Sports round-up
Rugby Union: England fly-half great Jonny Wilkinson retired from international Rugby Union yesterday. Wilkinson assured himself of a place in the sport’s history with the extra-time drop-goal that saw England, with just seconds remaining, win the 2003...
Rugby Union: England fly-half great Jonny Wilkinson retired from international Rugby Union yesterday. Wilkinson assured himself of a place in the sport’s history with the extra-time drop-goal that saw England, with just seconds remaining, win the 2003 World Cup final against hosts Australia in Sydney. The 32-year-old Wilkinson bows out from Tests as England’s record points scorer with 1,179 points from 91 Test matches. He also scored 67 points in six Tests for the British and Irish Lions.
Field Hockey: Pakistan will welcome the Chinese hockey team for a four-match series this month, keen to encourage international sport back to the terror-hit country. Foreign teams have avoided Pakistan since gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in March 2009. For years before that, Western teams were reluctant to tour Pakistan, worried about security after the 9/11 attacks and the 2001 US-led invasion of neighbouring Afghanistan.
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Athletics: Kenya’s Mary Keitany (picture) is set to defend her London Marathon title in April, just three months before the UK capital stages the 2012 Olympic Games, organisers said yesterday. But the 30-year-old is set to face stiff competition from compatriots Edna Kiplagat, Priscah Jeptoo and Florence Kiplagat, as well as former London winner Irina Mikitenko and Olympic champion Constantina Dita. Edna Kiplagat won the world title in Daegu this year ahead of Jeptoo, while Florence Kiplagat was first in the Berlin Marathon in September.
Cricket: Leg-spinning legend Shane Warne said he had badly burnt the fingers of his bowling hand, putting him in doubt for his comeback in Australia’s Big Bash League this week. Warne, 42, put pictures of his blistered hand on Twitter yesterday and appealed for help from the public to hasten his recovery in time to play for the Melbourne Stars against Sydney Thunder on Saturday. “Not ideal preparation for practice match today – burning the bowling hand. Get better quickly please, any suggestions – help,” Warne tweeted.
Golf: Rory McIlroy has pulled out of the Thailand Golf Championship, according to the event’s entry list yesterday, after suffering a bout of dengue fever that has hurt his bid for the European number one spot. The Northern Irishman, who lost out to England’s Luke Donald for the European Tour top ranking in Dubai last week, had already warned that the mosquito-born illness could rule him out of the season-ending Asian event.