Sports digest

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

Neck injury forces Worsley to retire

RUGBY:Joe Worsley has retired from the game with immediate effect due to a neck problem, his club Wasps have announced.

The England forward was forced into the decision after failing to recover from the injury sustained last season.

It became clear his career was over during the summer training camp for the recent World Cup as he targeted participation in the tournament for a fourth time.

The 34-year-old, who could cover all three back row positions and was feared for his ferocious defence, was left with no option but to hang up his boots.

“Last season I suffered an injury to my neck that has effectively ended my career,” he said. “Since March I have been following medical and rehab advice but it hasn’t helped. Restarting contact work during the England World Cup camp made it obvious that I could not continue.

“My life as a rugby player started at Welwyn under nines and finished in an England training session – I want to say thanks to everyone who helped me on that path.”

World Test series put back to 2017

CRICKET:A world Test championship will not begin until 2017, with pressure from TV seeing a return of the Champions Trophy one-day competition to the international cricket calendar in 2013.

International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Haroon Lorgat confirmed the decision in Dubai yesterday.

“At the last (ICC) board meeting we decided the first opportunity to play the Test championship is 2017. I am disappointed it is not going to take place sooner but it is a reality of the commitments we have already got through to 2015,” said Lorgat. “We attempted to switch the Champions Trophy to become a Test championship but that is not going to be possible.”

Windies prove too strong for Ireland

CRICKET:Ireland need to bounce back from a bad opening defeat against West Indies when they take on Pakistan today at the Women's World Cup qualifiers in Bangladesh, writes Emmet Riordan.

Ireland went down to a 213-run defeat in their Group B opener in Dhaka, with the West Indies opening pair of Stefanie Taylor and Juliana Nero putting on 204 for the first wicket to push the Caribbean side on to an imposing score of 276 for four.

Nero was run out for 100, while Ireland captain Isobel Joyce claimed the wicket of Taylor for 107.

Ireland’s reply got off to the worst possible start when Clare Shillington was bowled off the second ball and things didn’t get much better as they lost their first five wickets for 21 runs.

Basketball talks break down

BASKETBALL: Talks between the NBA players and the league have "completely broken down", according to players' association executive director Billy Hunter. The scheduled start to the new season had already been delayed by five weeks owing to the wrangling involved in negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players' association.

The players are seeking a minimum 52.5 per cent share of teams’ basketball-related income. The league’s current offer gives players between 49 per cent and 51 per cent.