■ CRICKETT
Ashley Giles to coach spin
Former Test bowler Ashley Giles will join England's Performance Programme as spin coach, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Friday. The 34-year-old left-armer, part of the 2005 Ashes-winning side, will work with England's promising spin bowlers in India during the four-week training camp. "I'm really looking forward to the opportunity of working with the players involved in the EPP," Giles, who had to retire this year because of chronic hip problems, said in a statement. "It's exciting to be so hands-on in a coaching role."
■ Boxing
WBC plans Rocky statue
The World Boxing Council (WBC) said yesterday that it plans to set up a statue honoring late heavyweight boxing champion Rocky Marciano in his home state of Massachusetts. WBC secretary general Gabriel Penagaricano said the boxing organization approved the statue of Marciano, the "Brockton Blockbuster" during its annual convention in the Philippine capital. The WBC is now seeking the permission of US authorities to set up the statue either in Boston or in Brockton, the birthplace of Marciano, the only man to retire undefeated as heavyweight champion, Penagaricano said.
■ Volleyball
Simona Gioli made MVP
Italy's Simona Gioli received the most valuable player's award after leading her team to their first victory in the women's World Cup volleyball tournament in Nagoya, Japan, on Friday. It was the 30-year-old middle blocker's triple victory as she also won the best blocker's award with a total of 33 points. Katarzyna Skowronska-Dolata, of Poland, was the best scorer with a total of 182 points, including 154 points off her powerful shots in 11 games. Cuba's Yanelis Santos Allegne won the best server's award, hitting 21 aces, and her compatriot Nancy Carrillo de la Paz received the best spiker's award, with the best percentage of 52.53.
■ Boxing
Warrant issued for Eubank
A judge issued a warrant for the arrest of former world boxing champion Chris Eubank after he failed to appear in court on Friday over a solo anti-war truck protest. Eubank, who has a reputation as an eccentric, drives a huge truck and attempted to park it outside the entrance to Downing Street, the prime minister's residence in London, in May to protest about the war in Iraq. The 41-year-old was due to appear before City of Westminster Magistrates' Court in London over the protest involving the 7 tonne truck, which is 9.75m long. In his absence, a district judge fined Eubank ?500 (US$1,025), ordered him to pay ?365 costs and a ?15 victim surcharge. He has 14 days to pay.
■ Soccer
Ferreira back in action
Former Paraguay striker Julio Gonzalez Ferreira, who had his arm amputated after a car accident almost two years ago, is poised to make his comeback for first division Tacuary on Friday. Gonzalez was playing for Italy's Vicenza when he was involved in the accident on the way to Venice airport in December 2005. He is not in the team for Friday's league match against Olimpia but Tacuary's coach has promised to use him as a substitute. "I pray to God everything goes well today and I can continue training and playing at professional level," Gonzalez said.
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
Noelvi Marte on Sunday had seven RBIs and hit his first career grand slam with a drive off infielder Jorge Mateo, while Austin Wynn had a career-high six RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds scored their most runs in 26 years in a 24-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Marte finished with five hits, including his eighth-inning homer off Mateo. Wynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off catcher Gary Sanchez. Cincinnati scored its most runs since a 24-12 win against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, 1999, and finished with 25 hits. Baltimore allowed its most runs since a 30-3 loss to
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