CRICKET: Centurions Robert Key and Andrew Strauss broke records with a 291-run second wicket stand to propel England to 391 for two at the close of the first day's play in the first Test against the West Indies at Lord's yesterday.
Key was still on 167 not out, his first Test century. He shared with Strauss in the highest second-wicket partnership for England against West Indies anywhere and the biggest stand for any wicket versus West Indies at Lord's.
West Indies captain Brian Lara must regret putting England in on a flat pitch as the tourists failed to extract much movement.
They made an early breakthrough in the sixth over. Marcus Trescothick flicked a Tino Best delivery from off stump towards leg only to loop a catch to Ramnaresh Sarwan in front of square to be dismissed for 16.
ATHLETICS: Torri Edwards and Calvin Harrison have been included in the US athletics team for the Athens Olympics despite facing doping charges, the US Olympic Committee (USOC) announced yesterday.
World 100 metres champion Edwards and Olympic 4x400 metres gold medallist Harrison, who have tested positive for banned stimulants, were among the names submitted to Athens organisers, USOC spokesman Darryl Seibel said.
"The roster we submitted, at least as it relates to track and field, is identical to the list of athletes USA Track & Field submitted to us earlier in the week," Seibel said. "That means that those two athletes (Edwards and Harrison) . . . are on the list of athletes we submitted."
Under US law, athletes awaiting hearings cannot be banned from the Games.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), however, has said it would give countries until mid-August to make substitutions for exceptional circumstances, including athletes guilty of doping violations.
Edwards appeared before an arbitration hearing panel on Monday in southern California. She tested positive for the banned stimulant nikethamide at a Martinique meeting in April and could be banned for up to two years.
Harrison, selected in the 4x400 metres squad for Athens, tested positive for the stimulant modafinil at the 2003 US championships.
EQUESTRIAN: Ireland's show jumpers face a tough battle at Hickstead this afternoon, where a decent points tally in the Nations Cup is needed to remain ahead of league bottom-rungers Italy and avoid relegation.
Britain, winners on home ground last year, are ranked just ahead of the Irish and will aim to repeat the 2003 result, when Ireland tied with France for second place.
Colonel Ned Campion, called back into service as chef d'equipe just before Aachen last week, named his squad for this afternoon's tussle as Billy Twomey, Marion Hughes, newly promoted Captain Shane Carey and Kevin Babington.
TENNIS: Briton Tom Burn had a difficult match in the Men's Irish Open championships at Templeogue last evening but reached the semi-finals losing only five games to Nick Malone, writes Pat Roche.
Fellow Briton Matthew Smith went through after surviving a testing time from Conor Taylor. Taylor won a first-set tie break but Smith lost only four further games.
Ireland's top player, Yvonne Doyle, was beaten in three sets by British visitor Lucy Fletcher in an exciting Leinster Women's Open quarter-final.
Men's Irish Open: singles (quarter-finals): M Smith bt C Taylor 6-7 6-3 6-1. T Burn bt N Malone 6-3 6-2. D O'Connell bt J Cluskey 6-1 6-2. J McGee bt C O'Brien 6-2 6-4.
Womens Leinster Open - (quarter-final) - L Fletcher bt Y Doyle 4-6 6-4 6-4.
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