Gambling inquiry

TENNIS:The sport's ruling bodies have agreed to use outside help to investigate and prevent potential corruption in the sport. The International Tennis Federation, the ATP tour, which runs the men's circuit, the WTA women's tour, and the Grand Slam Committee agreed at a meeting in London yesterday to hire an outside firm to assess the danger that gambling poses to the sport, the groups said in a press release.

"While we do not believe that our sport has a corruption problem, we do recognise that a threat to the integrity of tennis exists," the organizations said.

The men's tour already is investigating a match involving Nikolay Davydenko and 76th-ranked Martin Vassallo Arguello at the Poland Open in August. Betfair cancelled all wagers on it because the odds on a Davydenko victory began to lengthen, even after he won the first set. He quit because of a foot injury in the third set.

Roche on the attack

CYCLING:Nicolas Roche rode aggressively in Thursday's final event in the French Cup, the 1.1-ranked Paris-Bourges race, writes Shane Stokes.

The Crédit Agricole rider was one of 17 who went on the attack during the 194.3km event, but all were reeled in before the finish.

Tour of Britain winner Romain Feillu (Agritubel) was then quickest in the 68-man sprint to the line, beating Aurélien Clerc (Bouygues Telecom) and Alexandre Usov (Ag2r Prevoyance) into second and third.

Roche also finished in the same time, placing 27th of the 159 starters.

Sébastien Chavanel (Française des Jeux) finished as the winner of the 2007 French Cup.

Roche was 16th in the standings and stands seventh in the classification for young riders.

Inzy hangs up his bat

CRICKET:Inzamam-ul-Haq's final appearance for Pakistan ended in disappointment as he fell agonisingly short of becoming his country's leading run scorer of all time as South Africa yesterday sealed a 1-0 series victory with a draw.

Needing just seven second-innings runs to break Javed Miandad's record, Inzamam managed only three as the hosts ended the last day of the second Test in Lahore on 316 for four in pursuit of their target of 457.

Inzamam was dismissed by Paul Harris almost immediately after Jacques Kallis had taken the prized wicket of Pakistan dangerman Younus Khan, who had threatened to inspire his side to a series-levelling win.

A blistering second-wicket partnership of 161 between Younus and Kamran Akmal had given Pakistan hope of pulling off an unlikely victory.

Ryan's UK title adds to Gallagher's rookie win

MOTOR SPORT:It was a good week for Irish motorsport as Jenny Ryan from Athy won the UK Mini Challenge outright, to add to Donegal driver Shaun Gallagher claiming the Rookie of the Year in the World Rally Championship, writes Brian Foley.

Ryan (25) beat Oli Mortimer (Scotland), who drove a more powerful Mini Cooper S, by five points. She also won the Club Class and dominated the Ladies Class. She had a 100 per cent finishing rate in the 18 races, of which she won four, and scored consistent points.

London-based Ollie O'Donovan (Limerick) is level on points with Andrew Jordan in the British Rallycross Championship, of which tomorrow's event at Mondello Park is the penultimate round.

The Mondello event is both the last round of the Irish championship - led by Lawrence Gibson - and round one of the 2007-08 Irish series.

The huge entry also includes superstars Per Eklund (Sweden) in a Saab, French driver Olivier Anne in a Citroen C4, and a line-up of top British rallycross experts headed by Jordan, Pat Doran, Mike Manning and Steve Mundy.

O'Donovan, Gibson, multi Irish and British champion Dermot Carnegie, George Tracey, Andrew Nesbitt, John McCluskey, Tommy Graham and Eddie Kinirons spearhead the strong Irish challenge.

Gareth MacHale, Tim McNulty, Paul Harris, Austin MacHale, Derek McGarrity, PJ McDermott, Niall Maguire, Mike Curran, Séamus Leonard and Gary Jennings are the top 10 of the 252 drivers listed for tomorrow's Donegal Rally.

Baltinglass in south Co Wicklow is the HQ for Sunday's stages rally run by An Garda Síochána Motor Club.

Former Honda F1 test driver Adam Carroll (24) of Portadown is the new driver for Belmayne A1 team Ireland in the World Cup of Motorsport.