BOXING: Audley Harrison's planned assault on the world heavyweight title suffered a setback last night with the news that he will be out of action until the new year.
Britain's Olympic superheavyweight champion targeted winning boxing's greatest prize within five years, but he may now be forced to re-think following surgery for a chest injury.
The 30-year-old was taking part in a charity event in Birmingham over the weekend, where members of the public had the chance to match their sporting prowess against Britain's successful Olympians. While he was doing a bench-press exercise, Harrison felt a twinge in his stomach and the medical assessment was worse than he had feared.
CRICKET: Andrew Caddick and Robert Croft will each forfeit at least £25,000 sterling after opting to become the only refusniks on England's forthcoming tour to India.
The pair informed the England and Wales Cricket Board late on Sunday of their decision not to travel for safety reasons, but they will have to wait until after the India tour to find out if they will suffer further financial penalty. As of now they have lost half their winter tour fee although that figure could double if they are not selected for the trip to New Zealand in February.
But yesterday Team England were keener to focus on the three players who decided to travel to India than dwell on the long-term future of the absentees. Marcus Trescothick, Ashley Giles and Craig White, all of whom had also expressed disquiet about touring since the escalation of the conflict in Afghanistan, have confirmed their availability, although Giles and White will need to pass fitness tests on November 7th. Yesterday Giles put his chances of being fit at no higher than 50:50. The party is due to leave on November 13th.
HOCKEY: There is the possibility of an All-Leinster final in the Irish Schools championship at Grange Road today (2.30). In this morning' semi-finals, Wesley take on Munster kingpins Ashton, while St Andrew's meet Ulster's survivors, Cookstown. While Ashton, the title holders, and Cookstown have enjoyed previous successes, Wesley - beaten in four finals - and St Andrew's have yet to win the trophy.
Wesley, with Andrew Walker, Phelie Maguire and Mark Goode to the fore, swept through their pool matches, registering 17 goals and conceding none. St Andrew's fought back from arrears of 0-2 and 1-3 to draw 3-3 with RBAI.
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