Sports digest

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

No replacement for Afridi

CRICKET: Pakistan have opted not to call up a replacement for all-rounder Shahid Afridi after confirming the former captain will miss the two RSA Series one-day internationals against Ireland at Stormont this weekend, writes Emmet Riordan.

The 31-year-old will remain in the United States, where his father was admitted to hospital for liver treatment.

A statement on the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) website said: “Shahid communicated to the Board that he will not be able to join the squad in Ireland as the doctors have advised him to stay back for a few more days. PCB understands his position and prays that his father recovers quickly. ”

Pakistan arrive in Belfast from London this morning after travelling from the Caribbean, while the remainder of Ireland’s county-based players will also arrive this morning.

Knee injury forces hammer thrower O'Keeffe to retire

ATHLETICS:Irish hammer record-holder Eileen O'Keeffe has lost her battle against injury and decided to retire from the sport – even with the prospect of still making the London Olympics, writes Ian O'Riordan.

O’Keeffe made the tough call just shy of her 30th birthday, and while she did enjoy an outstanding career, never quite fulfilled her full potential. Unfortunately a chronic knee injury has failed to respond to several courses of treatment and ultimately she was fighting a losing battle. “It has been a difficult decision but I feel at this point that I have given my best to the sport and have had some top class performances during my career,” said O’Keeffe, a theatre nurse at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin. “I have done everything possible to try and overcome my injury but all my efforts have been unsuccessful.”

Her knee injury actually goes back to the Beijing Olympics in 2008, a year after she hit the headlines with a great performance to finish sixth in the World Championships in Osaka. On that occasion O’Keeffe stood alongside the world’s best by qualifying for the final and going out the next day to finish sixth overall with a throw of 70.93 metres.

That might have been short of the brilliant Irish record she had set in Santry a few weeks previously of 73.21, remarkably the 17th time she had broken the Irish record.

She also won the silver medal at the World Student Games in Bangkok.

Ulissi awarded Giro stage

CYCLING:Lampre's Diego Ulissi won the 17th stage of the Giro d'Italia yesterday after race officials reviewed a controversial sprint finish that also involved first rider across the line Farnese Vini's Giovanni Visconti and Movistar's Pablo Lastras.

Race judges reacted swiftly after Visconti, who was hemmed in between Ulissi and the barriers in the final few metres, pushed off fellow Italian Ulissi to clear space and go for the triumph.

Visconti was relegated to third place behind Ulissi and Lastras.

Spain’s Alberto Contador of Saxo Bank-Sungard, who came in two minutes and 58 seconds behind, leads the general standings by four minutes and 58 seconds over Lampre’s Michele Scarponi.

Vincenzo Nibali of Liquigas is third, five minutes and 45 seconds adrift with four stages to go.

However, all of the talk was on the fight between Visconti and Ulissi. “I was doing my sprint and then he pushed me,” Ulissi said.

“The rules are clear and you have to have your hands on the bar.” Visconti, who is the Italian road race champion, shook his fist in anger at Ulissi at the finish line and criticised his rival. “He is young, inexperienced and he behaves badly,” Visconti said. “Not just on the finish line but even before. He boxed me in and I didn’t have any space to manoeuvre.”

The three riders had escaped with three kilometres to go and completed the 230km journey from Feltre to Tirano in five hours, 31 minutes and 51 seconds.

The peloton arrived three minutes and two seconds behind.

The race started in Feltre and the pack remained together until 175km to go, when 16 riders raced clear of the peloton. They built a gap of seven minutes and 30 seconds as they approached the feeding area.

With four kilometres to go, Jan Bakelants, Ulissi, Lastras and Visconti attacked and were able to gain some ground on the chasing pack.

Bakelants could not hold on as the trio battled in a sprint to the line.

Glasgow's Thomson out of World Cup

RUGBY: Glasgow hooker Fergus Thomson will miss the World Cup in New Zealand due to the recurrence of a shoulder problem, which required surgery. Eight-times capped Thomson (27) who was in Scotland's squad at the last World Cup four years ago and played against New Zealand in that competition, is likely to be out of action for up to six months.

Scotland team doctor James Robson said: “As we are at the end of the season Fergus has been seen by specialist surgeon Julie McBirnie at Spire Shawfair Park Hospital in Edinburgh. “He required three separate components in his shoulder to be repaired and, as a result, will not be able to participate in our Rugby World Cup training squad and has been ruled out of consideration for the tournament itself.” Thomson said: “I’m gutted at missing out on the chance to compete at the World Cup.” No player is being added to Scotland squad yet.

McCaw signs new deal to stay in NZ

RUGBY: Richie McCaw has signed a new four-year deal which will keep him in New Zealand after this autumn's World Cup.

The All Blacks captain has joined star outhalf Dan Carter in signing a new contract which will prevent both of them taking up lucrative long-term offers to play abroad.

McCaw’s four-year deal will allow him to take a break from the game or for the 30-year-old to take up a short-term overseas contract.

“I still have the hunger and desire to continue to play for the All Blacks and the (Canterbury) Crusaders, and there are still things I want to achieve as a player,” McCaw said.

NZRU chief executive Steve Tew said: “He (McCaw) is an inspiration both on and off the field and as our most-capped Test captain and All Black, he will provide New Zealand rugby and the All Blacks with a very solid foundation to approach the next four years from 2012.”