All Sport Club

Vainikolo - on police bail.
VAINIKOLO RELEASED ON BAIL

England rugby union star Lesley Vainikolo has been arrested and released on bail after a man suffered head injuries in a street fight.

Winger Vainikolo, nicknamed The Volcano, was questioned after an incident in Bath, Somerset, at 2am on Sunday morning.

Vainikolo, 29, who plays for Gloucester, was held on suspicion of grievous bodily harm, but not charged.

A man in his 20s was taken to hospital with head injuries originally thought to be ‘critical’ but has since been released, police revealed on Tuesday.

The Tongan-born star, who made his England debut in this year’s Six Nations championship, is now on bail.

A Gloucester spokesman said: “We are aware of an incident at which Lesley Vainikolo was present on Saturday night.

“We understand the police investigation is ongoing and have no comment to make at this stage.”

An Avon and Somerset police spokesman said: “At 2am on Sunday we were called to reports of an assault in Pierrepont Street, Bath. A man in his 20s was taken to hospital with injuries thought to be critical.

“Subsequently it was found they were not as serious as first thought and he was discharged. A man in his 20s has been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm and has now been released on police bail.”

The spokesman said there was ‘nothing to suggest’ the injured man was a rugby player.

Former Bradford Bulls rugby league player Vainikolo has won five England caps since switching codes, after becoming eligible through his residency here.

Indications are the men’s regular season will go out with a proper bang this week at the Paris Tennis Masters. Today favorites Andy Roddick, Novak Djokovic, Juan Martin Del Potro and my man Gael Monfils all won rather handily to advance into the third round.

And with Rafael Nadal (who plays Florent Serra Wednesday), Roger Federer (meets Robin Soderling) and Andy Murray (to play Sam Querrey) still to play there’s a lot to look forward to this week in the final stop on the regular tour calendar. And I should add that it’s both nice and surprising to see the top players making the effort this week.

Eyeballing the draw, Nadal is really looking strong to reach the last four with only Monfils in his way. I’ll pick the surging Andy Murray is the favorite to face him in the semifinals. The Scot though will have to navigate possibly Del Potro or Nalbandian, who appear to be headed to yet another collision this month (they’ve split there two prior meets).

In the bottom half, if there’s one match I want to see its Roddick v. Djokovic, but we’re still a ways away from that tasty rematch of their US Open clash. Roddick, who destroyed Feliciano Lopez moments ago, will next have no easy match in the Gilles Simon-Igor Andreev winner. I like Simon there. And Djokovic will also likely have to deal with a Frenchman in JW Tsonga who faces Stepanek tomorrow.

In the last quarter Federer’s path couldn’t be much easier. Soderling’s tricky no doubt, but then a likely date with Marin Cilic followed by a showdown with James Blake in the quarters, neither of which should pose much of a threat for the Swiss who’s been flying high since his US Open title. And right now I actually like Rog here to come through for this title. The draw and what looks to be a slower surface than Madrid set up really well for Fed.

Of course there is also an ongoing race for the last three spots at the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai. And at the moment it’s still hard to bet against the current three favorites – Roddick, Del Potro and Simon – getting in. For that not to happen a Blake, Ferrer, Tsonga, Wawrinka or Nalbandian will have to go very deep in this field, and I really don’t see that happening. That said if there’s a long shot I’d take Nalbandian only who needs to defend his title and win Paris to harbor a chance, but heck, he could do it.

All five guys in chase are playing Wednesday, so by this time tomorrow the last eight could very well be set.

As for Djokovic and his mask, apparently it works. In addition to scaring me, it scared Dmitry Tursunov into submission today. I wonder if he’ll accessorize, or maybe play with it on. Oh the options…To be honest, though, for now I’m just going to act like I didn’t see it (but I did!), and I’ll leave it at that.

West Indies could tour England next year.
WINDIES PONDER ENGLAND TOUR

The West Indies Cricket Board are considering an offer to tour England next year.

The England and Wales Cricket Board have invited the Windies to play two Test matches and three one-day internationals after scheduled opponents Sri Lanka pulled out as their players were keen to honour individual contracts with the Indian Premier League.

WICB chief executive Dr Donald Peters told windiescricket.com: “The WICB has a request to play two Tests and three ODIs in England.

“We are examining all possibilities. At this stage it presents some challenges because the West Indies will be hosting a series - including Tests and one-day internationals - against Bangladesh in early May next year.

“If we accept the invitation we would have to determine how best we could work out the logistics and planning issues.”

England have turned to West Indies after a proposed tour by Zimbabwe was cancelled for political reasons while replacements Sri Lanka could only send a second-string side due to the dates clashing with the second season of the IPL.

Jesse Ryder - scored 91.
BLACK CAPS IN COMMAND

New Zealand dominated the final two sessions against Bangladesh today to quash any faint hopes the hosts had of nicking an unlikely win in what has effectively become a two-day Test.

After play was washed out for the first three days, the action finally got under way on day four despite an early rain delay and Bangladesh had the tourists on the ropes at lunch on 55 for three.

But Jesse Ryder, who fell nine runs short of his maiden ton, and Brendon McCullum (66) got the Black Caps back on track after lunch before captain Daniel Vettori declared on 262 for six.

Vettori then took three wickets in his only over of the evening to reduce Bangladesh to 13 for three before bad light stopped play.

When the conditions eventually allowed play to begin, the hosts won the toss and chose to field first.

And they could hardly have asked for a better start with Mashrafe Mortaza trapping Aaron Redmond (two) lbw at the end of the third over as the New Zealand opener played forward with only 10 on the scoreboard.

Just two balls later and without a run added, Jamie How (eight) followed Redmond back to the pavilion when he was bowled between bat and pad by Mahbubul Alam.

Ryder and Ross Taylor steadied the ship following the double blow and moved the total onto 49 for two through just over 12 overs until Taylor (19) was bowled by Shahadat Hossain in his only over of the morning session.

New Zealand managed to get firmly back on track after lunch, however, with Ryder and wicketkeeper McCullum sharing a 137-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

Ryder completed his half-century in 78 balls with six fours, with McCullum soon following suit off 86 balls with seven boundaries and one six.

The stand came to an end when Ryder was caught at square leg by Mehrab Hossain Jr off the bowling of Abdur Razzak, nine runs short of his ton.

McCullum fell shortly after tea, caught at mid-wicket by Mohammad Ashraful off the bowling of Shakib Al Hasan for 66, before Vettori was bowled off an inside edge from Ashraful.

Daniel Flynn finished unbeaten on 35 alongside Grant Elliott (eight not out) when the declaration came on 262.

Then Vettori took centre-stage with the ball, snaring wickets with the first, third and final balls of an amazing over.

First he had Junaid Siddique stumped by McCullum for four, and then Mohammad Ashraful and Rajin Saleh were trapped lbw playing forward without having troubled the scorers.

Opener Tamim Iqbal remains at the crease with Mehrab Hossain Jr, on eight and nought respectively.

New Zealand lead the two-Test series 1-0 following their three-wicket victory in Dhaka.

Trinidad & Tobago celebrate their victory.
MIDDLESEX MISS OUT ON PAY DAY

Middlesex paid heavily for dropped catches as Trinidad & Tobago were crowned Champions Cup winners at the Stanford Super Series.

Shaun Udal’s side were on top when a trio of misses in the field late in Trinidad’s chase of 118 at Coolidge relinquished momentum.

It meant that although the English domestic 20-over kings managed to raise the required run rate to nine an over in the second half of the innings, the Caribbean team cruised home in the final over with five wickets intact.

Darren Bravo finished things with a straight six off Tyron Henderson as Trinidad won with four balls to spare.

Once again it was an inability to cling onto chances under the low floodlights - a feature of the tournament - that cost Middlesex the US $280,000 winners’ cheque.

The turning point in this contest came in the 14th over when Bravo, teenage brother of West Indies star Dwayne, lofted to long-on.

Although Ed Joyce steadied himself, he floored a comfortable chance and, having been given that life on six, Bravo enjoyed another reprieve when a slice to backward point when on 17, off spinner Murali Kartik, was inexplicably spilled by Neil Carter.

Two balls later, at the start of the 17th over, the third drop in quick succession brought the loudest cheers of all as Denesh Ramdin’s towering blow off left-armer Carter was palmed for six by Eoin Morgan at long-off.

Middlesex had been given a perfect start attempting to defend such a paltry score when their opening bowlers Tim Murtagh and Neil Carter both struck inside seven deliveries.

Murtagh clung onto a fierce return chance offered by William Perkins and left-armer Carter followed up with one that shaped back in to secure a straightforward leg before against Lendl Simmons.

That double blow dictated a rebuilding job by the Ganga brothers, whose tip-and-run tactics took their side to 46 for two at the halfway stage.

It was at that point, however, Middlesex captain Udal produced a masterstroke, throwing the ball to leg-spinner Dawid Malan.

The youngster responded with the dismissal of both: Sherwin Ganga holing out to deep midwicket off his very first ball and captain Daren Ganga the victim of a classical leg-spinner’s dismissal - lured forward by a perfectly-pitched delivery and brilliantly stumped by Ben Scott.

By the time Scott enacted his second such dismissal in the penultimate over to dismiss Ramdin for a match-high 41, only two were required.

Middlesex were suffocated by spin as they posted only 117 for eight.

Trinidad’s trio of spinners capped the scoring from the start as domestic cricket’s 20-over champions struggled to find answers to the slow stuff on a sluggish pitch.

It took a mix of brains and brawn from Neil Dexter, a recent signing from Kent, to address a pitiful position of 56 for five in the 14th over.

Dexter managed to contribute more than half of Middlesex’s boundary count with three sixes followed by two well-placed fours towards the death in a fine 39.

Of the top order, only Morgan, an England performance squad player, adapted to the conditions, striking 30 from 31 balls.

Former West Indies paceman Ravi Rampaul struck twice with the new ball to send back Carter and Joyce - and he doubled his wicket tally in the final over - but it was Trinidad’s spinners Samuel Badree, Sherwin Ganga and Amit Jaggernauth who were decisive, conceding only 62 runs between them in a dozen overs.

Unable to get Rampaul’s opening partner Badree, a leg-spinner, away, England Test batsman Andrew Strauss lost patience against off-spinner Sherwin Ganga and was stumped.

Middlesex recalled match-winner Henderson in place of youngster Steve Finn and he was sent in as early as the eighth over to up the tempo.

Although he managed one of only two fours in the first half of the innings, via a sliced drive through the off-side, he missed an ugly hoik soon afterwards.

Middlesex’s young batting stars Morgan and Malan were both caught at short fine-leg via flicks, suffering from a lack of pace on the ball.

Arafat - will play for Sussex next season.
SUSSEX GIVE YASIR A JOB

Sussex have signed Pakistan fast bowler Yasir Arafat for the 2009 season.

It will be the second spell at the club for the 26-year-old who was a pivotal member of the team who won the County Championship and NatWest Trophy double in 2006.

Yasir took 41 wickets while filling in for the injured Rana Naved.

He spent last season at Kent, where he took 38 first-class wickets in 12 games at an average of 29.07.

The Rawalpindi-born player was Kent’s leading wicket-taker in both one-day and Twenty20 cricket, taking 27 wickets at an average of 17.74 runs in the former and 23 at an average of 14.82 in Twenty20.

Mark Robinson, Sussex’s professional cricket manager, said: “Yasir’s signing is fantastic news and we are flattered that he is keen to return to Hove.

“It’s further evidence that people who play for the club fall in love with it.

“He’s not only an outstanding new and old ball bowler, but a fantastic lower-middle order batsman, who should stand out in both our four and one-day cricket.”

Calderwood - set to replace Smith.
SMITH SET TO TURN TO CALDERWOOD

Winger Mark Calderwood is poised for a dramatic call-up for England’s World Cup showdown with Australia in Melbourne.

The 27-year-old is the likely replacement for his former Leeds team-mate Lee Smith, who is struggling to recover from a foot injury sustained in England’s opening 32-22 win over Papua New Guinea in Townsville.

Coach Tony Smith has not yet ruled out his namesake but he was unable to train with the squad at today’s sessions at Xavier College and hopes have faded.

“We’ll see how he is by the end of the week but he’s going to be unlikely,” said Smith.

Wingman Smith marked his full Test debut with a hat-trick of tries against the Kumuls but Calderwood would be a more than handy replacement.

He remains one of the fastest men in Super League and demonstrated superb defensive qualities on his farewell appearance for Wigan in their final eliminator at Leeds last month.

That performance clinched his place in Smith’s 24-man squad and a place in the side to take on the Kangaroos at Telstra Dome on Sunday would represent a remarkable turnaround in fortunes.

Ignored for the mid-season international against France and unable to command a regular place in Brian Noble’s Warriors team in mid-season, Calderwood faced an uncertain future after being told his contract would not be renewed.

But Hull came in with an offer of a two-year contract and, with his mind settled, Calderwood produced his best rugby of the season just at the right time.

He caught the eye in England’s warm-up match against Wales earlier this month and was close to selection for the opening game against Papua New Guinea.

Calderwood’s likely opponent at the Telstra Dome will be Brent Tate, who was taken off with slight concussion during Australia’s 30-6 win over New Zealand in Sydney on Sunday but has been cleared to play.

Calderwood could also come up against 19-year-old powerhouse centre Israel Folau, who stormed over for a brace of tries in the Kangaroos’ crushing win over the Kiwis to emphasise his growing stature in the game.

“He’s a quality player and an exciting player for the sport,” admitted Smith. “It’s a challenge we look forward to.

“We know what a quality team they are. I hope they play well and that we play better.”

Scrum-half Johnathan Thurston travelled with the Australian squad to their Melbourne base, suggesting he will play against England just a week on from the violent death of his uncle.

The North Queensland Cowboys captain defied the tragedy to produce a man-of-the-match performance against New Zealand and earn praise from all quarters.

“To do what he did was quite remarkable,” said Smith. “It shows some real quality.”

Smith has welcomed the appointment of Australian referee Tony Archer for both Sunday’s game against the defending champions and the clash with New Zealand in Newcastle on November 8.

Archer is the National Rugby League’s top-ranked referee and was in charge of last year’s Test series between Great Britain and New Zealand.

Meanwhile, England have settled into their third training base in a fortnight as they prepare for the second of up to five matches in as many weeks.

They fly north to Sydney on Monday to prepare for the meeting with the Kiwis and then move on to Brisbane a week later for the knockout stages.

It makes for a hectic schedule and “dead” time spent in airport lounges but Smith is delighted with the whistle-stop nature of the trip.

“It always keeps things fresh,” he said. “There is no chance of boredom or anyone getting stale.”

Borthwick - appointed captain.
NEW SKIPPER READY TO LEAD ENGLAND

Steve Borthwick is relishing the opportunity to lead England out on home soil after being appointed as captain by new red rose boss Martin Johnson.

Borthwick has led England three times before but all away from home - last season’s RBS 6 Nations victory over Italy and the two summer Test defeats by New Zealand.

On all three occasions, Borthwick was standing in for Phil Vickery.

But Johnson has given the captaincy reins to Borthwick on a permanent basis as England begin to gear up for a demanding autumn international campaign.

England’s first appointment is against the Pacific Islands before Australia, South Africa and New Zealand all come to town.

“It is a great honour. My three games as England captain have been away from home so to lead the team out at Twickenham will be a special moment,” said Borthwick.

“But my over-riding aim is to help England get off to a winning start in the Investec Challenge series.

“I really enjoyed the week we had together in August and it showed what a good squad we have, and that will hold us in good stead as we prepare for four very challenging games starting with the very tough Pacific Islanders on November 8.

“The squad and the coaching team is excellent and I’m really looking forward to our preparation and the games over the next four weeks.”

Given Johnson asked Borthwick to lead England on such a demanding trip as this summer’s venture to New Zealand, yesterday’s announcement came as no surprise.

The other experienced candidate would have been Vickery, who is now 32, while Wasps flanker Tom Rees is seen as an England captain in the making.

But Johnson knows the honest qualities Borthwick brings to a team environment well having been involved together as players in the England squad ahead of the 2003 World Cup.

Borthwick captained Bath for three seasons before moving to Saracens in the summer, where he is co-captain along with Andy Farrell.

Johnson said: “Firstly, I’d like to thank Phil Vickery for everything he did for the team while he was captain.

“Like Phil, Steve is a good leader and always prepares thoroughly for all his matches at club and international level and I’m looking forward to working with him.

“I won’t be giving Steve a specific amount of time in the job. I just want to support him as much as possible and I know he will enjoy all the responsibility and work that comes with being captain of England.”

Andy Murray - ranked number four.
LLOYD: MURRAY CAN BE THE BEST

Great Britain Davis Cup captain John Lloyd believes Andy Murray can be the world number one and is “millimetres away” from a grand slam victory.

The 21-year-old British number one reached his first grand slam final at the US Open last month and has followed it up with back-to-back trophies at the Madrid Masters and St Petersburg Open.

Murray goes into this week’s Paris Masters as the fourth best player in the world - but Lloyd believes he can overtake Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

“Andy is already a great player and now he has a chance to be the one - the number one,” Lloyd told the Guardian.

“He is millimetres away from winning a grand slam. It would not surprise me if he wins one next year.

“I still think he’s two years away from playing his best tennis - which is a scary thought. I think he’s very much a learner.

“He’s very astute in that he picks up things all the time and he knows what he needs to get that extra step.

“He’s been gradually chipping away at the top three guys - and in a lot of cases, beating the top three guys - but he’s taking it all on board.

“He is realistic enough to know that there is still a way to go but I think he knows what he has to do now.”

Andy Murray - ranked number four.
LLOYD: MURRAY CAN BE THE BEST

Great Britain Davis Cup captain John Lloyd believes Andy Murray can be the world number one and is “millimetres away” from a grand slam victory.

The 21-year-old British number one reached his first grand slam final at the US Open last month and has followed it up with back-to-back trophies at the Madrid Masters and St Petersburg Open.

Murray goes into this week’s Paris Masters as the fourth best player in the world - but Lloyd believes he can overtake Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

“Andy is already a great player and now he has a chance to be the one - the number one,” Lloyd told the Guardian.

“He is millimetres away from winning a grand slam. It would not surprise me if he wins one next year.

“I still think he’s two years away from playing his best tennis - which is a scary thought. I think he’s very much a learner.

“He’s very astute in that he picks up things all the time and he knows what he needs to get that extra step.

“He’s been gradually chipping away at the top three guys - and in a lot of cases, beating the top three guys - but he’s taking it all on board.

“He is realistic enough to know that there is still a way to go but I think he knows what he has to do now.”