A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Shannon called up to senior Irish squad
CRICKET:Ireland A captain James Shannon is in line to make his senior international debut against South Africa A after being named in a 13-man squad for next week's four-day game at Oakhill CC in Wicklow.
The Instonians player made an unbeaten 99 to help his club win the NCU Challenge Cup final last Friday, sharing an unbroken 161 stand with Ireland international Andrew White in a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over North Down.
There’s also a return to the senior squad for Limavady’s Andrew Britton after he impressed senior coach Phil Simmons for Ireland A against Durham last week.
Kevin O’Brien skippers a squad that includes Surrey’s Gary Wilson, but is missing most of the county-based players, while George Dockrell is with the under-19 side in Australia for the World Cup.
Meanwhile, the Ireland women’s team secured promotion to division two of the ECB T20 Championship by completing four straight victories in Dunstable over the weekend, all by comprehensive margins.
– EMMET RIORDAN
Allen fined £2,000 for failing to appear at promotional events
SNOOKER:Northern Ireland's Mark Allen has been fined £2,000 by a World Professional Billards and Snooker Association Disciplinary Committee.
Allen (26) was accused of breaching his World Snooker Limited contract by failing to appear at five promotional events at or before tournaments since September 2011.
The fine is the latest controversy to hit his career. He was fined £250 for swearing at a press conference in at the UK Championship in December as he criticised WPBSA chairman Barry Hearn. He was fined £1,000 and warned as to his future conduct in March for comments he made about China and the Chinese people. A fine of £10,000 and a three-month suspended ban followed in June after Allen said he was “disgusted” Cao Yupeng did not call a foul against himself during a tournament in April.
England turn to Taylor at six
CRICKET:England have turned to James Taylor to fill the troublesome number six batting role, handing the Nottinghamshire batsman his Test debut against South Africa at Headingley today.
England, 1-0 down in the three-match series after their humiliating innings and 12 run loss at The Oval, must avoid defeat in the second Test to keep their place at the top of the world Test rankings.
Taylor (22) will replace Ravi Bopara, who did not wish to be considered for personal reasons, to become the England’s fifth number six this year, with Eoin Morgan, Jonny Bairstow, Matt Prior and Bopara all previously employed in the role.
Team director Andy Flower has confirmed England will not alter their policy of six batsmen to allow for fifth front-line bowler.
HEADINGLEY LINE-UPS
ENGLAND (from): A Strauss (capt), A Cook, J Trott, K Pietersen, I Bell, J Taylor, M Prior (wicketkeeper), T Bresnan, S Broad, G Swann, J Anderson, S Finn, G Onions.
SOUTH AFRICA (probable): G Smith (capt), A Petersen, H Amla, J Kallis, AB de Villiers (wicketkeeper), J Rudolph, JP Duminy, M Morkel, D Steyn, V Philander, I Tahir.
ON TV: Sky Sports 1 from 10.30am
Harrington goes in search of Ryder Cup points in Nevada
GOLF:Three-time Major winner Pádraig Harrington starts the Reno-Tahoe Open in Nevada today hoping victory could set him on a late run for a Ryder Cup place.
Harrington will be encouraged by the absence of the defending champion, home favourite Scott Piercy, who has switched from Reno to the lucrative World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, after qualifying through his one-shot victory in the recent Canadian Open.
The Dubliner currently languishes at 28th on the European money list for the Ryder Cup with three tournaments to come before captain Jose Maria Olazabal’s selection deadline. But he will be encouraged by five consecutive top-20 finishes immediately before the British Open, where he finished on a modest five over par in a tie for 39th.
His main opposition on the Reno course a mile above sea level could come from US trio John Rollins, JB Holmes and Chris Kirk, who tied for fourth in the Canadian Open, and in-form South Korean Seung-Yul Noh.
On TV today: Sky Sports
