Sri Lanka hold on for draw

SPORTS DIGEST:CRICKET: Opener Tharanga Paranavitana missed out on a century as the first Test between Sri Lanka and West Indies in Colombo was drawn yesterday after rain washed out the final session on the fifth day.

Paranavitana fell for 95 as the hosts reached tea on 241 for four, a lead of 39. No resumption of play was possible after the break.

Paranavitana and Mahela Jayawardene dug in with a third wicket stand of 87 after Sri Lanka had followed on.

West Indies, thanks to career best 333 from Chris Gayle, had made 580 for nine declared in their first innings and then dismissed the home side for 378.

"We came here with a winning mindset. We did everything that we were supposed to do in this Test match. We had a good chance of winning by putting some pressure on them," said West Indies captain Darren Sammy.

Federer focuses on winning, not ranking

TENNIS:There is hardly anything Roger Federer has not achieved in the game but the Swiss admits seizing back the world number one ranking from Rafael Nadal may stretch even his mercurial powers.

Federer, in London for the ATP World Tour finals, is a distant second to the phenomenal Spaniard in the rankings and while his desire still burns as strong as ever he is not expecting a return to the top any time soon.

"Sure, it's going to be challenging. It's going to be very difficult because Rafa is playing well and I have to defend my points in Australia and he has no points to defend here in London," Federer said.

"That's why things look very good for him over the next few months."

Federer (29), who began the year by winning the Australian Open but subsequently lost the top ranking to Nadal just one week short of equalling the 265 weeks Pete Sampras spent as number one, has not ruled out the possibility altogether though.

"Right now the number one ranking is not something I have in my mind," said the 16-time grand slam champion.

"My goal is to play well here in London and then prepare well for next season and then hopefully, at some stage, I'll try get it back. If not I'll focus on winning tournaments because I enjoy doing that too."

Federer has won the year-ending showpiece four times and, outside the four grand slams, rates it as a priority each year.

"Right now it's about saving energy, getting ready to play the matches," he said. "I've played four of the last five weeks and my game is right where I want it to be.

"It's the ninth time for me and I know the drill. I feel like I've got one more tournament left in me. My body is not screaming for a vacation quite yet," said Federer.

Murray weighs in on the limit

BOXING:Unbeaten Andy Murray weighed in on the limit of 9st 11lb ahead of his fight with Brazil's Claudenei Lacerda at the Breaffy House resort in Castlebar, Co Mayo, last night.

Lacerda, the world number 14, twice failed to make the weight, before weighing in at 9st 10lb 8oz.

Murray, from Cavan, is bidding to extend his unbeaten, 22-fight career in a fight which will be screened live on RTÉ 2 from 9.30pm tonight.

Sweeney grabs second title

SWIMMING:Dan Sweeney of Sunday's Well added the 200 meters breaststroke title to the 50m crown he won on Thursday on day two of the Irish Short Course championships in Leisureland in Galway, writes John Kenny.

Sweeney won a cracking race against Castlebar's Nicholas Quinn as the duo were inseparable. Sweeney edged ahead to win in 2:22.01, with Quinn less than half a second behind in silver.

Caitríona English of Aer Lingus won the women's 200m breaststroke final.

The men's 400m freestyle was also close with Ards' Curtis Coulter taking the crown, touching in 4:02.31 ahead of Conor Turner of Aer Lingus

The women's 400m freestyle was won easily by Kingdom's Niamh O'Sullivan in 4:18.35.

Olympian Aisling Cooney helped ESB to victory in the 800m freestyle relay along with Emma McShane, India McGlynn and Gillian Gavaghan in 8:32.38.

Galway swept to victory in the men's relay. Kevin McGlade, Cian Duffy, Jack Keogh and David O'Sullivan finished in 8:00.96.