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Artest puts Lakers 3-2 up at the death

BASKETBALL: Ron Artest sank the game-winning basket as time expired to lift the Los Angeles Lakers to a 103-101 win over the Phoenix Suns in Game Five of the Western Conference finals.

With the game tied 101-101 in the closing seconds, Kobe Bryant came up short on a long jump shot but Artest slipped in for the rebound and scored to seal the victory and give the Lakers a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Phoenix had won two in a row at home in the best of seven series to tie the teams at 2-2.

Im just happy he made the play, Bryant said, who delivered 30 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in the game as the Lakers squandered an 18-point lead in the second half before sealing victory.

Game Six is on in Phoenix and the Lakers will be attempting to clinch the series and reach their third successive NBA Finals.

Clontarf set out on their quest for four-in a-row

CRICKET:Clontarf set out on their quest to claim a four-in-a-row of Lewis Hohn Williams Senior Cup titles when they take on Phoenix in the Park today. After losing their first two league games and going out of the All-Ireland Cup, Joe Morrissey's side claimed their first win of the season with a 61-run victory over The Hills last weekend, writes Emmet Riordan.

Ireland international Andrew Poynter hit a century in that game, while Rod Hokin made 83 as Clontarf made 262 for six.

Clontarf’s batsmen have enjoyed the 60-over format in this competition in recent years, while promising young seamer Jordan Coghlan will be looking to build on a promising start to his season.

Ted Williamson and Morne Bauer have boosted Phoenix’s resources considerably, while David Langford-Smith has shown good form with bat and ball. All three will need to contribute if they are to cause an upset today.

The tie of the round takes place at Milverton in Skerries where The Hills face a Leinster side who claimed the All-Ireland title on their last visit to the ground.

West Indian professional Carlos Brathwaite could be the key man for the visitors, while The Hills will be looking to their strong batting line-up, led by Jeremy Bray.

FIXTURES: Saturday: Lewis Hohn Williams Leinster Senior Cup; First round: (11.0): Malahide v Merrion, Malahide; Old Belvedere v Terenure, Cabra; Phoenix v Clontarf, Phoenix Park; Railway Union v YMCA, Park Avenue; Rush v Pembroke, Kenure Park; The Hills v Leinster, Milverton.

Steyn available to face Wales

RUGBY: South Africa back Francois Steyn has confirmed he will be available for next weekend's Test against Wales in Cardiff.

Steyn, part of the Springboks’ World Cup winning squad in 2007, attended talks in Johannesburg with head coach Peter de Villiers after reports the 23-year-old had pulled out of the match because of a rift between the pair.

Steyn, who is set to start at fullback against Warren Gatland’s side, has not played for his country since moving to France to join Top 14 outfit Racing Metro in September.

But he will now add to his 36 caps at the Millennium Stadium this day week after the talks reached a successful conclusion.

“Frans confirmed his loyalty and commitment to the Springboks and people of South Africa and I can’t wait to see him back in green and gold,” said de Villiers.

Watson well up there after dressage

EQUESTRIAN: Ireland's Sam Watson lies in second in the Rookery Park Stud CCI** class at the Tattersalls international trials after the dressage phase which concluded yesterday, writes Margie Mcloone.

On Thursday, Watson headed the table on 42.6 penalties with Hoyo and this was matched yesterday by New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson riding Quimbo and bettered by Britain’s Matthew Wright who achieved 40.2 on If You Want.

British riders lead the other three international classes, which had a second session of dressage yesterday, with Laura Collett lying first and third in the Eventing CCI** for riders under 25, William Fox-Pitt heads the Rookery Park Stud CCI* rankings on the Irish-bred Bay My Hero and David Doel is first and second in the Eventing Ireland CCIJ*.

In show jumping, Ireland finished joint-third with Spain in the Meydan FEI Nations’ Cup in Rome on 12 faults behind winners France (four) and Britain (eight).

Basso takes over the lead in Giro

CYCLING: Ivan Basso was second in yesterday's 19th stage of the Giro d'Italia to put him at the top of the overall standings.

Basso (Liquigas) was part of a group of three Italians, headed by Michele Scarponi (Androni Giocattoli) and also including Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas), which finished the mountainous 195km stage from Brescia to Aprica three minutes and five seconds ahead of the field.

The result allowed Basso to open up 51-second lead over previous leader David Arroyo (Caisse d’Epargne), who battled impressively fight to finish seventh, 3:06 back on the leaders.

With another mountain stage today, between Bormio and Passo del Tonale, and only one more to follow after that, Basso will be strong favourite to take the title.

Garmin will go along with probe

CYCLING: The Garmin Transitions team behind American David Zabriskie and Australian Matthew White will cooperate with any investigation into doping allegations made by disgraced rider Floyd Landis, officials said yesterday.

Landis, who was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France title after testing positive for abnormal levels of testosterone, last week confessed to using blood-boosting drugs.

He also pointed the finger at seven-times Tour champion Lance Armstrong and several others, including Zabriskie and White.

Both are members of the Garmin-Transitions team. Zabriskie rides for Garmin and White, a former rider, is one of the team’s directors.

The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has opened a probe into Landis’s allegations.”We expect anyone in our organisation who is contacted by any cycling, anti-doping, or government authority will be open and honest with that authority,” Slipstream Sports, said.