Sports Digest

A round-up of they day's other sports news in brief

Yorkshire XI reach 337 against Ireland

CRICKET:Ireland 'A' spent a long day in the field yesterday before eventually bowling a Yorkshire XI out for 337 in their three-day match at Weetwood College, writes Emmet Riordan.

Adrian Birrell’s side reduced the hosts to 199 for seven at one stage, but a fine knock of 66 from England Under-19 international Ben Sanderson helped them past 300 before Ireland ‘A’ skipper Nigel Jones removed him with the aid of a catch from Paul Stirling.

It was the second wicket of the day for Jones, while Allen Coulter and Andrew Britton also picked up two for their efforts.

Selections made for Lucerne

ROWING:The Ireland selectors have chosen two lightweight women's crews to join open single sculler Seán Casey at the World Cup regatta in Lucerne in two weeks' time, writes Liam Gorman.

Heather Campbell of Queen’s University and Skibbereen’s Orla Hayes will team up in one double scull, while Dympna Kelly of Carrick- on-Shannon and Sheila Clavin of St Michael’s will form the other. There will be no lightweight men’s crew representing Ireland at the event.

Mark O’Donovan of Skibbereen and Niall Kenny of NUIG will represent Ireland in a lightweight men’s double at the World Under-23 Championships at Racice in the Czech Republic in four weeks’ time.

King and O'Brien cruise through

TENNIS:Barry King yesterday showed that he has no intenion of resting on his laurels following his outstanding run to the singles final in last week's City of Dublin Championships.

There was no certainly no evidence of second-week syndrome as the 24-year-old Dubliner opened his programme in this week’s Irish Open Futures, at Fitzwilliam.

King – who lost in three sets to Switzerland’s Alexander Sadecky in the Brookfield final – needed just 65 minutes on court to put the France’s Vincent Stouff to the sword on a 6-3 6-1 scoreline. Colin O’Brien took just 45 minutes to despatch unseeded Australian Adam Hubble 6-1 6-0.

Taylor begins EU defence tonight

BOXING:World and European champion Katie Taylor will be targeting another European Union gold medal for Ireland when the women's EU Championships begin in Bulgaria tonight, writes Bernard O'Neill.

The Bray lightweight arrived in Bulgaria along with her coach and dad Peter Taylor and coach Pat Ryan yesterday ahead of the Championships which gloves off in Pazardjik today.

She’ll be in action at the 17-nation tournament just five days after the Irish men’s team bagged a record- breaking three gold, three silver and three bronze medals at the EU Championships in Denmark.

“The men’s team had an incredible European Union Championships and Katie wants to add to that in Bulgaria,” said Peter Taylor. “She’s in top form for this Championships and she’s very eager to get in the ring to defend the title she won in Liverpool last year.

Mosley hints he may seek re-election

FORMULA ONE:Motor racing chief Max Mosley has made it clear he will not be forced out of office by teams and car manufacturers threatening to set up their own Formula One championship.

In a combative letter to all member clubs, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) president indicated that he was minded instead to seek re-election as head of the governing body.

“Over recent weeks it has become increasingly clear that one of the objectives of the dissident teams is that I should resign,” Mosley said in the letter. “However, in light of the attack on the mandate you have entrusted to me, I must now reflect on whether my original decision not to stand for re-election was indeed the right one.”

The FIA’s 26-member world motor sport council, made up largely of national federations, is due to meet in Paris today with Formula One’s threatened breakaway high on the agenda.

Jones says it's about the suit

SWIMMING:High-tech bodysuits rather than the ability of swimmers are becoming the key to winning, world and Olympic 100 metres breaststroke champion Leisel Jones of Australia said in Madeira yesterday.

“Swimming is becoming more about suits. It’s more about how much money you can throw into the suits,” she said. “It’s certainly not about athletes performing fast any more, it’s about how fast the suit performs.”

Governing body FINA courted controversy earlier this week by approving new suits totally covered in polyurethane to aid buoyancy. The old suits only had polyurethane plates and wearers of fully covered suits have set more than 100 world records in the past 18 months.