Sports digest

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

Wiggins seizes overall lead

CYCLING: Britain's Bradley Wiggins seized the overall lead in the Paris-Nice cycling race after the 185.5km second stage won by Belgium's Tom Boonen in Orleans yesterday.

Wiggins, second at the start one second behind Sweden’s Gustav Larsson, was part of the day’s 21-man break which crossed the line with a two-minute lead over the main bunch including the previous yellow jersey holder.

The stage was won by former world champion Boonen ahead of Spain’s José Joaquin Rojas and Germany’s John Degenkolb. Ireland’s Nicholas Roche was 28th on yesterday’s stage at two minutes, 29 seconds.

New whip rules take effect today

HORSE RACING:The latest revisions to the whip rules will be introduced today, the British Horseracing Authority said in a statement yesterday.

While retaining the existing threshold for a rider’s use of the whip on both the Flat and over jumps, stewards will now be able to exercise discretion when reviewing a jockey’s use of the whip throughout a race.

The trigger for stewards to review a rider’s use of the whip remains eight times or more for Flat races and nine times or more over jumps.

But rather than such use representing an automatic breach, and thus a suspension, the stewards will look at the ride and decide whether or not to hold an inquiry.

Particular attention will be given to use pf the whip in the closing stages and relevant factors such as the manner in which the whip was used, including the degree of force, and the purpose for which it was used.

The new rules are to be established just seven days before the beginning of the Cheltenham Festival.

West Indies' Morton dies in crash

CRICKET:West Indies cricket was in shock yesterday after the death in a car crash of former international batsman Runako Morton. The 33-year-old was the sole occupant in a vehicle which crashed in central Trinidad.

Morton, who last played for his country two years ago, is thought to have been making his way home from a match late last night when the accident happened.

He won 15 Test caps, 56 in one-day internationals and played in all three formats for the West Indies.

Former team-mates Wavell Hinds, Dwayne Bravo and one-time West Indies captain Chris Gayle were among those to pay tribute to Morton on Twitter.

West Indies Cricket Board president Dr Julian Hunte described the impact of Morton’s death on all those associated with West Indies cricket. “Runako’s passing, still in the prime of life, leaves us all in shock,” he said.

Stirling hits stunning 62-ball century

CRICKET: Paul Stirling hit a stunning 62-ball century as Ireland beat an Eastern Province Invitational XI by 63 runs in the first of two Twenty20 warm-up clashes in Port Elizabeth yesterday ahead of next week's World T20 qualifier in the United Arab Emirates, writes Emmet Riordan.

Having won the toss against a young EP side, Ireland lost skipper William Porterfield and Kevin O’Brien in the first six overs before Gary Wilson came to the wicket with the score on 34 for two, 21 of those having been scored by Stirling.

The pair would blast 132 runs during their 72-ball stay at the crease, with Wilson outscoring Stirling; the Surrey player’s 64 coming from just 33 deliveries.

Stirling went on to complete his century with a seventh six and finished unbeaten on 110 as Ireland posted an impressive 197 for three.

Left-arm spinner George Dockrell struck in his first over and finished with figures of three for 26, while Max Sorensen, John Mooney, Andrew White and O’Brien took a wicket each as the hosts were restricted to 134 for seven.