Sports digest

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

Spain want drug cheat bans doubled

ATHLETICS: Spains athletics federation (RFEA) has called for bans for drug cheats to be doubled to four years. The federation would "ask the competent authorities and organisations" to modify the rules and extend the ban period for the use or promotion of illegal drugs, it said in a statement yesterday after a meeting of its board.

The RFEA also threw its support behind the advent of biological passports for athletes, saying in the statement it would “take the necessary steps, together with the competent organisations, for (their) introduction”.

The initiatives come after several Spanish athletes and coaches, including world steeplechase champion Marta Dominguez, were implicated in a police investigation into doping dubbed “Operation Greyhound”. Dominguez, who denied any wrongdoing, is suspected of involvement in the trafficking of drugs and crimes against public health and has been suspended from her post as a vice president of the RFEA.

Al-Attiyah victorious in Dakar Rally

MOTOR SPORT:Volkswagen driver Nasser Al-Attiyah coolly claimed his maiden Dakar Rally success as Carlos Sainz took the stage win on the 13th and final test of this year's event.

Qatari ace Al-Attiyah started the day with a lead of over 48 minutes over team-mate and runner-up Giniel de Villiers and he stretched that advantage to over 50 minutes as he finished second to Sainz on the day, with the Spaniard extending his record of Dakar stage victories to 24.

Al-Attiyah was never likely to lose such a handsome lead on yesterday’s short 181-kilometre run from Cordoba back to Buenos Aires, with the pivotal moments of the event coming when defending champion Sainz, who finished third overall, lost huge chunks of time during stages 10 and 11.

Junhui storms into a 6-2 lead

SNOOKER: An estimated television audience of over 100 million viewers watched on as China's Ding Junhui opened up a healthy 6-2 lead over Hong Kong potter Marco Fu in the British Masters final at Wembley Arena.

Fu had to wait until the third frame to register his first point as Ding began with breaks of 120, 74 and 61 to reach the halfway point of the first session 3-1 up. Ding needs just four more frames to clinch his maiden Masters crown.

Twomey claims €70,000 prize

EQUESTRIAN: Cheshire-based Billy Twomey, the world's number seven rider, landed the Grand Prix at Basel yesterday on Tinka's Serenade which he owns in partnership with Sue Davies, writes Margie McLoone.

From a start list of 47, Twomey and the 14-year-old mare were one of 16 combinations to make it through to the second round where Germany’s Marcus Ehning set what appeared the winning time of 39.89 on Noltes Kuchengirl. Sixth last to jump, 33-year-old Twomey beat Ehning’s time by three-tenths of a second (39.59) and held on to claim the €70,000 first prize.

Team Ireland Equestrian’s show jumping manager Robert Splaine said: “This was a top performance from a top man on a top horse. My congratulations go to Billy and his owners.”

Loreto and UCD close the gap on leaders Hermes

WOMEN'S HOCKEY: Just two points now separate the top three in the Leinster first division after leaders Hermes were held to a draw by Old Alexandra on Saturday, Loreto and UCD both picking up wins to close the gap, writes Mary Hannigan.

At Milltown Hermes fell behind to a Shirley McCay short corner strike midway through the first half.

Alexandra, without several key players on Saturday, held that lead until the middle of the second period, Sinead Connery levelling for Hermes after they had been thwarted on a number of occasions by fine defending and goalkeeping from Pamela Smithwick.

Loreto, meanwhile, made it seven wins out of seven with a 5-1 defeat of Glenanne, Cathy McKean scoring twice, while a double from Chloe Watkins gave UCD a 2-1 victory over Trinity.

Railway Union, seven points adrift of Hermes but with a game in hand, registered an emphatic 7-0 win over Bray on Saturday suggests.

Jean McDonnell scored a hat-trick, with her Irish team-mates Alex Speers and Nicola Evans scoring two apiece.

Pembroke Wanderers’ 2-1 win over Corinthian lifted them above Bray in to sixth, but they are still seven points short of the spot that offers a play-off place for the Irish Hockey League. Pembroke’s second team, meanwhile, had a successful trip north on Saturday, knocking holders Randalstown out of the Irish Junior Cup, Susan Ryan getting the golden goal winner in extra-time.

New Zealand leave it late

CRICKET:The wicket of a well-established batsman on the last ball of the day had New Zealand's Daniel Vettori looking forward to the third day of the Second Test against Pakistan.

Vettori, who scored his sixth test century before he was last man out in New Zealand’s first innings of 356, gave his side some late hope when he had Taufeeq Umar well caught by Martin Guptill on the last delivery of the second day.

Taufeeq’s dismissal for 70 reduced Pakistan to 134 for two, after the opener had combined in a 132-run partnership with Azhar Ali (62) following the early loss of Mohammad Hafeez for one.

“It made the day a little easier,” Vettori told reporters at the Basin Reserve. It was a great catch and to be able to walk off the park with them two down and a new batsmen makes things a little easier, but we’ve got a big first session tomorrow.

“That’s probably going to set up the game if we’ve got a chance of winning it.”