. The Portuguese could face censure after being sent from the dug-out during the 3-2 extra-time win over Liverpool in the League Cup final at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday.