Soccer: Dietmar Hamann should complete his £8million move to Liverpool on Monday after agreeing personal terms with the Anfield club.

Liverpool had already agreed a fee with Newcastle for Hamann and he is expected to finalise his transfer on Monday following a medical on Merseyside.

Hamann's capture will take Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier's spending for the summer to £25 million and he will be the club's second most expensive buy after Stan Collymore, who cost £8.5 million four years ago.

The former Bayern Munich star, who cost Newcastle £5.25 million 12 months ago, will be Houllier's seventh foreign signing of the summer.

Meanwhile, Liverpool strolled to a convincing 8-0 victory over a German Select XI last night in their first pre-season friendly in Oberstaufen. Robbie Fowler bagged a hat-trick, while new boy Titi Camara also got on the scoresheet on his first appearance in a Liverpool shirt.

Patrik Berger (2), Danny Murphy and Vegard Heggem scored Liverpool's other goals.

Harry Redknapp will wrap up his first major signing of the close season when striker Paulo Wanchope completes his £3.5 million move from Derby to West Ham today.

Athletics: German marathon star Uta Pippig has been suspended for two years for doping by the judicial commission of the German Athletics Federation, commission president Wolfgang Schoppe said yesterday. Pippig was initially suspended by the federation in October last year after failing a drug test and had already written off her chances of competing at next year's Sydney Olympics.

The judicial commission's decision yesterday confirmed the federation's initial decision. The three-time Boston Marathon winner returned a positive test in April last year.

Pippig recently blasted the world of athletics, telling Die Welt newspaper: "There is too much jealousy and mistrust".

Cricket: The national women's squad faces a busy time next week, with the European Cup campaign in Denmark, writes Karl Johnston.

Miriam Greally of YMCA skippers the side, with Malahide's Catriona Beggs the vice-captain, and Ireland's opponents will be Denmark on Monday, Holland on Tuesday and England A on Wednesday.

Greally says that hopes are high, though the best the Irish have achieved is runner-up to England. But this time around, England are not sending their top side, and Greally feels that victory over England A is attainable. On the men's front, Ireland continue to entertain the South Africa Development squad with one-day internationals at Castle Avenue and Rathmines today and tomorrow, respectively.