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Manchester City 0 — 1 Liverpool – as it
happened
Steven Gerrard’s penalty and a second-half backs-to-the-wall
defensive display earned Liverpool a slender advantage Page 2
Mike Tindall’s Gloucester future in doubt
after England rejection
Centre fails to make elite or Saxons squads • Four Gloucester backs
picked by Stuart Lancaster Page 5
Floyd Mayweather challenges Manny
Pacquiao on Twitter to 5 May bout
‘Step up punk,’ writes Mayweather on Twitter • Mayweather clear
to fight after recent court ruling Page 5
Alastair Cook stands Steven Gerrard spot Broken leg sets back Lamont Peterson camp
firm again as England on as Liverpool beat Robert Kubica’s return hits out at Amir Khan
labour against PCB XI Manchester City in to Formula One Page 8 over ‘foul tactics’
Page 6 Carling Cup Page 7 Page 9
Williams Formula One
Premier League clubs Sri Lanka collapse to team up with Michael Liverpool v
could be given public lowest one-day score of Johnson to boost Manchester United in
money, says Jeremy 43 against South Africa efficiency Page 8 FA Cup set for Saturday
Hunt Page 6 Page 8 lunchtime Page 9
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Registered in England and Wales. No. 908396. Registered office: Number 1 Scott Place, Manchester M3 3GG
Page 2 G24 Sport Wednesday January 11 2012 22:08 GMT
tie shall be decided by goals scored away from home counting
twice. If the teams remain equal after this procedure the tie
Manchester City 0 — 1 Liverpool – as it shall be determined by the taking of kicks from the penalty
happened mark in accordance with the Laws of Association Football.
So now you know. I’ll be back at 7.30pm to bring you the best
Steven Gerrard’s penalty and a second-half of the pre-match build-up. See you then.
backs-to-the-wall defensive display earned 6.57pm: Not official yet, but it looks like these are the teams.
Silva is out, and Johnson starts at left-back for Liverpool,
Liverpool a slender advantage
with Enriqué on the bench: Manchester City: Hart, Richards,
Simon Burnton Savic, Lescott, Clichy, Barry, de Jong, A. Johnson, Milner,
Balotelli, Agüero. Subs: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Kolarov, Onuoha,
Preamble: First, let me say this: I am old enough to remember
Hargreaves, Nasri, Dzeko Liverpool: Reina; Kelly, Agger, Skrtel,
telephones with whirry dials on the front, and watching a tiny
G Johnson; Gerrard, Spearing, Henderson, Downing; Carroll,
black-and-white television in my nan’s kitchen, and Liverpool
Bellamy. Subs: Enriqué, Coates, Kuyt, Carragher, Shelvey,
winning this competition four times on the spin. I was 13 before
Adam, Doni.
I was first able to listen to my own music outside my house,
7.28pm: The Press Association has sent us the official team
when I was given a bright blue Walkman, on which I would
sheet. It looks quite a lot like the one below, so sorry for the
listen to mixtapes lovingly created over the course of entire
repetition: Man City: Hart, Richards, Lescott, Savic, Clichy,
weekend afternoons. On the bus to work today my mobile
Milner, Barry, De Jong, Johnson, Aguero, Balotelli. Subs:
telephonic device, having earlier told me how long I would have
Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Dzeko, Kolarov, Nasri, Hargreaves,
to wait for said bus, was playing me some of my favourite music
Onuoha. Liverpool: Reina, Kelly, Skrtel, Agger, Johnson,
and telling me the latest sports news and I thought to myself:
Downing, Spearing, Henderson, Bellamy, Gerrard, Carroll. Subs:
how utterly marvellous. How genuinely amazingly great. It has
Doni, Jose Enriqué, Coates, Kuyt, Carragher, Adam, Shelvey.
done this before, or course, but I don’t always take the time to
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire).
think how whompingly remarkable its achievements are. Also
7.30pm: “Why is Downing in the Liverpool team tonight?”
– while I’m on the subject of things that would have astonished
ponders Lou Ropert. “Aside from footballing reasons, doesn’t
my youthful self – I sometimes see bright green parakeets in my
Dalglish care that he has just been bailed after being charged
garden.
with assaulting his ex-girlfriend?” Apparently he cares neither
Now some of you would probably say that I’m more likely to
about the girlfriend nor about the general footballing ho-
see soft pink domesticated mammals flying around my garden
humness of the lad. Me, I’d probably have Kuyt. And I wouldn’t
than Liverpool winning at the Etihad Stadium tonight, but I’m
have bought Downing in the first place.
expecting a finely-balanced match. Sure, Kenny Dalglish’s side
7.33pm: “Had a dream last night that the reds win 5 to 0,”
lost 3-0 there last week, but only because they missed loads of
writes Billy Garnett. But don’t call up the bookies yet – in Billy’s
chances and their goalkeeper was guilty of a rare howler. And
dream the goalscorers included “two from Carroll and one
City play tonight without both Vincent Kompany and Kolo
from Jason McAteer! Strange places dreams.” Strange indeed.
Touré, their first-choice centre-backs of late. And there are
Imagine Andy Carroll scoring two goals!
rumours that David Silva might be unfit. All this works in the
7.35pm: Gary Lineker just made me laugh! As the cameras
visitors’ favour.
zoomed in on the lonely figure of Gianfranco Zola, sitting
Liverpool also have one motivational tool, albeit one which
all by himself in a near-empty stand, Lineker said: “Just like
has been known to destroy teams as often as it inspires them:
Manchester City ... no Kompany this evening!” Well I thought it
desperation. City should probably win the Premier League, and
was good.
have the Europa League to think about. Liverpool really need
7.40pm: Shane O’Leary’s thoughts for the day: “• Sir Alex
to get to the final of this competition, particularly given the
is having one season too many • Bacon is very nice • Man City
quality of opposition that will await there, and with Manchester
will beat Liverpool • Why have the British Film Industry been
United blocking their path in the FA Cup, and with nothing but
making deliberaterly making rubbish films? • The League Cup
dust and the occasional fly entering their trophy cabinet for
is way more fun than the FA Cup these days • A bacon risotto
very nearly six years.
goes very well with cider.” Excellent, Shane. I think proper
One concern, though, is the whole two-leg thing, and the
cider goes very well indeed with a lot of food, particularly the
possibility that Liverpool will try to shut up shop and go for the
more robust stuff that you might pair with white wine – roast
win at Anfield. Asked about this tie Craig Bellamy said: “It’s a
chicken, pork, risottos – but that some commercial ciders aren’t
two-legged match and we have to make sure we are still in the
good with anything except for death and pain and torture.
tie … if we can get it back to Anfield still very much in the tie we
7.43pm: “Sorry to disagree on the phones,” writes Jon
will have a great chance of getting to Wembley.” I don’t really
Millard, “but no single other device has been associated
expect them to go for all-out defence (against the country’s best
with such a wholesale deterioration of a national culture,
attack whose defence happens to be understaffed), and if they
lack of ability to survive without stimulation or titulation,
do I’m not sure it’ll work, but it’s a possibility.
destruction of the strength to sustain solitude and demonstrate
While we’re here, and although it doesn’t really become
self-sufficency and loss of resourcefulness to meet even the
relevant until the second leg, I might as well bring you item 13.5
most minor challenge. We have become a nation of infantile,
of the Carling Cup’s rules and regulations:
sensation hungry, distraction-crazed muppets with the
13.5 In the Semi-Final ties, if the aggregate score is level at
attention spans of gnats on mephedrone and a sense of
the end of the second game an extra half-hour shall be played.
entitlement dwarfed only by our petulant complaints if we
If the aggregate scores are still level at the end of extra time the
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2007 guardian.co.uk
Page G24 Sport Wednesday January 11 2012 22:08 GMT
don’t get what we desire immediately, whether we deserve it Cue second-half hat-trick.
or not. Mind you, quite handy when you break down in the car, 23 mins: Spearing has just gone down, having played a pass
aren’t they?” I don’t really think we’re in disagreement, Jon. to Bellamy. Looks like he’s pulled a hamstring, and it’s bad
They’re terrible things. But amazing, too. enough to end his evening – Charlie Adam is getting ready.
1 min: Peeeeeeep! We have football! 23 mins: Guy Mowbray: “What did you pull most, when you
2 mins: Manchester City lose the ball just outside their were playing?” Mark Lawrenson: “I couldn’t possibly tell you
own penalty area. Though Bellamy’s run is checked the ball that on air.” A nation of football fans: “Bleeeeee!”
is worked wide to Downing, whose cross is just too high for 25 mins: The small injury break seems to have taken some
Carroll to control. momentum from the match and some energy from the crowd,
3 mins: “Re Mr Millard’s points at 7.43pm, I was going who are being rather quiet as they watch Liverpool pass the
to launch into a considered response about advances in ball from left to right and back again. “I’m not entirely sure
technology and their impacts on social life, but I’ve decided to that the blame for us becoming ‘a nation of infantile, sensation
say simply that the internet is FANTASTIC and everything else hungry, distraction-crazed muppets’ lies entirely with phones,”
is not,” surmises Gary Naylor. grumbles David Flynn. “I mean everyone has a smartphone
5 mins: Terrible miss! Carroll suddenly finds himself clean now so everyone has the internet at their fingertips all the time.
through, bang central, but he delays his shot long enough for Yet with the availability of nearly every piece of information
Hart to close him down and then shoots low, like an idiot, into ever discovered on this planet right there on a phone people
the goalkeeper’s legs. still choose to spend hours getting three stars on Angry Birds.
7.53pm: “I was nodding along as I was reading Jon Millard’s Bottom line, we were always infantile, now we just have the
phone comment,” writes Bryan May. “I then put my phone in means to be infantile on public transport.”
my pocket and resumed the conversation with my co-worker I 27 mins: Henderson’s excellent tackle on Richards
had tuned out.” unaccountably wins City a free-kick. “Love the idea of the
7 mins: The game isn’t exactly frantic, but it is lively enough walkman/ipod,” writes Paul McCormick, “but I never really
for the BBC yet to have found a moment to replay Carroll’s took to it after standing at a Liverpool bus stop in the early days
chance several minutes ago. “Second minute – Downing of the Sony Stowaway, and hearing two old ladies, on seeing me
overhits a cross, Carroll fails to control,” notes Ben Stanley. apparently bedecked in a headset and huge listening device,
“Why not just leave the commentary like that and hit the pub?” stage-whispering to each other, ‘Ahhh, it’s a shame, isn’t it?’”
I’m an optimist, Ben. 29 mins: Balotelli is nudged off the ball by Adam, who
8 mins: When City have possession Liverpool’s midfield are taps the Italian’s head as he gets up. This absolutely enrages
dropping into a position about 10 yards ahead of their defence, Balotelli, for some reason. He’s having an angry night. And he’s
giving City a lot of space to pass the ball about but causing them hit the resulting free-kick into the wall.
problems when they come to doing something useful with it. 32 mins: I remember, back when I used to play football very
10 mins: Nice effort! Gerrard controls the ball 25 yards from badly, knowing after my first couple of touches whether my
goal, again bang central, and curls a right-footed shop which 10th and 11th would be any good. I was either having a good
was dipping just inside the post but for Hart’s full-length stop. day, and things would be good, or I wasn’t, and things would be
11 mins: Gerrard takes the corner long to Downing, on the terrible. The latter kind of day was much more common. And
edge of the area, whose volley is deflected six yards from goal that’s the kind of day that Andy Carroll’s having. There have
and again well saved by Hart. And now there’s a penalty! been a couple of comedy ball-givings in recent minutes.
12 mins: From the second corner Agger half-controls the ball 35 mins: Kelly crosses from the right, not a brilliant ball, a bit
on his chest but his attempt to chase down the ball is ended behind Carroll, but the striker does excellently well to power a
when Savic cluelessly raises a boot high into his knee. Penalty! header towards, but just wide of, the far post. That’s better.
GOAL! Manchester City 0 Liverpool 1 (Gerrard 13) The 39 mins: Balotelli, who looked grumpy for most of the first
captain’s kick is low, firm and straight into the bottom left 20 minutes and bored for much of the second 20, is going off.
corner. Hart goes the right way but his hand is a foot away from Samir Nasri replaces him. Presumably a minor injury.
the ball as it whistles past. 43 mins: Manchester City chance! Reina saves! But I don’t
14 mins: Crikey. Liverpool storm forward again but the ball really have any idea what happened because I was busy putting
is shuffled into ball-magnet Gerrard and his long-range shot is capital letters into this email, because David Flynn (its author)
deflected high into Hart’s hands. couldn’t be bothered. [later edit: Nasri shot from just outside
16 mins: City attack at last. Milner’s cross from the left is the penalty area. The save was pretty straightforward really]
only just too high for Balotelli, and when Reina’s punch lands at That’ll learn me. “Sometimes bad players just have days when
Aguero’s feet 20 yards out his volley is emphatically off-target. the planets come together in a particular order and the ball
18 mins: Balotelli goes down, expecting a free-kick. When it richocets off them with a favourable outcome. Andy Carroll
doesn’t come he flings his fist twice in the referee’s direction, hasn’t had one of those days in quite a while but Lennon is
and then spits at him. If Lee Mason was two yards away he’d having one for Spurs, having just scored a goal consisting of
have got a 40-match ban, but the official was about 35 yards him running just fast enough that he never had the ball fully
away so nobody minds. under control yet not fast enough that he stumbled and fell
19 mins: Then Carroll goes on a run down the left wing, trips over before dribbling the ball into the net. It’s a shame Carroll
over his own legs and loses the ball. This morning’s stories doesn’t have lightning speed to hide the fact that hes not
linking him with a move back to Newcastle might be inaccurate, actually up to much.” Do it yourself next time, chum.
but it looks increasingly certain that if there is a good footballer 45 mins: CHANCE! Micah Richards goes on a good, strong
in there it’ll take a move away from Liverpool to rediscover it. run to the byline and cuts the ball back to James Milner, 15 yards
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2007 guardian.co.uk
Page G24 Sport Wednesday January 11 2012 22:08 GMT
from goal. It’s a very good chance, and the midfielder’s failure header and powers the ball down towards goal, but it’s just too
to get a shot on target is pretty dismal. The ball flies 10 yards close to the keeper, practically hitting him on the arm.
wide. 63 mins: Tottenham are about to join Manchester United on
45+3 mins: Last minute of stoppage time, and Gerrard gives 45 points in the Premier League (though they’ll be behind them
away a free-kick in a testing position, 20 yards out, by barging on goal difference): they’re 2-0 up against Everton at home.
into Adam Johnson, after Martin Skrtel’s hilariously poor 65 mins: Everyone expects Aguero to pass to Adam Johnson,
clearance put his team back in trouble. instead he suddenly changes direction before shooting rather
45+3 mins: Peeeeeeep! Johnson curls the free-kick over the tamely from 20 yards. He should have passed to Adam Johnson.
bar, and it’s half-time. Liverpool deserve their lead, City have The BBC clearly think that in-match statistics are a bit beneath
been very poor. them, but this half’s would be extremely one-sided in City’s
Half-time seat-related update: I’ve noticed patches of empty favour, I’m sure.
seats, but Alan Shearer, who has the benefit of being there, 66 mins: That failure to taste the action will be Adam
numbers them at “five or six thousand”. Johnson’s last taste of the action, as he’s just been replaced by
Still half-time (just): The teams are out. No sign of Edin Dzeko.
substitutions. “In 1987 I drove into the city at 4am to watch a 68 mins: Henderson gives the ball away and City break.
delayed telecast of my beloved Leeds’ heartbreaking 3-2 FA Cup Finally there is space in Liverpool’s defence. Aguero cuts in
semi-final loss at the only 24 hour pub in Queensland, Australia from the left flank, across the penalty area. And he keeps going.
that had ‘Sky Channel’ on,” remembers Philip Davis. “A And a bit further. And then Johnson dispossesses him with an
decrepit, lonely place full of filthy English backpackers. In 2011 excellent, stretching, just-a-tiny-bit-wrong-and-it’s-a-penalty
I’m sitting on the train with a carriage-load of smartly dressed challenge.
business folk following live updates on my smartphone of a 71 mins: City seem better since the arrival of Dzeko,
match between two teams that I loathe in a competition that I something of a fulcrum for Nasri and Aguero to buzz around.
don’t care about. That’s progress ... I think.” Um... Nasri ends their latest move by bludgeoning over the bar from
46 mins: Peeeeeep! They’re off! Again! “That’s the kind of 20 yards.
analysis the BBC pays Shearer millions for,” writes Hugh Collins 72 mins: Kolarov replaces De Jong for City, while Liverpool
of my half-time seat-related update. “Next he’ll be able to shuffle again, bringing Kelly into the three-man centre of
tell us how many players are on the pitch, or how many clubs defence and Johnson across to right-back.
other than Newcastle have been interested in having him as 74 mins: Reina has a goal-kick, which he punts long to
manager.” Carroll. Carroll wins the header. Nobody is anywhere near the
47 mins: City have already had their first corner of the fllick-on. City have the ball again. It’s not that the home side are
half – it took 46 minutes for them to say that in the first half. coming terribly close to scoring, just that with this dominance
“Interesting to note that of the 22 players on show, 14 are of possession surely it’s only a matter of time until they do.
British,” points out Kevin Mackenzie. Yes, it is. “Including 77 mins: This second half has been unspeakable. Total filth.
Spearing’s substitution there have been 15 British players on A team with no ambition against a team with no ideas.
the pitch tonight, plus one British manager. Whoever said the 78 mins: Kolarov attempts a bizarrely ambitious shot from
Premier League had too many foreign players?” downtown, as they used to say when I played NBA Jam on my
49 mins: This time City have had all the possession, but friend’s PlayStation back in the day.
haven’t put the ball into Liverpool’s box. There’s not much 78 mins: The BBC have discovered their statistics
point in speculative crosses to test Sergio Aguero’s ability to department and revealed that City have had 65% of second-half
beat Martin Skrtel in the air, but what else have they got? possession, which is a surprisingly small number.
51 mins: City prodding and poking around 35 yards from 80 mins: Liverpool, having decided that 5-4-1 is a little too
Liverpool’s goal, wondering how to get any closer. Still no attacking, have brought on Carragher for Bellamy. So that’ll be a
answers. It ends with Charlie Adam dispossessing Nasri and 6-3-1 then?
banging the ball off his rival’s legs to win a goal-kick. 84 mins: City continue to push for a while before taking a
54 mins: Johnson plays in Aguero, but Skrtel is across very hopeful shot from distance, Milner sending the latest sliding
quickly to dispossess. City are struggling to break Liverpool wide from 25 yards. “’No ambition’ is harsh,” complains
down, but 45 minutes of this kind of pressure might be hard to Nathan Jones. “Liverpool’s ambition is to reach the final. If they
cope with. can hold onto a 1-0 lead they’ll be favourites to do so. When
55 mins: Suddenly Henderson breaks down the left. Bellamy Liverpool have sat back and let City have the ball, City haven’t
and Carroll are central. The former peels off to await a pull-back, looked like scoring, so why not do that?” To clarify, I meant
the latter thunders forwards, the cross hits a defender. that they no longer have any attacking ambition in this match.
56 mins: Incredible let-off for Liverpool! Kelly attempts a 40- They’re not interested in attacking. Clearly they’re a very
yard back-pass which is easily intercepted by Aguero, who jinks ambitious club who desperately want to reach the final and see
past Reina but, with the keeper still snuffling around his ankles, this as the best way of getting there.
a fairly unpromising angle to cope with and a defender back on 85 mins: Kolarov sends a decent crossing chance way off into
the line, shanks his shot over the bar. touch. He seems to have an unusually bouncy running style,
58 mins: City win another corner. Enriqué is about to replace though. Off he goes, bouncing back up the pitch.
Downing for Liverpool, we’re told. “Judging by the quality of 86 mins: Nasri and Carragher receive the day’s first bookings,
this game the problem is surely that there are too many British for an outbreak of minor aggression.
players in the Premier League,” moans Oliver Lewis. 87 mins: Liverpool have a throw-in, midway inside their
59 mins: Great save! From the corner Richards wins the own half. It’s thrown to Carroll, the most advanced player, who
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2007 guardian.co.uk
Page G24 Sport Wednesday January 11 2012 22:08 GMT
chests the ball down, turns and wellies a left-foot volley 80 Tindall has yet to make any announcement regarding
yards across and down the pitch. City have the ball again. his Test career. After the World Cup in New Zealand he was
90 mins: Oooooh! Just as we go into three minutes of dropped from the England elite squad and fined £25,000, over
stoppage time, Nasri crosses the ball and Aguero flicks a free events pertaining to a night out in Queenstown [http://tinyurl.
header just over the bar. com/crx2qm7], before being readmitted on appeal. Yesterday
90+1 mins: Glen Johnson wins the ball with a perfectly timed Stuart Lancaster, the interim England head coach, named six
... two-footed tackle. City’s fans briefly demand a red card, but Gloucester players in his elite and Saxons squads but Tindall
there isn’t even a yellow. They’re right to detect inconsistency was not among them.
there. Tindall’s contract with Gloucester runs out at the end of
90+3 mins: Peeeeeeeep! It’s all over. And thank lordy for the season. A new generation of Cherry and Whites backs,
that! including Charlie Sharples, Freddie Burns, Henry Trinder and
Near-final thoughts: So that’s why they brought in three Jonny May, all of whom have found favour with Lancaster, have
points for a win. Once Liverpool scored, they weren’t minded extended their deals at Kingsholm. Sharples is part of England’s
to try to score a second, and for the entire second half they elite 32 and Trinder, one of the more creative young centres in
collapsed back into their own half, occasionally bringing on the Premiership, will be part of that squad while Manu Tuilagi
extra defenders. It was a decent enough defensive performance, recovers from injury.
against a severely disappointing City, but it destroyed the game Sharples, who narrowly missed out on a World Cup place,
as a spectacle. I’m sure they’ll be delighted, but given that City said that getting so close had been a surprise.
were playing without their best defender, their best midfielder “I thought I had peaked with the Saxons,” said the 22-
and their best forward, might a little bit more ambition have year-old, explaining that “relief, excitement and enjoyment
been rewarded? Could they have been heading back to Anfield – a whole mixture of feelings” had followed a phone call from
with a bigger lead to defend? Lancaster on Tuesday.
“That’s what we wanted to do,” says Gerrard. “We wanted to “I set this as a target coming off the back of the World Cup.
come here, to get a clean sheet, and if possible to score a goal.” I had had a taste, and I wanted more. It was my goal to push
Well tick, tick, tick in that case. “Sometimes you’ve got to do on and get back in the mix and I am really happy that I have
the ugly stuff,” he adds. managed to do that. You always want to be progressing and I
The boys in the BBC studio are muttering about a crisis at feel that is happening with my rugby.”
Manchester City. I’m not sure about that, and a visit to Wigan on Tindall spent eight years at Bath before being signed for
Monday will probably help to get the attacking juices flowing, Gloucester in 2005 by a family friend, Nigel Melville, who was
but this was certainly an uninspired performance, albeit against convinced that his Test career was coming to an end. Yesterday
a disciplined nine-man defence. the Gloucester head coach, Bryan Redpath, would not add to
Final thoughts: The downside for Liverpool of making the speculation over a contract extension, saying only: “Mike is a
majority of the game quite that dull is that us journalists will senior player here, and his focus is here.”
have to be a bit creative in search of a story. And the one we’re
going to settle on, it seems, is that late (in the game) two-
footed tackle from Glen Johnson on Joleon Lescott. Clearly, if Floyd Mayweather challenges Manny
Kompany’s was a red card Johnson’s must also be. The offences Pacquiao on Twitter to 5 May bout
are very similar, but Johnson’s two feet were travelling at
greater pace and therefore were more likely to inflict injury.
Both tackles won the ball cleanly, but I can understand if it has
• ‘Step up punk,’ writes Mayweather on
been decided that two-footed, studs-up tackles are by nature Twitter • Mayweather clear to fight after
dangerous and must be eliminated. If that’s the case, though, recent court ruling
someone should make sure that all the referees know about it,
Associated Press
rather than just a couple of them.
Anyway, it’s been a delight, albeit a delight sadly lacking in Floyd Mayweather [http://tinyurl.com/yfj8bsq] Jr has taken his
goalmouth action. Thanks for keeping me company. Bye! quest for a fight with Manny Pacquiao [http://tinyurl.com/
ykcgnfl] to Twitter. The unbeaten boxer called out the Filipino
superstar on Tuesday, daring Pacquiao to meet him on 5 May.
Mike Tindall’s Gloucester future in Mayweather and Pacquiao are boxing [http://tinyurl.
doubt after England rejection com/5ra7ax]’s top two stars, and they have circled each other
warily for more than two years. Both have said they’re eager to
fight, yet neither has agreed to a deal for what’s likely to be the
• Centre fails to make elite or Saxons most lucrative bout in boxing history.
squads • Four Gloucester backs picked by Mayweather has stepped up his campaign since Pacquiao’s
Stuart Lancaster narrow win over Juan Manuel Márquez last November,
culminating in Tuesday’s gauntlet-throwing. “Manny Pacquiao
Mike Averis
I’m calling you out let’s fight May 5th and give the world what
If Mike Tindall [http://tinyurl.com/6fsycjr]’s England career they want to see,” he wrote. “My Jail Sentence was pushed back
looks to be over, after 75 caps won over 12 years, the 33-year-old because the date was locked in. Step up Punk.”
former captain should also know the fate of his club contract Mayweather first proposed the date last November [http://
with Gloucester [http://tinyurl.com/3guu7j] by the end of the tinyurl.com/cxh42sy], when his adviser Leonard Ellerbe
month. revealed that they had booked the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2007 guardian.co.uk
Page G24 Sport Wednesday January 11 2012 22:08 GMT
The promoter Richard Schaefer, chief executive of Golden straightforward caught-and-bowled chance off a mistimed
Boy Promotions, said: “We have informed the pay-per-view pull. The opener then resumed his famous concentration
industry and I have the arena on hold.” and reached three figures from 206 balls with only seven
The bout seemed unlikely to take place until last week, when boundaries.
a Las Vegas judge agreed to postpone [http://tinyurl.com/ England had made four changes from the team who won the
76ajr6d]Mayweather’s jail sentence in a domestic violence case first game of the tour. Prior, Graham Onions, Chris Tremlett and
[http://tinyurl.com/76vm2xx] until June. Pacquiao has yet to Monty Panesar replaced Steve Davies, James Anderson, Stuart
respond to Mayweather’s challenge, and his last Twitter update Broad and Steve Finn, Tremlett and Graeme Swann having
was almost a month ago. passed fitness tests on eye and thigh problems.
After Strauss declared with nine down, perhaps to prevent
Tremlett having to bat, the Surrey paceman was given only two
Alastair Cook stands firm again as overs with the new ball before England introduced an all-spin
England labour against PCB XI attack just before the close. Panesar had a loud lbw appeal
turned down, as Onions had done in his opening over, and Prior
missed a sharp chance off Swann as the PCB XI closed on an
England 269-9dec; Pakistan Cricket Board unconvincing 23 without loss.
XI 23-0
Andy Wilson in Dubai
Premier League clubs could be given
Alastair Cook [http://tinyurl.com/ye4suux] was again the
exception from another collective failure for England’s top
public money, says Jeremy Hunt
order in their second and last warm-up match before next
week’s first Test against Pakistan. • Money will have to be used to boost
Cook followed 76 in the opening game against an ICC grassroots sport • Government wants
Combined XI by stroking a typically patient and unspectacular biggest possible increase in participation
century against a Pakistan Cricket Board XI at the Global Cricket
Owen Gibson
Academy ground in Dubai.
But England struggled to 269 for nine despite his 133, only The culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt [http://tinyurl.com/
slightly better than the 185 for eight they managed in the first yaw5zm8], has said that public money could be handed to
innings of the opener. Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell fell for ducks, Premier League [http://tinyurl.com/6yneax] football clubs if
Andrew Strauss did little better, Eoin Morgan’s 11 gave him they can prove it will be used to boost grassroots sport.
only 15 from three innings on the tour so far, and even Kevin The government this week unveiled a new strategy to
Pietersen would have been disappointed to be bowled for 38 address declining participation figures among young people
in the first over after lunch after grafting through most of the and stalled progress in the plan to use the 2012 Games to inspire
morning session. the population to get fit. Hunt said that the £450m earmarked
Matt Prior made a breezy 46 in his first appearance of the for sports governing bodies over four years to develop links
tour, sharing a sixth-wicket stand of 90 with Cook that was the between schools and clubs and drive grassroots sport could be
highest of the innings. But the rest of the middle and lower diverted elsewhere if they failed to deliver.
order failed to master the leg-spinner Yasir Shah, a 25-year-old As well as charities and community sport organisations
from the North West Frontier Province who has made the odd that could include Premier League clubs, he said, despite the
appearance for his country in one-day and Twenty20 cricket, potential perception issues around handing public money to
and ended with five for 75 from 26 overs. clubs with large TV deals that fund huge wage bills. “We want
Mohammad Talha, a tall seamer who has played a single to spend our money in the way that gets the biggest boost in
Test, had done the early damage, having Strauss caught behind participation. Our starting point is going to be to work with
off the inside edge with an inswinger to the left-hander, and sports governing bodies but I made it very clear that if they fail
trapping Trott leg before wicket playing no shot three balls to deliver we’ll take this money away,” he said.
later. Hunt was speaking at a Premier League event to promote
That left England on 14 for two and Pietersen also suffered a a scheme in which it and the government invested £3.8m in
couple of early alarms, playing and missing at Talha’s outswing using clubs to act as hubs to host sports clubs and encourage
and surviving a loud lbw appeal from the left-arm seamer participation in badminton, judo, table tennis and volleyball. It
Mohammad Khalil – who has also played Test cricket. claimed the scheme had reached 39,000 people in its first two
But by lunch he and Cook seemed well in control having years.
shared an unbroken stand of 83, with Pietersen playing sensibly It said it was to invest another £2m to add four new sports
after the early introduction of Raza Hasan’s left-arm spin — basketball, handball, hockey and netball — to the Premier
followed by Yasir’s leg-breaks. League for Sport programme. Hunt said the scheme could act as
That all changed in the first over after the break, as Pietersen a model for the thousands of programmes he hopes governing
was bowled playing back to Yasir, and two balls later Bell was bodies will promote in schools. He hopes that by employing a
given out lbw playing a sweep. Then Morgan lofted Yasir lazily tougher approach with the governing bodies that only increased
to deep square leg to leave England in trouble at 121 for five. participation numbers by a 10th of the 1m target promised by
But at the other end Cook hardly played a false shot until the last government, an aspiration that has now been ditched,
a brief wobble in the 80s, when he squirted a flirty four off he will have more success.
the inside edge off Talha, who then dropped a relatively “We’re not ring-fencing the money for them. We will start
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Page G24 Sport Wednesday January 11 2012 22:08 GMT
off with the whole sport plans but we will put in much tighter spells they looked laboured and a good notch or two below
performance measures, much more closely modelled on the what is usually seen of them on their own ground.
elite sport funding model where money is withdrawn pretty As for Mario Balotelli, he lasted only 39 minutes before being
quickly if people fail to deliver,” he said. withdrawn. Shortly before, he had allowed a simple pass to run
The government would not hesitate to withdraw money over his boot and go out for a throw-in. The striker, sent off in
from governing bodies and give it to charities and, potentially, the league at Liverpool in November, took exception to one
Premier League clubs. challenge from Charlie Adam and had to be restrained from
“I made it very clear. There are some very good charities, taking the argument further.
voluntary organisations, Premier League clubs. There are lots of It was difficult to be clear whether he was still struggling
different avenues and ways to get involved. We want to harness with the ankle injury that had kept him out for the previous two
anyone who’s got a good idea of how to make this work,” he games, but there was something very deliberate about the way
said. he and Mancini ignored each other on the touchline. Balotelli
The Premier League chief executive, Richard Scudamore, went straight down the tunnel and it added to the sense of a
said: “If public money makes these schemes go further and night that was not going to plan.
wider I don’t see why they shouldn’t qualify. Our clubs have Liverpool, in contrast, had began the game as if affronted by
the name, the brand, the cachet but they also have the hugely the memories of their 3-0 league defeat here last week. They
talented coaches who are on top of their game in engaging with were quick to the ball, strong in the challenge and, even before
young people.” Gerrard’s penalty, there were three separate moments when it
Hunt said it was “too early to say” whether the legacy was only Joe Hart’s goalkeeping that had kept them out.
aspirations promised by Lord Coe in Singapore in 2005 that The third of those saves, diving full length to his left to
helped secure the Games would be delivered. “We’ll have a turn away a deflected Stewart Downing volley, was a truly
fantastic physical legacy in terms of sporting facilities we didn’t exceptional piece of goalkeeping. Yet it was rare to see City
have before. But in terms of sports participation in a school in so open and it was in this flurry of attacking that Liverpool’s
Manchester or Leicester or Cornwall or Cardiff, that is the real pressure eventually led to Gerrard driving his spot kick
test of whether we are successful or not,” he said. emphatically into the bottom corner.
“We’ve got a lot of initiatives that we now need to deliver on. Perhaps in hindsight Mancini might regret not moving Micah
It’s not going to be easy because we’ve got the Olympics going Richards across from the right side of defence to partner Joleon
for us but we’ve also got social trends going against us.” Lescott in the centre and bring in Pablo Zabaleta at full-back.
Instead, Stefan Savic was given the responsibility to stand
in for the suspended Vincent Kompany and it was a gamble
Steven Gerrard spot on as Liverpool beat that backfired. Savic’s challenge on Daniel Agger was raw and
Manchester City in Carling Cup mistimed, catching him just above the knee, and it was not his
only mistake of a difficult evening. One misplaced pass inside
his own penalty area led to voluble dissent from the crowd
Daniel Taylor at Etihad Stadium
and, without Kompany, there was a vulnerability that does not
After going through the whole of 2011 without losing on their normally exist.
own ground, Manchester City [http://tinyurl.com/4jsgmx] Liverpool had the advantage of having two days’ extra rest
have now been beaten twice in the space of four days and are and in the opening 45 minutes they seemed to be getting to
beginning to look conspicuously thin around the edges. Steven every loose ball first. Their momentum was not disrupted too
Gerrard’s 13th-minute penalty puts Liverpool [http://tinyurl. badly by Jay Spearing leaving the pitch with a hamstring injury
com/42nq4e] in a position of strength going into the second leg and it was not until the final minute of the first half, when
of this Carling Cup [http://tinyurl.com/5zjn6m] semi-final when James Milner turned Richards’s low cutback over the crossbar,
it will need a significant improvement from the Premier League that Pepe Reina’s goal was threatened seriously.
leaders if they are to prevent Kenny Dalglish’s team from Liverpool were obdurate opponents. Their strength this
confirming a trip to Wembley. season has been in defence and they were more guarded after
Rarely have City looked so devoid of imagination this the interval. A misplaced backpass from Martin Kelly almost
season. Liverpool took an early lead, threatened more goals had costly repercussions, only for Reina to do enough to put off
and then eventually settled for a backs-to-the-wall operation Sergio Agüero. Reina then saved a leaping header from Richards
during a second half in which the home side’s possession inside the six-yard area and, with Mancini switching to a three-
was not accompanied by the wit or gumption to break down man defence, the pressure on the visitors’ goal was increasing.
a team displaying great defensive qualities of industry and Yet the late onslaught that might have been expected never
organisation. The two sides renew acquaintances at Anfield materialised until stoppage-time. Liverpool held out fairly
in a fortnight’s time and Liverpool, the seven-time winners, comfortably and are now the marginal favourites to reach the
should be greatly encouraged about the way they matched final.
and, at times, outdid a side that have managed 56 league goals
compared to their own tally of 24.
City looked weary at times. They had used up a lot of energy
and emotion in Sunday’s FA Cup defeat to Manchester United
and they were missing their captain, Vincent Kompany, as well
as two of Roberto Mancini’s other mandatory first-team picks,
David Silva and Yaya Touré. The Etihad has been a formidable
stadium for opposition teams on Mancini’s watch but for long
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Page 8 G24 Sport Wednesday January 11 2012 22:08 GMT
to a local hospital for a scan of his right leg.
The agency quoted medical sources as saying the driver had
Sri Lanka collapse to lowest one-day then left the hospital, saying he wanted to go to the clinic in
score of 43 against South Africa Pietra Ligure, southwest of Genoa, where he had been treated
after his crash.
• South Africa 301-8; Sri Lanka 43 all out • Kubica spent two months in hospital and had multiple
South Africa win by 258 runs operations after the crash in a minor rally in Italy in which
he suffered serious arm and leg injuries when a steel barrier
Reuters penetrated the cockpit and nearly severed his hand.
Sri Lanka collapsed to their lowest one-day score of 43 when The Monaco resident also lost a huge amount of blood while
they lost by 258 runs to South Africa in the first one-day trapped in the car.
international at Boland Park in Paarl. Before the accident on 6 February, Kubica had been the
Their total equalled the fourth previous lowest score ever leading driver at Renault (now Lotus) and was linked to Ferrari
in 50-overs internationals and the victory margin was the third as a possible replacement for the Brazilian Felipe Massa.
largest. The Sri Lankans’ previous lowest score was 55 against Morelli had said in September that Kubica had good
West Indies in Sharjah in 1986. movement in his elbow, forearm and wrist and was regaining
The pace bowlers Morne Morkel and Lonwabo Tsotsobe strength and functionality.
claimed seven wickets between them as Sri Lanka, chasing 302
for victory, were skittled out in 20.1 overs.
Hashim Amla earlier scored a century as an opener before Williams Formula One team up with
Morkel destroyed the Sri Lankan top order with pace and Michael Johnson to boost efficiency
bounce to claim four for 10 off six overs. Tsotsobe also created
havoc with the new ball, taking three for 19 in six overs with his
• Former Olympic champion brings
left-arm seamers.
Kosala Kulasekara was the only Sri Lankan batsman to reach
biomechanic expertise • ‘We can cut
double figures and was the ninth man out for 19. hundredths, tenths of seconds from pit
Amla anchored the South African innings with a determined stops’
112 off 128 balls, stroking eight classy boundaries. It was the Press Association
ninth century in 53 ODIs for the vice-captain.
The hosts won the toss and AB de Villiers, leading the team The Williams [http://tinyurl.com/chaoqt] Formula One team
for the first time, chose to bat first. South Africa scored 301 have joined forces with four-times Olympic gold medallist
for eight with Jacques Kallis compiling a fluent 72 off 80 balls, Michael Johnson to improve their performance during racing.
adding 144 for the second wicket with Amla. Michael Johnson Performance Inc, a company founded by
De Villiers added a quickfire 52 off 40 balls, before the fast the retired American world 400m record holder, will provide
bowler Lasith Malinga ripped through the lower order, taking an intensive training programme for the team’s pit crew and
five for 53 as South Africa lost five wickets for 22 runs in 4.4 conduct an evaluation of the team’s training regime.
overs. Williams will use the expertise and training principles in all
areas of their operation. The partnership will see the MJP logo
displayed on the sleeves of driver and team overalls, personnel
Broken leg sets back Robert Kubica’s uniform and across the team.
The team principal Frank Williams said: “I had the privilege
return to Formula One
of first meeting Michael at the Belgian Grand Prix in the late
1990s.
• New injury for driver who had near-fatal “I have always admired the dedication required to be
crash last year • Pole re-visits Genoa clinic an Olympic champion. The attention to detail and the
after freak fall on icy street commitment required is what sets these extraordinary
individuals apart from the rest of us.
Reuters
“When Michael and I met again recently he explained how
Robert Kubica [http://tinyurl.com/3doqk2z], who has not raced he had established a company that specialised in improving
since a near-fatal crash last February, was taken to hospital in athletic performance.
Italy on Wednesday after slipping on a patch of ice and injuring “I was extremely keen to learn how he could help our team
his leg. as there seemed to be a lot of areas of common interest.
The Gazzetta dello Sport website said the 27-year-old Polish “Michael’s sporting achievements speak for themselves, and
driver had suffered a suspected micro-fracture of his right tibia the principles he used to become the fastest man in the world
in what would be a further setback to his return to competition. are certainly transferable into our own hugely competitive field.
The highly-rated Pole is now out of contract with his former “Formula One is about all aspects of the race. We all know
Renault team after it was announced last year that he would how crucial the brief time the car spends in the pits can be.
not be ready to return by the start of the season. His manager “So it will be exciting to see how Michael and his team can
Daniele Morelli was not immediately available for comment. help give us the edge in this respect.”
ANSA said Kubica had lost his footing on an icy street in Johnson, who says he has been “a huge Formula One fan”
Pietrasanta, near the coastal town of Viareggio, and was taken since watching that first race in Belgium, added: “I am confident
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2007 guardian.co.uk
Page G24 Sport Wednesday January 11 2012 22:08 GMT
the experience and biomechanics expertise of the MJP staff that Khan and promoters Golden Boy initially claimed Peterson’s
has benefited numerous American football athletes, Premier team had agreed in principle to a rematch immediately
League football teams, and Olympic federations, can also following the split decision verdict, before closing ranks and
benefit Williams’ pit crew in their goal to cut hundredths and apparently changing their minds.
even tenths of a second from their pit stop times.” Hunter said: “The bottom line is that after we decided not to
The MJP Center was founded in 2007 to train youth and accept Golden Boy’s offer for a rematch only days after the fight
professional athletes in all categories of sports, using some of … they started filing protest letters and trying to spin the media
techniques Johnson employed in winning his four Olympic and as some form of retaliation.
nine world championship gold medals. “If the media reports are true, then the actions of a few will
put every close decision in boxing [http://tinyurl.com/5ra7ax]
in jeopardy of being overturned. We will not let that happen.
Lamont Peterson camp hits out at Amir We will continue to fight for what is just and proper.”
Khan over ‘foul tactics’ The IBF stated that the “man in the hat” Ameen had no
business being involved at ringside during the fight and is not a
federation employee or official, though he does voluntary work
• Peterson manager accuses Khan of trying with its programme for retired fighters and will attend a hearing
to discredit rival • ‘Mustafa Ameen in no on 18 January.
way associated with Team Peterson’ Ameen, who can be seen on television interacting with
the WBA supervisor, Michael Welsh, and allegedly handling
Press Association
scorecards, was identified by Khan’s promoter, Richard
Lamont Peterson’s trainer and manager has accused Amir Khan Schaefer, who also said Ameen was involved with the IBF.
[http://tinyurl.com/6lg4w8] of using “foul tactics and false A statement issued by the organisation’s publicist, Jeannette
accusations” to discredit his new champion after last month’s Salazar, read: “Shortly over a year ago, IBF president Daryl
controversial fight between the pair. Peoples and Mr Ameen agreed that he would network on behalf
Khan has publicly aired several grievances surrounding the of the organisation with the purpose of connecting with these
disputed defeat after losing his IBF and WBA light-welterweight fighters in order for the IBF to provide them with some financial
titles in Peterson’s native Washington on 10 December. Those assistance.
complaints range from the referee Joe Cooper’s decision to dock “Mr Ameen’s role with the organisation is limited to just this.
the Englishman two points to the judges’ decisions and alleged He is not an employee or an official of the organisation, nor does
discrepancies with the scorecards. he receive any monetary compensation from the organisation
Khan then reignited the issue last week by questioning the for his efforts.
role of the then unidentified Mustafa Ameen at ringside.The “Previous to the Khan-Peterson bout, the IBF made a request
new champion’s team have finally broken their silence, with for the Washington, DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission
Barry Hunter, Peterson’s mentor, criticising Khan’s conduct to extend Mr Ameen the courtesy of a credential to enter the
while making it clear “mystery man” Ameen has nothing to do arena.
with them. “Mr Ameen was not assigned by the IBF to officiate this bout.
“Unfortunately, we are in this process of dealing with Despite all that has transpired, at this point the IBF has not
these unfounded protests,” Hunter said. “It would be an changed its stance and plans on moving forth with the hearing
understatement to characterise Lamont as being disappointed as scheduled on Wednesday, 18 January, 2012.
in the unprofessional manner in which Khan is attempting to “Mr Ameen will be present at the hearing to explain his
discredit his performance in the ring and victory. actions and what transpired during the bout between him and
“We were raised to conduct ourselves where champions Mr Welsh, the WBA supervisor.”
display professionalism, both in victory and defeat. Lamont
previously tasted defeat and handled it the way it should be
handled – he worked harder on areas that needed improvement Liverpool v Manchester United in FA
to maximise his performance in the ring. Now, he is world Cup set for Saturday lunchtime
champion. Khan blames everyone and everything but his
performance and lack of ability to make adjustments in the ring
for his loss. • Fourth-round game kicks off at 12.45pm,
“Each claim is boldly false, but because Golden Boy and live on ITV • FA to contact both clubs
Khan have the financial resources to file protests and lawyers before potentially explosive tie
to create questionable accusations we are forced to address
Press Association
these issues. We will not let these foul tactics take away from
Lamont’s hard work, dedication and monumental victory. Liverpool [http://tinyurl.com/42nq4e]’s FA Cup [http://tinyurl.
“Furthermore, since Khan continues to focus on a man at com/czpyxc] fourth-round tie at home to Manchester United
ringside I want to be very clear – Mustafa Ameen is in no way, [http://tinyurl.com/bjgxtp] will be played on Saturday 28
nor has he ever been affiliated or associated with anyone within January, the club have confirmed. The match will kick off at
Team Peterson. That includes myself, Lamont and Anthony 12.45pm and will be televised on ITV [http://tinyurl.com/
Peterson [Lamont’s brother and fellow fighter]. 6sb7p4].
“Real champions don’t continue to come up with various The game will be the first between the two clubs since they
excuses and false accusations in hopes that something will stick drew 1-1 in the Premier League on 15 October, also at Anfield,
to cover up for a loss.” during which Luis Suárez-Patrice Evra row erupted.
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Page 10 G24 Sport Wednesday January 11 2012 22:08 GMT
The Football Association will contact Liverpool and have some his nicer horses out soon and I’m looking forward
Manchester United ahead of the FA Cup tie to remind both to riding Alfie Spinner in the novice chase at Warwick on
clubs of their responsibilities before the potentially explosive Saturday.”
meeting. The British Horseracing Authority has confirmed that the
The fallout from the Suárez controversy, with Liverpool jockey Aidan Coleman and trainer Mark Rimell have both been
offering staunch support for the Uruguayan while questioning interviewed as part of their inquiry into an incident at Lingfield
the integrity of Evra, has soured relations between the clubs. last week where Rimell allegedly threw a punch at Coleman in
Anfield officials had intended to approach their United the weighing room.
counterparts in an attempt to ease the tension around the The altercation took place after Coleman had pulled up the
league match at Old Trafford on 11 February, before the FA Cup Rimell-trained Ours, a 14-1 chance in an earlier race. Rimell
draw brought the plan forward. accused Coleman of being disrespectful to him and his owners,
and of verbally abusing the trainer when he went to the
weighing room to calm the situation down.
Betfair makes payout to limited number “When he said what he said I was gobsmacked and what I did
of Voler La Vedette punters was out of pure shock,” said the trainer.
A BHA spokesman commented: “We have interviewed both
Coleman and Rimell, alongside a couple of witnesses, and the
• Backers in win and place markets get investigation remains ongoing.”
ex-gratia payments • James Reveley back
riding with a double at Doncaster
Will Hayler
British gymnasts in race against time to
be in final frame for 2012
Two weeks on from the system failure which resulted in bets
worth millions of pounds voided, the betting exchange Betfair
[http://tinyurl.com/28m6fce] has announced payouts for a • ‘Everyone will be fighting for that
limited number of punters caught up in the situation. place,’ says Daniel Keatings • Only five
Over 100 backers who had placed their wagers in both slots available in British team for London
the win and place markets on the Christmas Hurdle at Olympics
Leopardstown won by Voler La Vedette before the rogue £600m
Owen Gibson
liability bet appeared, and all winning positions in the place
market were given ex-gratia payments on Wednesday night. The British gymnasts who on Tuesday night helped qualify a
However, the situation for those with winning bets placed full team for the Olympics for the first time in 20 years will be
after the huge £21m lay of Voler La Vedette at 28-1 in the win given until June to stake a claim for one of the five places on
market remains unchanged, with Betfair referring complaints to offer at the London Games.
the Independent Betting Arbitration Service. After a performance at the North Greenwich Arena that
“We had a long meeting with our regulator, the Gibraltar would have placed them third at last November’s world
Gambling Commission, last week, where we gave the championships, British Gymnastics [http://tinyurl.com/
commission a full and thorough explanation as to how things axhxkp] will face a tough decision deciding between the six
went wrong,” said the Betfair spokesman Tony Calvin. team members who competed, plus others still in contention,
“As a result, the commissioner made a number of for the five slots available.
recommendations to us and we are actually going above and The team is likely to be one of the last announced, with
beyond these. These are ex-gratia payments because the in-play selectors leaving the decision as late as possible in order to pick
markets won’t be settled so customers with losing bets won’t those in the best form.
have to pay out.” “We’ve still got a lot of hurdles to leap. We’ll be knuckling
With those receiving payments being the punters who down in the gym again, concentrating on the European
would have had the strongest case against Betfair in any future championships that are coming up and qualification for the
action – whether lodging their complaint with IBAS or pursuing Olympics within the team,” said Daniel Keatings after Britain
an immediate legal case – it could be argued that the biggest finished top of the leaderboard at the Visa International test
winners from this decision are punters placing losing bets in the event. “You’ve seen how strong the team is and there’s only
first minute of in-play betting on the race who will not have to five places. Everybody is going to be fighting for that place.
pay out. There are a few competitions between now and June. They’ll
James Reveley celebrated his return to riding action at announce the team quite late and choose it on performances.”
Doncaster yesterday with a double aboard Corkage and Quetzal. The team will head to a training camp in Cancún later this
Sidelined with concussion since a fall at Wetherby on Boxing month, ahead of the European Championships in Montpellier
Day, Reveley had to pass an examination by the racecourse in May.
doctor before being allowed back into the saddle but quickly The British men were forced to qualify at the event having
showed that his enforced absence had only done him good. finished 10th at the world championships in Tokyo, therefore
“To be honest, I’ve just been enjoying the rest for a couple of missing out on one of the eight qualification spots available.
weeks, but it’s good to be back and I’ve had a lot of luck at this The team comprised Keatings, Louis Smith, Dan Purvis,
track,” said Reveley, who is looking forward to renewing his Kristian Thomas, Ruslan Panteleymonov, Max Whitlock and the
role as first-choice jockey for Nick Williams reserve Sam Hunter.
“It will be fairly low key over the next few days, but Nick will
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In the Olympics, four out of the five team members will have
to compete on each piece of apparatus with the top three scores
counting to the final total. In the team final, for which eight
nations will qualify, three team members compete and all their
scores count, making any falls more costly.
Eddie van Hoof, the British Gymnastics technical director,
said there was “a good chance” that the pommel specialist
Louis Smith, who won a bronze medal at the Beijing Games,
would have to cover other apparatus in the team competition.
On Tuesday, he competed only in the pommel. “We will look at
structure and look at Louis to cover other apparatus but also at
our best medal chances. Louis is also good at parallel bars and,
suprisingly, the rings as well,” said Van Hoof.
Smith said part of his role was also to bring the team
together: “It was nice to be a mascot for the team and help the
guys through it. [As captain] I can be a bit more persuasive, I’ve
got a bit more of a voice. The guys listen to me, we’re all good
friends.”
With the women’s team having already qualified at the
world championships, Beth Tweddle said she was ready to
take risks in her bid to win a medal at what will be her last
Olympic Games. The 26-year-old had a disappointing world
championships as she failed to qualify for the uneven bars final
and only finished seventh in the floor competition. “After the
world championships, I was able to go home and sort out the
problems I’d had in qualification,” said Tweddle. “I had a three-
month period of just training which I haven’t had for a long time
so it was a big relief.”
“I’ve been doing 10 routines every day and the problem is
because I’m going for that medal you’ve got to take risks that
come with problems as well. Hopefully in London it will all be
sorted but I’ve got to take those risks to try and walk away with
a medal,” said Tweddle, who came fourth on the uneven bars in
Beijing.
“I’d love any medal but at the end of the day if I walk away
from the Olympics having done a routine cleanly and came
away with a medal, fantastic. If it doesn’t at least I know
I’ve done my best as the worst thing would be to walk away
knowing had I gone clean I could have got a medal.”
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2007 guardian.co.uk