Reuters Sports Schedule at 1400 GMT on Wednesday, March 4

Reuters

Reuters sports schedule at 1400 GMT on Wednesday: - - - - CRICKET World Cup (to 29) Pakistan v UAE Shehzad leads Pakistan to morale-boosting win NAPIER - Ahmed Shehzad anchored Pakistan's innings and his bowlers then ensured UAE never seriously challenged it as their World Cup hopes continued for another day after a 129-run victory at McLean Park. (CRICKET-WORLD/PAK-UAE, moved, by Greg Stutchbury, 400 words) - - Australia v Afghanistan Warner, Maxwell power Australia to World Cup record total PERTH - David Warner's career-best 178 and Glenn Maxwell's 88-run blitz powered Australia to a record World Cup total of 417 for six wickets in a Pool A match against lowly Afghanistan at Perth. (CRICKET-WORLD/AUS-AFG (PIX), moved, by David Gray, 400 words) - - England likely to lose Ballance in search of equilibrium MELBOURNE - Misfiring batsman Gary Ballance is likely to be the sacrificial lamb when England's harried selectors decide on the lineup for next week's World Cup crunch match against Bangladesh. (CRICKET-WORLD/ENGLAND-BALLANCE (FEATURE), moved, by Ian Ransom, 600 words) - - - - SOCCER South American Football Confederation congress Blatter looks to consolidate FIFA re-election backing ASUNCION - FIFA president Sepp Blatter looks to consolidate his South American backing for re-election in May and a winter World Cup in Qatar in 2022 when he attends a congress of the regional governing body CONMEBOL. (SOCCER-CONMEBOL/BLATTER (PIX, TV), by Daniela Desantis and Mariel Cristaldo, expect from 1800 GMT/1 PM ET, 500 words) - - Premier League (all 1945) Manchester City v Leicester City Newcastle United v Manchester United Queens Park Rangers v Arsenal Stoke City v Everton Tottenham Hotspur v Swansea City West Ham United v Chelsea Liverpool v Burnley (2000) Chelsea face difficult game at local rivals West Ham LONDON - Chelsea travel across London for a tricky game at West Ham United with a five-point lead and a game in hand over faltering Premier League champions Manchester City who host bottom club Leicester City. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/ (PIX), expect by 2145 GMT/4:45 PM ET, by Martyn Herman, 650 words) - - Spanish King's Cup, semi-finals, second leg Villarreal v Barcelona (1900) Espanyol v Athletic Bilbao (2100) Barca face Villarreal with King's Cup final the prize BARCELONA - Barcelona visit Villarreal with a 3-1 lead from the first leg of their King's Cup semi-final with the winners facing either Espanyol or Athletic Bilbao who drew 1-1 in the first leg. (SOCCER-SPAIN/CUP (PIX), expect by 2100 GMT/4 PM ET, by Tim Hanlon, 400 words) - - Italian Cup, semi-finals, first leg (to 5) Lazio v Napoli (1945) Holders Napoli face tough test at Lazio in first leg In-form Lazio will give holders Napoli a tough test when they meet in their Coppa Italia semi-final, first leg. (SOCCER-ITALY/COPPA (PIX), expect at 2200 GMT/5 PM ET, 200 words) - - French Cup, quarter-finals (to 5) Paris St Germain v Monaco (2000) Cup favourites PSG and Monaco clash in last eight PARIS - Paris St Germain host AS Monaco in the French Cup quarter-finals with the pair, who played out a goalless draw at the Parc des Princes on Sunday, favourites to win the trophy with four Ligue 1 teams left in the competition. (SOCCER-FRANCE/CUP (PIX), expect at 2200 GMT/5 PM ET, by Julien Pretot, 300 words) - - Ligue 1 Evian Thonon Gaillard v Lorient (1800) Copy on merit - - German Cup last 16 (1800 unless stated) Arminia Bielefeld v Werder Bremen RB Leipzig v VfL Wolfsburg Bayern Munich v Eintracht Braunschweig (1930) Kickers Offenbach v Borussia Moenchengladbach (1930) Holders Bayern eye German Cup last eight BERLIN - Holders Bayern Munich host second-tier Eintracht Braunschweig as they bid to reach the German Cup quarter-finals. (SOCCER-GERMANY/, expect by 2130 GMT/4:30 PM ET, by Karolos Grohmann, 400 words) - - Libertadores Cup group stage Copy on merit - - - - MOTOR RACING Preview package Reuters is issuing a package of interviews, factboxes and features previewing the 2015 Formula One season that starts in Australia on March 15. The package is running in two parts this week, at 0200 GMT on Thursday and Friday. It includes an overall preview, a look at what has changed since last year, circuit details and team prospects as well as interviews with drivers and team officials. - - - - GOLF McIlroy talks strategy ahead of WGC-Cadillac Championship Northern Irish world number one Rory McIlroy, who missed the cut at last week's Honda Classic after making his first PGA Tour start of the year, is scheduled to hold a news conference ahead of this week's elite WGC-Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral in Miami. (GOLF-PGA/MCILROY (PIX), expect by 2300 GMT/6 PM ET, 400 words) - - - - NBA Cavs set for battle with Raptors LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers visit the Atlantic Division-leading Toronto Raptors while the Golden State Warriors try to pad their Western Conference lead when they host the Milwaukee Bucks in two `of the 13 games on the National Basketball Association schedule. (NBA-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0430 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 800 words) - - - - NHL Rangers visit Red Wings for Original Six clash The New York Rangers, in a battle with the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins for top spot in the Metropolitan Division, visit the Detroit Red Wings for an Original Six clash in one of the four games on the National Hockey League schedule. (NHL-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0430 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 450 words) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (expect by 0101 GMT/8:01 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - (Europe desk editor: Ken Ferris)