A roundup of today's other sports news in brief
Watson claims place in top-15
EQUESTRIAN:Irish rider Sam Watson did well to break into the top-15 in yesterday's first session of dressage at the European eventing championships in Fontainebleau, writes Margie McLoone.
Riding the home-bred Puissance gelding Horseware Bushman, team member Watson currently lies in 14th position on a score of 53.9 penalties with Ciaran Glynn, who is competing as an individual, in 24th spot having scored 59 on the Cruising mare Killossery Kruisita.
The second team member who rode yesterday, Sacha Pemble (I’ve Been Dun), is six places adrift on 65 penalties and Ireland is seventh of the eight nations which are fielding full teams of four.
As expected, the leaderboard is dominated by Germans and Britons with sub 40 marks for Germany’s Franck Ostholt, who scored 39.20 on Air Jordan 2, and non-team member Dirk Schrade who achieved 39.60 penalties on Garget de la Cere. Britain’s William Fox-Pitt currently lies in third place with Idalgo on 41.50.
Michael Ryan, Ireland’s second individual at the championships, is third into the arena this morning on another son of Puissance, Old Road, while his wife Patricia, who is on the team with Fernhill Clover Mist, competes at 11.33. Elizabeth Power and Kilpatrick River will be the fourth last combination to come before the ground jury at 16.07.
The first qualifiers at the prestigious world breeding show jumping championships for young horses were held in Lanaken, Belgium yesterday and Mayo-born Cameron Hanley had an excellent start to the show when placing second on SIEC Quite Ruffy to Germany’s Mario Stevens-ridden Corlanda in the seven-year-old class.
In the six-year-old qualifier, Jim Derwin (Celta Vigo) and Trevor Breen (No More Talk) finish eighth and 11th while in the five-year-old class Stephen Egan (Special Lux) and Captain David O’Brien (Ringwood Glen) were among 55 riders who divided first place.
At home this weekend, the show jumping action centres on the final of the ShowjumpingIreland National Grand Prix league which takes place on Sunday at the Newcastle Horse Show in Kilbride, Co Wicklow.
Castle Avenue the venue for clash with Australia
CRICKET:Ireland have confirmed that next summer's One Day International clash against reigning world champions Australia will take place at Castle Avenue in Clontarf on Thursday, June 17th, writes Emmet Riordan.
Ricky Ponting’s side will then go on to play a five-game ODI series against England before they take on Pakistan in two Tests and two T20 internationals after they were forced to move their home games out of the country.
Castle Avenue is no stranger to hosting high-profile games, with West Indies playing Bangladesh during the 1999 World Cup, while South Africa and the West Indies have also been visitors in recent years.
Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom is anticipating another exciting clash and is hopeful that the capacity of the ground will exceed the 3,000 that attended the World cup fixture at the ground.
“Following the huge success of the RSA Challenge One-Day International at Stormont between Ireland and England, we are delighted to welcome, Australia, to Dublin next June. Not only do we believe that this match will continue to raise the growing profile of Irish Cricket, but we also believe that the Irish players will have confidence in their ability to properly challenge one of the world’s great cricket teams.”
Ireland’s most recent clash with Australia came in the nine-wicket loss in Barbados during the Super Eight phase of the 2007 World Cup.
The last time they visited was for a rain-affected game at Ormeau in 2001, while Eglinton were the hosts in 1997 when Ponting made an undefeated 117. It’s as far back as 1993 since they last played in Dublin when the tourists won by 272 runs.
South Africa cruise to victory
CRICKET:South Africa captain Graeme Smith praised young left-arm seamer Wayne Parnell for his five-wicket haul in the five-wicket Champions Trophy win over New Zealand yesterday.
Parnell took three wickets in his last two overs as New Zealand crashed from 203 for five to 214 all out, the 20-year-old finishing with career-best figures of five for 57 in eight overs.
“Wayne has proven his skills and it was great to see him bounce back today,” Smith said. “He has put the work in at training and, although he will have his ups and downs because he is young and will have to learn quickly, as a captain it’s important to show faith.”
AB de Villiers produced a top-class innings of 70 not out off 76 balls to steer South Africa home.
“I thought to get us home in the 42nd over was a good effort, Smith said. “We knew the pitch would be a touch slow and we’d have to work harder with the bat. The nature of the pitch was such that to really attack the spinner was tough.”
Injury forces Serena out
TENNIS:World number two Serena Williams has pulled out of next week's Pan Pacific Open with knee and toe injuries. The Australian Open and Wimbledon champion has not played a singles match since her rant at a lineswoman in her semi-final loss to Belgian Kim Clijsters at the US Open earlier this month.
The rest of the women’s world top 10, including Serena’s older sister Venus and World number one Dinara Safina, are in the field at the €1.4million event.
