England Must Bounce Back In Adelaide To Save Ashes Series
By Richard Smith: Tensions are high as Australia and England lock horns in Adelaide for the second Test of what is already proving to be an eventful Ashes Series. The Aussies are brimming with confidence following their 381 run trouncing of England in Brisbane in the opening test of the series and the hosts will now be looking to take a 2-0 lead at the Adelaide Oval this week. Meanwhile, England will be gunning to put that miserable start to their defence of the urn firmly behind them by bouncing back and drawing level, otherwise they will face an extremely uphill task for the final three tests.
Since the opening Test came to a close, the subject of sledging has dominated the headlines. The Aussies certainly won the verbal exchanges in Brisbane and they will no doubt be looking to utilise their gift of the gab to unsettle England once again in Adelaide. Buoyed by their first win (in the five day format) since last January, the hosts now head to South Australia as the 7/4 favourites to make it 2-0.
Ten Contenders Shortlisted For BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award But The Question Is Who’ll Finish Second to Andy Murray?
By Richard Smith: It’s that time of year again as the 10 nominated British sportsmen and women go head-to-head for the chance to be crowned the 2013 Sports Personality of the Year. Among the contenders include a Wimbledon champion, Tour de France winner, US Open winner, a record-breaking jockey and an Ashes hero, in what has proven to be another cracking year in British sport.
Here’s a look at the ten shortlisted contenders, along with their achievements and chances of winning the prestigious accolade.
Andy Murray (Tennis) – (odds to win) 1/25
Andy Murray is the overwhelming favourite to win on Sunday 15th December, with his odds as short as 1/50 with some bookmakers. The Scot ended Britain’s seemingly eternal 77-year wait for a male Wimbledon winner, and he did so in style, outclassing World number one, Novak Djokovic, in three nerve-shredding sets in the final.
2013 All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship review
By Shane Dawson: Before a sliotar was pucked in this years All Ireland hurling championship, many thought it was a two horse race between Kilkenny and Tipperary. Indeed this frame of thought was further backed up when Kilkenny overcame their local rivals Tipperary in the league final by three points, on a scoreline of 2-17 to 0-20.
Beaten league semi-finalists Dublin and Galway were expected to be competing with the favourites at the business end of the Championship. Subsequently, the foundations were set for another predictable year for hurling fanatics across the country.
The season unfurled with Dublin and Wexford playing out a dull draw, with the Dubs coming out on top in the replay. Next up for Anthony Daly’s men was a trip to Portlaoise to battle against Kilkenny under the leadership of Brian Cody, in his 15th year of inter-county management. Surprisingly Dublin managed to hold Kilkenny to a draw in the Leinster semi-final and a replay was due to be held the following week at the same venue.
Financial Crisis Continues at Birmingham City
By Dale Timmins: Most Birmingham City fans will have forgotten what the glory days of the Premier League feel like. It’s now approaching four years since Carson Yeung’s Hong Kong based business received valid acceptances for a 51.8% stake in the second city club, from its directors David Gold and David Sullivan.
The reasons behind the club’s serious financial problems began with Carson Yeung’s arrest on the 29th June 2011 in his native Hong Kong on charges of money laundering that to this day are still not resolved. As a result of Yeung’s arrest Birmingham City’s assets were frozen, plunging the club into turmoil.
Birmingham, having just been relegated from the Barclays Premier League weeks before on the final day of the season against Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham. A Roman Pavlyuchenko strike 25 yards from distance sealing Birmingham’s fate and in the process condemned the club to the championship after only two years in the top flight.
