SPORTS DIGEST

English RFU to launch inquiry

RUGBY:The English RFU are to launch an investigation into allegations of player misconduct during England's tour to New Zealand.

England were beaten 37-20 in the opening Test by the All Blacks and a section of the squad later embarked on a drinking session at a nightclub which concluded with girls returning to the team hotel.

The investigation will be conducted by the RFU's disciplinary officer Jeff Blackett, who intends to reveal his findings as soon as possible.

Blackett's probe will run separately from the police investigations taking place in New Zealand involving allegations of serious sexual assault against four England players.

They have yet to be interviewed by police as no formal complaint has been made and they strenuously deny any wrongdoing.

New Zealand steal dramatic victory 

CRICKET:New Zealand stole an extraordinary one-wicket victory over England in the fourth one-day international at The Oval yesterday with an overthrow off the final ball.

With two runs required and one ball remaining, number 11 Mark Gillespie squeezed a full-pitched delivery from Luke Wright into the off-side. Graeme Swann's throw missed the stumps with nobody backing up and Gillespie and Kyle Mills scampered the winning runs.

New Zealand, beaten 2-0 in the three-Test series, now take an unbeatable 2-1 lead into the final one-day match at Lord's on Saturday. The second game was declared a no-result.

Scores: England 245 all out off 49.4 overs (R. Bopara 58, O.Shah 63); New Zealand 246-9 off 50 overs (S. Styris 69).

 Roche registers emphatic win

CYCLING:Riding in the event named in honour of his father's achievements, Irish professional Nicolas Roche showed he will be a major threat in this weekend's national road race championships when he dominated the Stephen Roche Grand Prix in Dundrum last night, writes Shane Stokes.

The Crédit Agricole rider bided his time and then attacked seven laps from the end of the race, quickly opening up a ten second lead despite a strong headwind on the finishing straight.

This gap continued to rise until the final lap, hitting 20 seconds, and allowing him to fully savour his victory. Simon Kelly (Usher IRC) and Tim O'Regan (MyHome.ie) were second and third.

STEPHEN ROCHE GRAND PRIX, Meadowmount, Dundrum: 1, Nicolas Roche (Crédit Agricole); 2, S. Kelly (Usher IRC); 3, T. O'Regan (MyHome.ie); 4, C. Bracken (Murphy Surveyors); 5, J. Lynch (Bray Wheelers); 6 A Crowley (My Home.ie). First junior: Philip Lavery (Eurocycles). First veteran: Paul O'Keefe (Usher IRC). First woman: Rachel Heal (Webcor). First senior 3: Emmanuel Stockard (Lucan CRT).First senior 2: Noel McGlynn (Muprhy Surveyors).

Ireland must plan without Morgan

CRICKET:Ireland coach Phil Simmons's plans for next week's Tri-Nations series against New Zealand and Scotland in Aberdeen were thrown into turmoil yesterday after Middlesex batsman Eoin Morgan changed his mind and decided to stay with his county, writes Emmet Riordan.

The talented left-hander told the coach yesterday morning he would be staying in London for his side's County Championship clash with Northamptonshire at Uxbridge.

Simmons already had to plan without Northants wicket-keeper, Niall O'Brien, while William Porterfield will be playing with Gloucestershire. With batsman James Hall also ruled out by injury, Simmons is expected to announce a replacement for Morgan today.

Tonight's programme of Twenty 20 games in Leinster have been postponed as a mark of respect to the late John Wright, the former ICU president and secretary, who passed away on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, The starting time for tomorrow's T20 international against Bangladesh 'A' at Eglinton has been put back an hour to 5.30pm to allow people to attend Wright's funeral, which takes place at St Sylvester's Church in Malahide at 11.0am.

A INTERNATIONAL: At College Park, Overnight: Ireland A: first innings 159 (55.3 ovs) (R Strydom 41, G Thompson 28no, P Stirling 24; Mahbubul Alam 5-57), Bangladesh A: first innings 193-7 (63 ovs) (N Islam 100no, S Shuvo 38; R Strydom 3-20, P Connell 2-41).

BANGLADESH A: First innings:

I Kayes c Thompson b Eaglestone 0

J Siddique c Thompson b Connell 9

F Hossain c McAllister b Kidd 12

R Saleh c Poynter b Connell 125

N Islam not out 100

D Ghosh c McAllister b Strydom 3

S Shuvo c Stirling b Strydom 38

A Sunny lbw Strydom 0

N Hossain c Strydom b Connell 27

Mahbubul Alam not out 10

S Rasel not out 6

Extras (4b 16lb 2nb,7w) 29

Total (for 9 wkts dec, 83.3 ovs) 265

Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-10, 3-30, 4-68, 5-71, 6-164, 7-166, 8-245, 9-249.

Bowling: P Connell 25-8-65-4; P Eaglestone 19.3-8-35-1; R Strydom 17-5-33-3; G Kidd 12-0-72-1; G Thompson 4-0-21-0; A Balbirnie 6-2-19-0.

IRELAND A: Second innings:

R Strydom c Siddique b Sunny 46

P Stirling c N Hossain b Shuvo 52

R Haire not out 19

A Poynter lbw Shuvo 3

A Balbirnie not out 6

Extras (1b 2lb 3nb 1w 5 pens) 12

Total (for 3 wkts, 50 ovs) 138

Fall of wickets: 1-104, 2-116, 3-132.

Bowling: S Rasel 6-3-8-0; Mahibubul Alam 8-2-25-0; S Shuvo 14-2-44-2; A Sunny 13-2-31-1; N Hossain 6-1-11-0; N Islam 3-1-11-0.

Match drawn

ICAP Leopard sets new record with winning time

SAILING:Mike Slade's super-maxi ICAP Leopard reached the finishing-line of the BMW Round Ireland Race at Wicklow yesterday morning to end a ten-year reign by Colm Barrington as course record holder with a new time of 65 hours, 48 minutes and 47 seconds, writes David Brannigan.

The new time takes over ten hours off the previous time though high winds throughout the race that started last Sunday served to hamper the progress of the 100-footer whose 26-strong crew were obliged to de-power the boat at times during the race.

Leopard crossed the finishing-line yesterday with a fully-reefed mainsail and jib-top before dropping off most of the crew and continued southwards to The Solent to prepare for this weekend's Round the Island Race, circumnavigating the Isle of Wight.

Ashore, Slade and his team were feted by Wicklow Sailing Club members with champagne and a full-Irish breakfast to end their diet of freeze-dried food during the race.

The owner, whose has competed in several previous events has described the Round Ireland as "more like an ocean race than an offshore event" that more sailors should consider a "must do".

Meanwhile, the remainder of the fleet started arriving in Wicklow last night, led by Adrian Lee's Lee Overlay Partners in a match-race with Kenny McCullough's Alburn and being pursued by Piet Vroon on Formidable, all within a five-mile stretch.