Sports Digest

A roundup of today's other sports news in brief

Kuerten leads league standings

EQUESTRIAN:Jessica Kuerten leads the FEI World Cup Western European league standings after her second-place finish in the final qualifying round at s-Hertogenbosch, reports Margie McLoone.

Riding Lady Georgina Forbes’s mare Castle Forbes Libertina, Kuerten set a time of 32.60 in the 16-horse jump-off and looked set for victory, until Rolg-Goran Bengtsson stopped the clock on 32.50 with Casall La Silla.

Calzaghe admits to using cocaine

BOXING:Former undefeated super-middleweight world champion Joe Calzaghe has apologised for using cocaine after being caught out by a British newspaper.

Calzaghe (38), who retired from boxing a year ago having won all 46 of his professional fights, released a statement on his website (www.joe.calzaghe.com) apologising to fans for his “occasional use of cocaine” since retiring.

“I’m not proud to say that I have joined a list of royals, sports and showbiz stars who have been scammed by the News of the World’s notorious Fake Sheikh,” Welshman Calzaghe said, explaining how he had been secretly filmed by the newspaper’s reporters speaking about his drug use.

“In talking directly to my fans, I would only add that I am deeply sorry if anyone feels let down and I will make sure that nothing like it happens again,” Calzaghe said.

“I am fully aware of the bad example it sets to other people and particularly to youngsters.”

Pittsburgh Penquins march on

ICE HOCKEY: The defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins qualified for the play-offs with a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.

The New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres joined the Penguins in nailing down Eastern Conference play-off berths, while the Phoenix Coyotes made the post-season for the first time since 2002 in the West.

Sidney Crosby had three assists for the Penguins, who are tied with the New Jersey Devils for the Atlantic Division lead.

New Jersey made the post-season for the 13th successive year with a 4-2 triumph at Montreal. Patrik Elias and Jamie Langenbrunner both had power-play goals.

Buffalo, the Northeast Division leader, secured their first play-off spot since 2007 with a 7-1 rout of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Patrick Lalime had 22 saves for his 200th career win.

Phoenix used two goals by Lee Stempniak to beat Colorado 6-2.

Third place in final stage earns Roche top-five finish

NICOLAS ROCHE finished off the Volta a Catalunya in style yesterday, nabbing third on the final stage and holding on to his excellent fifth place overall, reports Shane Stokes.

The 25-year-old was taking his first top-10 general classification place in a ProTour event and showed good consistency.

He took four top-10 placings out of seven stages, including that third place.

The final overall winner was Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha), the bronze medallist at last year’s world championships. Roche finished one minute and 20 seconds back and is in his best early season form. He was also 11th overall in the recent Paris-Nice.

Meanwhile, Daniel Martin also performed well, finishing a fine 14th overall in the two-day, three-stage Criterium International in Corsica. Martin was 13th on Saturday’s mountain stage, 34 seconds behind the solo winner Pierrick Fedrigo (Bbox Bouygues Telecom).

Unseeded Fish shocks holder Murray

TENNIS:Unseeded American Mardy Fish recorded a shock 6-4 6-4 win over world number three and defending champion Andy Murray in the Sony Ericsson Open second round in Miami on Saturday.

Top seed Roger Federer then avoided Murray’s fate with a 6-3 6-3 victory in just over an hour over Ecuador’s Nicolas Lapentti in the late match.

Florida resident Fish took control by seizing the opening set against the Scot and the writing was on the wall for Murray when he surrendered his serve in the first game of the second.

Fifth-seed Swede Robin Soderling went through with a 7-6 6-0 win over Australian Peter Luczak.

In the women’s event, Venus Williams defeated Italy’s Roberta Vinci 6-1 6-4 in a third-round match.

Aussies recover after Taylor century

CRICKET:Ross Taylor hit the fastest Test century by a New Zealander but the hosts were left ruing a missed opportunity as Australia inched back into the lead on the second day of the second Test in Hamilton.

New Zealand began the day in a position of some dominance, having bowled the tourists out for just 231 on Saturday, and Taylor did his best to ram home the advantage by reaching three figures off 81 balls, eventually falling for 138.

Only opener BJ Watling (46) could provide any real support following Taylor’s heroics though, as Mitchell Johnson claimed four wickets to help dismiss the Black Caps for 264.

By the close, which came early due to bad light, Australia were 35 without loss – a lead of two.