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Cricket-No play possible on first day of second test

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:03:46 -0400

(Adds play abandoned) LEEDS, England, May 24 (Reuters) - Play was abandoned without a ball being bowled on the opening day of the second and final test between England and New Zealand at Headingley due to persistent rain. The downpours left the outfield saturated on a chilly day. A better forecast is in prospect for the weekend with sunny spells and warmer temperatures. England won the first test by 170 runs at Lord's. (Reporting by Justin Palmer; Editing by Ed Osmond)

Cruden, Clarke help Chiefs claim crucial Crusaders win

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:47:49 -0400

(Reuters) - A huge defensive effort helped the Waikato Chiefs overcome the Canterbury Crusaders 28-19 in a ferocious all-New Zealand Super Rugby clash in Hamilton on Friday that had all the hallmarks of an international test. Flyhalf Aaron Cruden and captain Craig Clarke both scored first half tries after charging down Crusaders kicks and the defending champions survived sustained periods of second period pressure from the seven-times winners to earn a crucial triumph. ...

Rugby-Cruden, Clarke help Chiefs claim crucial Crusaders win

Fri, 24 May 2013 06:20:15 -0400

May 24 (Reuters) - A huge defensive effort helped the Waikato Chiefs overcome the Canterbury Crusaders 28-19 in a ferocious all-New Zealand Super Rugby clash in Hamilton on Friday that had all the hallmarks of an international test. Flyhalf Aaron Cruden and captain Craig Clarke both scored first half tries after charging down Crusaders kicks and the defending champions survived sustained periods of second period pressure from the seven-times winners to earn a crucial triumph. ...

Cricket-Rain delays start of second test at Headingley

Fri, 24 May 2013 05:32:58 -0400

LEEDS, England, May 24 (Reuters) - The start of the second and final test between England and New Zealand at Headingley was delayed by rain on Friday. Play was due to get underway at 1000 GMT but the covers remained across the pitch half an hour before the start with the umpires not due to inspect until the rain stopped. Dark clouds hovered over the ground on a chilly day with prolonged showers forecast. England won the first test by 170 runs at Lord's. (Reporting by Justin Palmer; Editing by John O'Brien)

Rugby-Waikato Chiefs 28 Crusaders 19 - Super Rugby result

Fri, 24 May 2013 05:28:59 -0400

May 24 (Reuters) - Waikato Chiefs beat the Canterbury Crusaders 28-19 (halftime 15-13) in an all-New Zealand Super Rugby match at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton on Friday. Scorers: Chiefs - Tries: Aaron Cruden, Craig Clarke, Bundee Aki; Conversions: Cruden (2); Penalties: Cruden (3) Crusaders - Try: Matt Todd; Conversion: Tom Taylor; Penalties: Taylor (4) (Compiled by Patrick Johnston; Editing by John O'Brien; Editing by)

Rugby-New Zealand's Williams calls time on test career

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:14:58 -0400

WELLINGTON, May 24 (Reuters) - New Zealand's second highest-capped lock Ali Williams announced his retirement from international rugby on Friday. The 32-year-old had played 77 tests for the world champion All Blacks in his 10-year international career. Ian Jones played 79 tests for the national side. "Guys, I just want to let you know first that I'm retiring from international rugby. I'm hanging up the black jersey," the Auckland Blues captain wrote on his Twitter feed. "It's been an amazing 10 years but it's time to call it quits. But I'm not hanging up the boots yet. ...

Cricket-England in good hands with Root and Compton, says Cook

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:44:57 -0400

By Justin Palmer LEEDS, England, May 23 (Reuters) - England have emerged from a "changing of the guard" with their batting line-up and captain Alastair Cook has backed the likes of Joe Root and Nick Compton to make their names in the test arena. Cook said he had every faith that Root, Compton, along with Jonny Bairstow, can prosper as England seek to regain their world number one test ranking despite failing to convince in the drawn series in New Zealand, and for much of the opening test against the same opposition at Lord's last week. ...

Lost Australian cruise ship passenger remembered

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:01:27 -0400

SYDNEY (AP) — One of two Australians who plunged from a cruise ship in mysterious circumstances two weeks ago was remembered on Thursday as a hero who died attempting to rescue his girlfriend.

Cricket-New Zealand opt for Bracewell over Vettori for second test

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:41:12 -0400

* Bracewell in, Vettori will not be risked * New Zealand's all-seamer attack a "gamble" - McCullum (Adds details, quotes) By Justin Palmer LEEDS, England, May 23 (Reuters) - New Zealand will go with a four-seamer attack and will not risk spinner Daniel Vettori for the second and final test against England starting at Headingley on Friday, captain Brendon McCullum said. Doug Bracewell, who missed the first two drawn tests of the series against England in New Zealand this year after cutting his foot on glass, and was not selected for the third test, will come into the side. ...

New Zealand opt for Bracewell, Vettori out of second test

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:47:08 -0400

LEEDS (Reuters) - New Zealand will go with a four-seamer attack and will not risk spinner Daniel Vettori for the second and final test against England starting at Headingley on Friday, captain Brendon McCullum said. Doug Bracewell, who missed the first two drawn tests of the series against England in New Zealand this year after cutting his foot on glass, and was not selected for the third test, will come into the side. ...

Cricket-New Zealand opt for Bracewell, Vettori out of second test

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:37:11 -0400

LEEDS, England, May 23 (Reuters) - New Zealand will go with a four-seamer attack and will not risk spinner Daniel Vettori for the second and final test against England starting at Headingley on Friday, captain Brendon McCullum said. Doug Bracewell, who missed the first two drawn tests of the series against England in New Zealand this year after cutting his foot on glass, and was not selected for the third test, will come into the side. ...

New Zealand meat exports to China to resume

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:41:31 -0400

New Zealand authorities say exports of frozen lamb, beef and mutton to China should resume next week after a paperwork problem resulted in hundreds of tons of meat getting stranded at Chinese docks. New ...

Soccer-Australia welcome back Neill for crunch qualifiers

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:53:54 -0400

SYDNEY, May 23 (Reuters) - Australia coach Holger Osieck recalled skipper Lucas Neill to his squad for crunch World Cup qualifiers against Japan, Jordan and Iraq on Thursday. The 35-year-old central defender was suspended for the 2-2 home draw against Oman in March, which left the Socceroos in danger of missing out on direct qualification for Brazil next year. Although currently without a club, Neill had worked hard at a recent training camp with Australia-based players, Osieck said. "It's always a concern when a player doesn't play regularly," the German told a news conference on Thursday. ...

Cricket-England eye series win before attention turns to Ashes

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:59:57 -0400

By Justin Palmer LONDON, May 23 (Reuters) - Buoyed by Stuart Broad's match-winning burst at Lord's, England will look to seal a series win over New Zealand in the second and final test starting at Headingley on Friday before turning their attention to Australia in July. Broad's seven-wicket haul in the second innings of the first test bowled England to a 170-run victory as New Zealand were skittled for just 68 having matched the hosts for three days on a slow and difficult batting pitch. ...

Vitamin C may not treat gout: study

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:37:43 -0400

By Andrew M. Seaman NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Daily vitamin C supplements don't lower uric acid as much as drugs used to treat high levels of the acid that's responsible for gout, says a new study from New Zealand. "It's not that the vitamin C didn't reduce the uric acid level at all, it's just so small that it wouldn't make a difference from the patients' perspectives," said Dr. Lisa Stamp, the study's lead author from the University of Otago in Christchurch. ...

Cricket-New Zealand's Watling ruled out of second test

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:32:21 -0400

LONDON, May 22 (Reuters) - New Zealand wicketkeeper BJ Watling has been ruled out of the second test against England starting at Headingley on Friday because of a knee injury, New Zealand Cricket said on Wednesday. "Watling, who injured his left knee diving for a run out on the third day of the first test, trained with the side at Headingley this morning but was ruled out after training," a team statement said. Captain Brendon McCullum will keep wicket in a match the visitors must win to square the two-match series after Sunday's 170-run defeat at Lord's. ...

Australia's Warner fined for Twitter outburst

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:21:19 -0400

By Nick Mulvenney SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia batsman David Warner has been fined A$5,750 for his Twitter outburst against two journalists, the maximum financial penalty for a first offence, Cricket Australia (CA) said on Wednesday. The 26-year-old, who was playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) when he tweeted the insults, faced a disciplinary hearing on his arrival back in Sydney on Wednesday, charged with "unbecoming behaviour". Warner was angered that a newspaper had used a picture of him next to an article on corruption in the IPL written by Robert Craddock. ...

Cricket-Australia's Warner fined for Twitter outburst

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:10:00 -0400

By Nick Mulvenney SYDNEY, May 22 (Reuters) - Australia batsman David Warner has been fined A$5,750 ($5,600) for his Twitter outburst against two journalists, the maximum financial penalty for a first offence, Cricket Australia (CA) said on Wednesday. The 26-year-old, who was playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) when he tweeted the insults, faced a disciplinary hearing on his arrival back in Sydney on Wednesday, charged with "unbecoming behaviour". Warner was angered that a newspaper had used a picture of him next to an article on corruption in the IPL written by Robert Craddock. ...

Rugby-Winger Ioane faces fitness race for first Lions test

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:27:37 -0400

SYDNEY, May 22 (Reuters) - Wallabies winger Digby Ioane is a doubt for the first test against the British and Irish Lions after undergoing a knee operation on Wednesday, the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) said. The New Zealand-born 27-year-old has scored 11 tries in 34 tests since his debut against Wales in Brisbane in 2007 and would have been an almost certain starter against the Lions. Ioane injured the joint in the Queensland Reds' loss to South Africa's Cheetahs in Super Rugby last weekend and is now "touch and go" for the June 22 test in Brisbane, according to a tweet on the Wallabies feed. ...

Cricket-Underdogs Australia ready for Ashes scrap - Clarke

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:27:56 -0400

By Nick Mulvenney SYDNEY, May 22 (Reuters) - Australia are rightly underdogs for the upcoming Ashes series in England but will do everything they can to bring the coveted urn back home, skipper Michael Clarke said on Wednesday. There was more talk of aspiration than expectation as the Australia squad officially bid farewell to the country in a ceremony at Sydney airport before their departure for England at the weekend. ...

Tennis-Strasbourg International women's singles round 1 results

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:35:23 -0400

May 21 (Infostrada Sports) - Results from the Strasbourg International Women's Singles Round 1 matches on Tuesday 4-Hsieh Su-Wei (Taiwan) beat Annika Beck (Germany) 6-7(6) 7-5 6-1 Maria Teresa Torro (Spain) beat 8-Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) 6-3 4-6 7-6(4) 7-Chanelle Scheepers (South Africa) beat Claire Feuerstein (France) 7-5 6-4 Flavia Pennetta (Italy) beat Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) 6-4 6-2 3-Alize Cornet (France) beat Mathilde Johansson (France) 6-3 6-2 5-Monica Niculescu (Romania) beat Marina Erakovic (New Zealand) 6-7(7) 6-3 7-6(5) Misaki Doi (Japan) beat Karolina Pliskova (Czech ...

Cricket-Bell fit as England name unchanged squad for second test

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:00:24 -0400

LONDON, May 21 (Reuters) - England named an unchanged squad for the second test against New Zealand starting on Friday after batsman Ian Bell was declared fit following a bout of tonsillitis. Bell climbed out of his sick bed to take his place at the crease in the first test won in stunning fashion by England on Sunday but had been a doubt for Headingley. Yorkshiremen Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root will get the chance to play at their home ground after solid performances at Lord's, while bowler Tim Bresnan is again included in the 12-man squad having undergone elbow surgery in February. ...

Microsoft to build Australian cloud computing centers

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:55:01 -0400

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp is expanding its services for hosting and processing online data in Australia with the establishment of two new "cloud" computing data centers in the country. The world's biggest software company said on Tuesday it was expanding its Windows Azure business to include a major new region in Australia. Data centers, renting out technology resources such as computing power and storage, will be established in the states of New South Wales and Victoria. ...

Rugby-Gatland says Aussie squad predictable, no Wilkinson u-turn

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:07:06 -0400

By Padraic Halpin MAYNOOTH, Ireland, May 20 (Reuters) - Warren Gatland called Australia's selection for next month's series predictable, but just as predictable was the barrage of questions the British and Irish Lions coach faced on Monday over Heineken Cup winner Jonny Wilkinson. Newly crowned European player of the year Wilkinson, who turned down the chance to tour with the Lions to focus on his club side Toulon, was flawless yet again in the French team's 16-15 win over Clermont Auvergne on Saturday. ...

Cricket-Vettori joins NZ squad early after Martin ruled out

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:28:52 -0400

LONDON, May 20 (Reuters) - Former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori could play his first test for 10 months after spinner Bruce Martin was ruled out of the rest of the tour of England with a calf injury. "Bruce Martin out of England tour, Dan Vettori to join squad early, BJ Watling making good progress," New Zealand Cricket tweeted on Monday. Wicketkeeper Watling hurt his knee on Saturday diving to make a run-out and captain Brendon McCullum took over the gloves for the rest of the first Lord's test which New Zealand lost by 170 runs. ...

Tons of New Zealand meat stranded on Chinese docks

Mon, 20 May 2013 07:15:03 -0400

Hundreds of tons of frozen mutton, lamb and beef from New Zealand have been stranded on Chinese docks after China halted their import due to a certification dispute. China is New Zealand's largest export ...

Cricket-England ponder top-order problems ahead of Ashes

Mon, 20 May 2013 06:13:54 -0400

By Ed Osmond LONDON, May 20 (Reuters) - England secured the convincing victory over New Zealand they demanded in the first test at Lord's but question marks remain over the make-up of their team for the Ashes series against Australia starting in July. The fast bowling of James Anderson and Stuart Broad was largely responsible for the 170-run win over the New Zealanders who more than held their own for three days of the match against a team ranked six places above them. ...

Cook satisfied as England hit the ground running

Mon, 20 May 2013 04:32:12 -0400

By Ed Osmond LONDON (Reuters) - England captain Alastair Cook was satisfied with his team's performance after they beat New Zealand by 170 runs in a fluctuating first test at Lord's on Sunday. Widely criticised following the recent 0-0 series draw in New Zealand against a side ranked six places below them, England produced a disciplined bowling display to skittle the touring side for 68 in their second innings. "It was a good test win but it's important to keep a lid on it," Cook told a news conference."We knew we wanted to hit the ground running this summer. ...

Cricket-NZ media muted in critique of first test loss

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:23:15 -0400

WELLINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) - New Zealand's media were muted in their reaction to their side being bundled out for just 68 runs to give England a 170-run victory in the first test at Lord's on Sunday, instead turning their focus towards the second match in Leeds. Their second innings score, sparked by Stuart Broad's career-best figures of seven for 44, was New Zealand's ninth-lowest in their 83-year test history. Unlike the furore that enveloped the team when they were bundled out for 45 by South Africa in January, however, the outcry on Monday was more restrained. ...

China halts imports of New Zealand meat

Sun, 19 May 2013 22:22:05 -0400

Hundreds of tons of frozen mutton, lamb and beef from New Zealand have been stranded on Chinese docks after China halted imports from the country due to a certification dispute. China is New Zealand's ...