Powerful Klitschko retains his title

SPORTS DIGEST:BOXING: Vitali Klitschko retained his WBC title as he stopped Tomasz Adamek in the 10th round in Wroclaw.

It was a performance even more dominant than that which saw brother Wladimir despatch David Haye in July and Italian referee Massimo Barrovecchio could well have called a halt to proceedings a couple of rounds earlier.

Adamek made no impact at all on his opponent in the first three rounds, seemingly rattled by the power of Klitschko’s jab.

In the fourth Adamek at last seemed to give Klitschko a few uncomfortable moments, but the Ukrainian was still well in control.

And he emphasised his dominance in the sixth when a big right-hander sent Adamek tumbling backwards and into the ropes.

Walsh makes low-key return

HORSERACING:Ruby Walsh made a low-key return to action at Listowel yesterday after two months out through injury. The top jump jockey finished last of four on the Tony Martin-trained Salute Him behind Plan A in the Kerrymaid Hurdle, his only ride at the meeting.

Walsh crushed a vertebra in his neck and tore a ligament when his mount Friendly Society fell at the first flight in a handicap hurdle at Killarney in July.

McCloskey bounces back

BOXING:Derry southpaw Paul McCloskey recovered from a first-round knockdown to win a unanimous points victory over Breidis Prescott in an eliminator for the WBA light-welterweight title in Belfast.

Prescott, the Miami-based Colombian who beat current WBA title-holder Amir Khan in 2008, appeared to be on his way to another victory when he had McCloskey on the canvas in the first round with a short left hook.

But the 32-year-old southpaw, bleeding from several cuts around the nose and mouth, battled back to outbox a tiring Prescott in the later rounds to claim a narrow victory by margins of 115-113 and 114-113 (twice) on the judges’ scorecards.

Undefeated Carl Frampton, who fights out of Barry McGuigan’s stable, added the vacant Commonwealth title to his CV with a fourth-round stoppage of Aussie super-bantamweight Mark Quan on Saturday’s undercard. Belfast’s Eamon O’Kane posted a points win over John Rea.

Froome fails to peg back Cobo in Vuelta a Espana

CYCLING: With his main rival Chris Froome being unable to take any time back on either Saturday's stage or yesterday's concluding leg to Madrid, the Spanish rider Juan Jose Cobo retained his red leader's jersey and won the Vuelta a Espana, reports SHANE STOKES.

The Geox TMC competitor finished 13 seconds ahead of the Sky Procycling rider, the third smallest winning margin in history. Froome had hoped to pick time bonuses up in the intermediate sprints but was unable to make any gains.

First home in Madrid was the Slovakian Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) , who beat Daniele Bennati (Leopard Trek). Irish pros Nicolas Roche (Ag2r la Mondiale) and Dan Martin (Garmin-Cervélo) were 22nd and 36th across the line. More importantly, both performed strongly over the three weeks, with Martin winning stage nine and finishing up an excellent 13th overall. Roche was three places further back in 16th.

England take one-day series

CRICKET: England completed a series victory over world champions India yesterday after the fourth one-day international at Lords ended in a Duckworth/Lewis tie when rain forced the players off the field with seven balls remaining.

The result was decided by a boundary catch when Ravi Bopara attempted to clear the ropes to complete his first one-day international century.

He was well held by Ravindra Jadeja in the deep for 96 to reduce England to 270 for eight from 48.5 overs in reply to Indias 280 for five.

The teams left the field immediately afterwards with no more play possible and Boparas dismissal meant the teams were tied on the Duckworth/Lewis method for deciding rain-reduced matches. England still took a 2-0 in the five-match series after the first game was rained out. They meet for the final time in Cardiff next Friday with India yet to record a win.

Victorious Hirvonen closes the gap

MOTOR SPORT:Ford driver Mikko Hirvonen powered to his third Rally Australia title yesterday to narrow Sebastien Loeb's lead in the World Rally Championship standings.

The 2006 and 2009 winner began the final day of the Coffs Coast event 22.7 seconds behind team mate Jari-Matti Latvala, who slowed on the penultimate stage to allow Hirvonen to pocket maximum points in the emotional one-two finish.

Ford’s second victory of the season coincided with the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks on New York and Washington, which the American team marked by carrying memorial stickers on its factory machines.

Hirvonen now trails Loeb (196) by 15 points. Petter Solberg came third in his Citroen, his second podium finish this season, ahead of Briton Matthew Wilson.