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Langford-Smith calls it a day

CRICKET:Ireland's front-line seam attack was further depleted yesterday after opening bowler David Langford-Smith announced his retirement from international cricket, writes Emmet Riordan.

The 31-year-old Phoenix player's decision comes just two weeks after Ireland captain Trent Johnston announced he will take a break from the international stage.

It leaves Ireland coach Phil Simmons short on experienced strike bowlers three weeks ahead of his side's opening Friends Provident Trophy clash against Nottinghamshire. "It was always going to be a blow to lose David, particularly so as it's two of them together after Trent," remarked the coach yesterday.

Langford-Smith admitted the pressures of starting a new painting and decorating business led to his decision to call time on his Ireland career after 43 appearances.

He had earlier announced he would sit out Ireland's recent tour, before changing his mind and finishing as the top wicket-taker in the three-match series against Bangladesh with seven.

"It has been a tough decision for me, but one I had to make. On returning from the latest tour, I have realised that my work-load has built up so much that I will find it hard to do anything else," he said.

"I've reached a stage in my life where I have to think about my family, and it's difficult when you are away from home so much."

Langford-Smith played a key role with the new ball at last year's World Cup in the West Indies, his celebratory wicket-taking 'Ferret Dance' becoming one of the lasting images from the Caribbean.

Kyle takes second place

EQUESTRIAN SPORT: Mark Kyle and Drunken Disorderly, Ireland's only representatives in yesterday's indoor cross-country competition at the British open championships in Birmingham, were beaten into second place by Britain's Georgie Spence and Song For Gull, writes Margie McLoone.

It was however a good effort by the Irish combination with the 18-year-old Macrocket gelding, one of the oldest horses in the event, owned by the rider's mother Gillian and wife Tanya.

In the preceding accumulator class, Jessica Kuerten and Castle Forbes Vivaldo VH Costerveld took third place behind Britain's Nick Skelton and Russell.

On Thursday Shane Breen also finished third in the speed class on Sandra Duffy's gelding World Cruise with Cork's Billy Twomey fifth on the stallion Pikap. The class was won by Britain's Robert Whitaker and Lacroix 9. In Arezzo, Italy Cameron Hanley won the Grand Prix qualifier on Sevil Sabanci's stallion SIEC Royal Star.

Greeks test positive for banned substances 

WEIGHTLIFTING:Eleven members of the Greek national weightlifting team have tested positive for banned substances, the Greek Weightlifting Federation said yesterday.

The federation said it would test the B samples before setting up a special committee to investigate the issue affecting the majority of the team.

"In surprise out-of-competition tests run by Wada (World Anti-Doping Agency) on the orders of the International Weightlifting Federation, the A samples of 11 (out of 14) athletes turned out positive," it said in a statement.

The federation said national coach Christos Iacovou, credited with a big weightlifting medals haul at recent Olympics, had handed in his resignation and had been suspended pending the investigation.

Officials at the federation and the Greek Olympic Committee, in charge of compiling the country's Olympic team, could not be immediately reached for a comment.

Since the 1992 Barcelona Games, Greece has won 12 Olympic medals, including five golds, in weightlifting. Before Barcelona the country had not won a weightlifting medal since the 1904 Games.

Iacovou, a former weightlifter himself, has been in charge of the national team since the Barcelona Games.

Former athletes and journalists long claimed Greece's sudden success in the sport was suspicious but the claims were dismissed.

Burke out of France clash

RUGBY: The Ireland Under-19 outhalf Andrew Burke has been forced to pull out of the Ireland team to play France in Paris today due to injury.

There is a reshuffle in the backline with Ian McKinley moving from the centre to outhalf and David Funston comes off the bench to start at inside centre. Johnny Shields moves into the centre with Gary Foley moving in the opposite direction to accommodate an all-Ulster midfield.

Sale moved into the European Challenge Cup semi-finals with a 49-24 victory over Brive last night. Sale now face a trip to either Bath or Leeds on April 26th.