Today's other sports news in brief
Ireland in talks with Pakistan about staging a ‘home’ Test match
CRICKET:Ireland could be in line to stage its first Test match after Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom confirmed he is in talks with his counterparts in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in relation to scheduling some games here, writes Emmet Riordan.
Security concerns in Pakistan after the recent attack by terrorists in Lahore on the Sri Lankan team has meant the PCB are looking into venues outside the country to stage “home” matches.
Their one-day series against Australia will take place in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, while PCB officials have mentioned Ireland as one of the potential venues for games.
Deutrom welcomes the idea and believes staging a Test match could help in Ireland’s bid to obtain Test-playing status.
“We’d be very keen to host matches, particularly a Test match. It wouldn’t just be the inherent novelty value of Ireland hosting a Test match, it would be one further step down the line of Ireland proving itself capable of being able to stage such matches,” said Deutrom .
Meanwhile, Ireland have suffered an injury blow on the eve of the second stage of their World Cup qualifying campaign in South Africa. All-rounder Andre Botha will play no further part due to a floating bone in an ankle.
Ireland coach Phil Simmons has called up Strabane left-arm seamer Phil Eaglestone as a replacement and he is due to join up with the squad in Johannesburg tomorrow.
Ireland open the Super Eights campaign with a game against Afghanistan in Krugersdorp this morning, a side they bowled out for just 86 in a warm-up game.
Jankovic fights back to reach Marbella semi-final
TENNIS: World number four Jelena Jankovic fought back from a set down to beat Italy’s Roberta Vinci 3-6 6-3 7-6 in the quarter-finals of the Andalucia Tennis Championships yesterday.
The Serbian second seed, by far the highest-ranked player left in the tournament after Wednesday’s shock exit of world number one Serena Williams, found it tough going against the 67th-ranked Vinci on the clay in Marbella.
Both players struggled to hold serve throughout and Vinci saved three match points in the 10th game of the third set and another in the tiebreak before Jankovic sealed the win at the fifth attempt, taking the tiebreak 8-6.
McQuaid critical of Armstrong test
CYCLING:Ireland's Pat McQuaid, the head of the International Cycling Union, has said France's anti-doping agency (AFLD) acted unprofessionally in a drugs test conducted on Lance Armstrong.
The American could face punishment from the AFLD over claims he violated strict testing rules, although no traces of drugs were found in his samples.
But McQuaid questioned why the news had been leaked to the press. “The French are not acting very professionally in this case,” he said.
“Normal proceedings between institutions such as national anti-doping agencies, the international federation and Wada are normally done in a professional and confidential way until a decision or sanction has been taken.
“In this case it was leaked to the press and I do find that disturbing.”
Award for Dunne
BOXING:New WBA super bantamweight champion Bernard Dunne has been named boxer of the month for March by the association. The Dubliner was awarded the accolade after his sensational, title-winning performance against Ricardo Cordoba in Dublin last month.
Their six-knockdown battle is already being put forward as a candidate for fight of the year on both sides of the Atlantic.
