Sports Digest

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

Nadal back on grass and cruises to stylish victory

Tennis:ATP HALLE OPEN: French Open champion Rafael Nadal marked his return to grass in style with an emphatic 7-5 6-1 win over Slovakia's Lukas Lacko in the second round yesterday.

Nadals 75-minute cruise was his first win at the tournament since 2005, and set up a quarter-final clash with reigning champion Philipp Kohlschreiber.

Five-times former champion Roger Federer also reached the last eight defeating Germany’s Florian Mayer 6-4 7-5 and will next play fifth seed Milos Raonic.

QUEEN’S: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga became the latest high-profile casualty yesterday after he was knocked out by debutant Ivan Dodig in the third round.

Tsonga, who reached a career-best quarter-final placing at the French Open earlier this month, was expected to win this tournament after Andy Murray’s exit on Wednesday, but Dodig showed remarkable composure to clinch the game 7-6 (7/3) 3-6 7-6 (7/5) and set up a quarter-final meeting with 2010 champion Sam Querrey.

Murray’s conqueror, Nicolas Mahut, lost in the third round to the impressive Grigor Dimitrov.

Irish pair help deliver victory over Scots

Cricket:Ireland A again showed their battling abilities to record a 77-run victory over their Scottish counterparts at Uddingston in Glasgow on the final afternoon of their three-day game.

Ireland had conceded a 95-run deficit after the first innings, but by the start of the final day had built up a lead of 208 with three wickets remaining and pushed on to make 345 all out in their second innings to set Scotland a target of 250 in 83 overs.

Scotland put themselves in a good position at lunch on 53 for one, but the tide started to turn in the first over after the interval when left-arm seamer Phil Eaglestone took the wicket of Ewan Chalmers.

Off-spinner Lee Nelson and Eaglestone then struck within five deliveries and the pair would finish with seven wickets between them as Scotland were bowled out for 173.

– EMMET RIORDAN

REPRESENTATIVE A GAME (at Uddingston, Glasgow) – Day three of three: Ireland 181 (T Johnston 42 no, C Dougherty 32, A Eastwood 28) and 345 (S Thompson 71, A Poynter 54, J Anderson 44, C Dougherty 42, R McCann 38), Scotland A 276 (M Sorensen 5-73, P Eaglestone 3-73) and 173 (L Nelson 4-58, P Eaglestone 3-24). Ireland won by 77 runs.

Moriarty is two shots off the leaders at St Omer Open

Golf:

EUROPEAN TOUR: Ireland’s Colm Moriarty is just two shots off the pace being set by Adam Gee, Simon Wakefield and Sihwan Kimon on four under par, after signing for a two-under 69 following the opening round of the St Omer Open in France yesterday.

Simon Thornton is the only other Irishman in the field, and the 35-year-old posted a level-par first round.

The three leaders sit one shot clear of Raul Quiros, Darren Fischardt and Raymond Russell with Moriarty in a group of six players one shot further back.

SENIORS: Portmarnock’s Adrian Morrow once again showed his class yesterday as he swept to the the top of the leaderboard in the European Seniors International Championship in Austria.

The Irish seniors champion fired a splendid one-under par 70 over the Achensee course to establish a one-stroke first round advantage over Switzerland’s Markus Frank.

The 90 competitors play a second round today and then the leading 70 players qualify for the third and final round tomorrow.

Cain tosses Giants' first perfect game

Major League Baseball:Pitcher Matt Cain tossed the first perfect game for the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, baffling the Houston Astros in a 10-0 shutout, that sparked pandemonium on the field and in the stands. Cain became just the 22nd pitcher in Major League history to pitch a perfect game, achieving the feat in front of his home crowd in San Francisco. The Giants had never had a pitcher throw a perfect game in their 129-year existence.

The 27-year-old Cain struck out 14 batters, retiring each of the 27 batters he faced.

The 14 strikeouts is a tie for the most during a perfect game. Cain sealed the feat when Jason Castro grounded out to third base to set off the celebration at the mound where the pitcher was mobbed by his team-mates.It was the fifth no-hitter thrown in the majors this season and the second perfect game. Philip Humber pitched a perfect game for the Chicago White Sox on April 21st.

The Giants’ right-hander, who improved to 8-2 on the season in the 125-pitch masterpiece, got plenty of help from his defence, including a spectacular diving catch from Gregor Blanco in the seventh inning.

Ireland fight back for victory over Games-bound Spain

Men's Hockey:After a 2-1 loss on Tuesday Ireland secured a 3-2 win over Olympic-bound Spain in Santander yesterday in hot conditions.

Spain scored in the 19th minute with a drag to the top right corner but three minutes later Conor Harte was on hand with a drag of his own to equalise. Spain went ahead again in the 26th minute with some creative work from Lleonart who weaved into the circle getting a shot away for a goal. Despite Spain dominating much of the first half Ireland equalised before half-time when Drew Carlisle volleyed to the net.

Ireland scored the winner in the 54th minute after stringing together a series of quick passes leading to Carson picking up on a bouncing ball to hit home for the 3-2 win.