• Player’s name missing from originally published list • Uefa confirms he had been included by United Manchester United’s latest signing Bebé has been included in the club’s 25-man Champions League squad despite it appearing that he had been left out when the original list was published on Saturday night. United submitted their list to Uefa last week, with Owen Hargreaves among the names excluded. It seemed Bebé had also been omitted, little more than a month after United had paid Vitória Guimarães £7m for the Portugal Under-21 player who had been a free agent at the beginning of the summer. But today Uefa has confirmed the player’s full name, Tiago Manuel Dias Correia, does appear on the list and he will be available for next Tuesday’s match against Rangers at Old Trafford. A more probable debut, however, may be in the Carling Cup tie at Scunthorpe United the following week, although even that cannot be taken for granted given Sir Alex Ferguson’s recent comments that the player needed to increase his fitness levels. Manchester United Champions League guardian.co.uk

British tennis No1 Andy Murray speaks about his exit from the US Open

Originally posted here:
Video: Andy Murray: I was struggling physically

• Manchester United forward decides to travel after allegations • Fabio Capello still to decide on Rooney’s frame of mind Wayne Rooney has boarded a flight to Switzerland with the rest of the England squad this morning but, as revealed by the Guardian , he has still to prove to Fabio Capello that he is in the right frame of mind to start tomorrow’s game in Basle. The 24-year-old’s private life has come under intense scrutiny since the early hours of Sunday morning when several newspapers made allegations about his conduct and there had been speculation that the Manchester United forward might remain at home. But he has travelled with his team-mates and is expected to take part in this afternoon’s scheduled training session at St Jakob Park. The Football Association and the England manager, Fabio Capello, however, have yet to confirm that he will be in the starting XI. The Switzerland head coach, Ottmar Hitzfeld, expects Rooney to play tomorrow. “I expect Rooney to be on the pitch,” he said. “Such a thing like that will weigh on a player. Fabio Capello is not able to leave a player of his class out. I am no psychologist but Wayne Rooney is looking sharp and I am sure he will perform well. “The only reason he didn’t do well in the World Cup was that he was injured beforehand and didn’t have time to make his fitness up in time for the tournament.” Wayne Rooney England guardian.co.uk

New badges – a sad trend that distances football from its historical roots, or a necessary exercise for all forward-thinking modern clubs? The summer saw three Football League teams ditch their old club crests in favour of flashy new ones. Cheltenham Town swapped their old heraldic crest for one depicting a graphical robin: “This was our most contemporary idea. We wanted one that represented the optimism of the club,” said Guy Douglas from the badge designers flb. “In the annals of history, most of the robins have been still, waiting. This is flying upwards and moving forward. We hope it’s a catalyst.” Chesterfield meanwhile matched the club’s move to the new b2net stadium with a change of style: According to the club the new badge “retains the heritage of the football club by continuing to incorporate heraldic interlinked lettering set in a shield, which was originally displayed on the player’s shirts in 1945″. And Morecambe scrapped their old design, complete with “Beauty Surrounds, Health Abounds” motto, for a bolder take on the club’s nickname: “In the end they [the club's board] went for designer, Robin Zahler’s very simple, clean shrimp crest,” said designers Fat Creative, “one we all loved as it looks so bold and immediately identifiable and works on team shirts as well as across a range of the club’s products.” Club crests have never been a static part of football – Morecambe, for example, have previously featured shrimps on their badge, before adopting the ship-and-red-rose design the best part of 20 years ago. Indeed the evolution of badges is, to those of us that way inclined, rather fascinating (a quick search brought up badge histories for Chelsea , Arsenal , Leeds and Oxford ). The fear is that all those wonderful and varied badges may begin to become homogenised, losing their individuality and becoming shield-shaped disconnected brand logos that look nice on a pencil case or official £7.99 oversized mug but say nothing about a club’s heritage. The bold graphical approach does seem to be the style of the time . So new badges for Morecambe, Chesterfield and Cheltenham – a sad trend that distances football from its historical roots, or a necessary exercise for all forward-thinking modern clubs? Cheltenham Morecambe Chesterfield John Ashdown guardian.co.uk

• ECB to investigate two tweets from Hampshire all-rounder • Offensive comments directed at national selector A second England international cricketer is at the centre of a Twitter investigation following a foul-mouthed rant at the national selector, Geoff Miller. Days after Kevin Pietersen was told he will face an England and Wales Cricket Board disciplinary hearing for an outburst on Twitter, Dimitri Mascarenhas is facing similar action after apparently describing Miller as a “knob” and a “prick”. The ECB confirmed after England had beaten Pakistan by five wickets in a Twenty20 international in Cardiff that it was looking into two tweets apparently sent by Mascarenhas, the Hampshire all-rounder who played for England’s Twenty20 and 50-over teams last year. One post sent from the Twitter account @DimiMascarenhas read: “Geoff miller is a complete knob. He had no clue what he is doing. Fing prick.” A second said: “Chairman of selectors came to Liverpool and didn’t even come and say hi … what a prick. Doesn’t take much to say hello, does it.” Neither post

• Shahid Afridi attacks Test opener over new allegations • ‘You can expect anything from Hameed,’ says Afridi Pakistan’s one-day captain, Shahid Afridi, has accused the country’s Test opener Yasir Hameed of having the “mentality of a 15-year-old” after Hameed sparked a fresh spot-fixing storm by speaking to an undercover reporter. Afridi said he was unaware of the latest allegations in the News of the World, in which Hameed was quoted as saying his team-mates were fixing “almost every match”. But pressed for his opinion on Hameed’s character following England’s five-wicket Twenty20 victory over Pakistan in Cardiff, Afridi said: “He is 30 or 31 but mentally he is 15 or 16.” He said Hameed, who is in fact 32, was “unreliable” and added: “I don’t know who he was sitting with or in what situation he gave this message but we have known him for a long time and you can expect anything from him. People know what type of character he is.” Following a meeting with the Pakistan high commissioner in London, Hameed today disputed the News of the World’s version of the meeting with its undercover reporter Mazhar Mahmood, who was posing as a potential sponsor offering a £50,000 deal. The batsman, who is not part of Pakistan’s one-day squad, claimed he had been tricked into talking, was misquoted and was only repeating what he had read in the newspaper. He said two days later Mahmood called and offered him £25,000 to give a statement against the three players under investigation. He refused and put down the phone, later receiving a text from Mahmood that he interpreted as a threat. Afridi, who joined the squad after the contentious Test series, said he had forbidden the team from buying today’s newspapers and wanted them to concentrate on the rest of the one-day series: “It’s history, it’s gone and we’re here to play cricket. I want everyone to focus on cricket, that’s it.” England’s captain, Paul Collingwood, said he was “delighted” with his team and the way they recovered from a “hiccup” when they lost three wickets for seven runs. “A lot has gone on this week in terms of strong decisions. The two teams went out there and wanted cricket to do the talking. I’m just happy the guys responded well after what has been a difficult week.” Collingwood was particularly pleased with how the team responded to secure what was a fairly comfortable win: “From our point of view we dragged it back fantastically well. It [the pitch] turned a lot more than we thought and the two spinners are doing a fantastic job.” Afridi’s fear that the Pakistan team would face a hostile reception proved unfounded. “It was good, the people enjoyed the game and we got some good support,” he said. More than 11,000 attended, around 4,000 short of capacity at the Swalec Stadium. There had been concerns fans would stay away due to the spot-fixing scandal. Pakistan cricket betting scandal Pakistan cricket team England cricket team Cricket Owen Gibson guardian.co.uk

• Spaniard eases clear ahead of Kreuziger and Caruso • Igor Anton retains overall lead from Joaquin Rodriguez David Lopez emerged from the mountains of Alicante to claim victory on stage nine of the Vuelta a España today. The Spaniard broke clear going into the final three kilometres of a gruelling day’s riding which featured six categorised climbs, and enjoyed a comfortable margin of victory ahead of Roman Kreuziger and Giampaolo Caruso. Jean-Christophe Péraud crossed the line 54sec after the leaders, falling just short of taking the leader’s red jersey. Péraud had been part of an early three-man breakaway in the 188km stage, while Lopez hung back. But he and others soon joined the lead group, which swelled to 15, and Péraud looked to be well placed to take the overall lead as they jumped more than nine minutes ahead, erasing his 6:59 deficit to Igor Anton, who was back in the peloton. However, the peloton eventually reined them back in, to the extent that Péraud remains 52sec adrift in fifth place, with Anton holding on to his overall lead. Lopez made his first move with 12km to go, but David Moncoutie of France stuck with him as he sought a second stage win. Kreuziger and Caruso soon caught the leading pair, but when Lopez went again they and Moncoutie could not respond. Joaquin Rodríguez has caught up to Anton in the overall standings and sits second on an identical time. Mark Cavendish, who began the stage as the points leader, was not ranked in the top 60. Cycling Mark Cavendish guardian.co.uk

Salford 16-12 Wakefield Stuart Littler enjoyed a fairytale ending to his Salford career with the winning try against Wakefield to ensure that the Reds finished 12th in the Super League. Littler, who was captain for the day, went over for the key try, with Sean Gleeson’s late effort a mere consolation for the Wildcats. All the points came in the second half of a mistake-littered contest between two clubs whose miserable seasons came to an uninspiring end. Wakefield had to settle for 11th place after failing to collect the victory they needed to climb above Bradford, who finished 10th. Today’s game marked the end of an era at The Willows, with seven players leaving the club. The regular captain, Malcolm Alker, and Willie Talau are retiring and Karl Fitzpatrick, Littler, Jeremy Smith, Phil Leuluai and Luke Swain are leaving. Fitzpatrick and Alker, who was given a guard of honour by his team-mates before kick-off, were missing through injury but the other five men played. Wakefield included Tevita Leo-Latu, who will join Salford next season, and Sean Gleeson, who is also expected to be at the Reds in 2010. Leo-Latu and Gleeson scored the Wakefield tries. It was a last hurrah too for Jason Demetriou. Salford made the brighter start with Jodie Broughton just failing to gather a teasing Stefan Ratchford kick. But Wakefield would have snatched the lead had Demetriou been able to gather Damien Blanch’s tap back from Ben Jeffries’ kick. Then Gleeson was denied by a double tackle from Broughton and Talau. Marc Sneyd’s 40-20 kick gave Salford the chance to threaten the Wakefield line and Steve Tyrer went over in the corner but the try was disallowed by the referee, Gareth Hewer, for a forward pass. Neither side had enough inventiveness to penetrate their opponents’ defensive line after a disappointing first half for the crowd of 3,401. Wakefield broke the deadlock after 59 seconds of the second half when a Broughton error allowed Leo-Latu to scoop up the ball and score his fifth try of the season. Jeffries kicked the conversion. Salford hit back with smart work from Ratchford and Talau allowing Ashley Gibson to slip a pass for Tyrer to go over in the corner. Tyrer’s well-struck conversion looked to drift between the posts but the touch judges ruled the kick had missed. Salford went ahead when Ray Cashmere took a pass from the 18-year-old Gareth Owen to bulldoze through a clutch of defenders and crash over under the posts. Tyrer kicked the conversion to make it 10-6. Littler’s try and Tyrer’s conversion clinched victory, with Leuluai then having an effort disallowed for a double movement. Gleeson went over two minutes from time but Salford held on. Salford City Reds Wakefield Trinity Rugby league guardian.co.uk

• Head of men’s tennis was due to go in November • American had successful trial with the world No2 Paul Annacone has stepped down as head of men’s tennis at the Lawn Tennis Association, in order to take up a coaching role with Roger Federer, the world No2. The move comes two months before the American was due to leave the LTA, which announced his departure in May. Annacone, whose contract with the LTA was set to the expire in November, opted to leave British tennis after a successful month-long trial with the 16-times Grand Slam winner. He had been due to work with the Swiss on a part-time basis until November but came to agreement with the LTA. The LTA’s player director, Steven Martens, said in a statement that the American coach “was always going to be moving on in November but we were aware we would need to keep it under constant review, to avoid any potential conflict of interest”. Annacone had been at the LTA since November 2006, after a spell coaching the former British No1 Tim Henman. The American, 47, was Pete Sampras’s coach and had a moderately successful playing career as a singles player, winning three titles. His real success came in doubles, in which he won the Australian Open in 1985 and lost the US Open final in 1990. Tennis Roger Federer guardian.co.uk

• Edoardo Molinari pushes hard for second • Teenager Mateo Massero earns Tour card Miguel-Angel Jiménez chalked up his third Tour victory of the season by claiming European Masters title today. The 46-year-old Spaniard held off his Ryder Cup team‑mate Edoardo Molinari to head the Italian by three shots with a closing four-under-par 67. Jiménez, twice runner-up in an event he has played for 22 consecutive years, became the European Tour’s first three-time winner of the season. It looked as though the Spanish veteran was strolling to his 18th tour title when he held a six-stroke advantage over Molinari after 11 holes. But the determination that earned Molinari his Ryder Cup debut as one of Colin Montgomerie’s wild cards enabled the Italian to reduce that margin to just a stroke by the 15th. There had been a two-shot swing in Molinari’s favour on the 14th and the 29-year-old Italian, also looking for a third win in 2010, hit a supreme approach to less than three feet to eagle the long 15th. A vital save on the short 16th, while Molinari bogeyed, took the pressure off Jiménez, though, and when the pony-tailed Spaniard rolled in a curling 12ft birdie putt on the 17th, the €327,000 (£273,000) prize was his. After several near misses in the event, Jiménez said he was relieved to have broken through to win. “I was getting desperate,” Jiménez told reporters after extricating himself from the pool at the 18th into which he had been bustled by champagne-showering supporters. “It’s not just the two second places but the amount of times I’ve been in the top 10 over the years. This means a lot and will mean a lot to my friends here. Molinari pushed me and my good recovery at the 16th with a great chip was the key to the win.” Molinari went off for a three-week break knowing he is in the sort of form that should give him confidence for the Ryder Cup. His teenage compatriot Matteo Manassero secured his Tour card for 2011 with a final‑round 68 to take third place, five behind Jiménez. “Making my card was my goal this year and now I’m here,” said the 17-year-old 2009 British Amateur champion who turned professional in May. “And it’s great to have made it with a good performance.” The Korean 19-year-old Noh Seung-yul (67) increased his lead on the Asian Tour in the co-sanctioned event by finishing fourth on 13 under. Golf guardian.co.uk

• Midfielder says squad won’t be affected by newspaper claims • ‘He’s a top player and we want to put out our strongest team’ James Milner is hoping that Wayne Rooney will travel to Switzerland with England for Tuesday’s Euro 2012 qualifying match. Allegations about Rooney’s private life were made in the News of the World and Sunday Mirror newspapers today, leading to speculation that the Manchester United striker may not travel. Football Association sources have indicated that no decision has been taken and as it stands, Rooney is expected on the flight . Milner said that Rooney had played a full part in training today, two days after playing a key role in England’s 4-0 win over Bulgaria, and backed him to play for Fabio Capello’s team on Tuesday. “He did the full session,” Milner said. “We had our full training session and ‘back to football’ is what we’re here to do. I think you want the best players out on the field and he’s obviously one of them. He showed that the other night. “He’s a top, top player and we want to put out the strongest team possible.” Milner was pressed for more detail about Rooney’s frame of mind but said: “You’re going to have to ask him.” The Manchester City midfielder does not expect the claims about Rooney to affect the England squad. “We’ve got to make sure they don’t,” he said. “Things are always said in the paper, good things, bad things, about the England team when results are going well and when they’re not going well. You have highs, you have lows, and it’s down to us to make sure only thing that matters is on the field, come together and make sure we get the result.” Milner added: “Winning football matches is the only thing that matters. We’ve all trained as a squad in preparation for the game on Tuesday. It’s a big game, and it’s down to us go out and get the right result.” Asked at a lunchtime press conference how important it is for England players to be liked by supporters, Milner said: “I think it’s important we go out and win football matches and control ourselves on the field and off the field as best we can.” Wayne Rooney England Euro 2012 guardian.co.uk

• FA sources say striker still scheduled to travel • Coach Capello has three other forward options Wayne Rooney is scheduled to travel to Switzerland tomorrow for England’s Euro 2012 qualifying match, despite allegations about his private life, Football Association sources said today. The striker has been the subject of reports in the News of the World and Sunday Mirror, leading to speculation over whether he will take part in Tuesday’s match. FA sources have indicated that no decision has yet been taken. As it stands, Rooney is expected on the flight. The Manchester United star is an integral part of Fabio Capello’s England team, though he has not scored in 11 matches. England opened their qualification campaign on Friday with an impressive 4-0 win over Bulgaria at Wembley. Following the withdrawal of Peter Crouch through injury, aside from Rooney, Capello has three other strikers to call upon. His other options are Darren Bent, Carlton Cole and Jermain Defoe, who scored his first international hat-trick against Bulgaria. Wayne Rooney England Euro 2012 guardian.co.uk

Manager John Toshack recalls 1976 to ease pain of Wales’s opening defeat in qualifying for Euro 2012 There is more than a hint of desperation in John Toshack’s voice as he tries to find something positive to say about Wales’s qualifying campaign after it started with a defeat in Montenegro last night. “In 1976, which was the last time we qualified [for the later stages of a tournament], we lost the first game away to Austria but won the next five matches to win the group, so we’ve got that to cling on to,” the Wales manager says. The past, however, is no reliable guide to the future and not even the most optimistic Wales supporter – it has to be said there are very few of those around at the moment – could envisage this side collecting maximum points from their upcoming fixtures on the evidence of the 1-0 defeat in Podgorica. “Hugely disappointing,” is Craig Bellamy’s take on a result that prompts Toshack to admit the Bulgaria match in Cardiff next month has assumed “must-win” status. Wales are unhappy Miodrag Dzudovic got away with an elbow that forced James Collins to leave the field in the second half with what has since been confirmed as a badly swollen eye rather than a fractured cheekbone, although Joe Ledley’s description of the referee, Anastassios Kakos, as a “shambles” conveniently overlooks the real reasons for Montenegro’s victory. Wales made mistakes in defence, looked woefully short in midfield and carried no threat going forward until the final 10 minutes. What must be most galling for Toshack is that there is no obvious remedy for those shortcomings. Aaron Ramsey and Jack Collison, two talented youngsters whose presence in central midfield would make a huge difference, are long‑term absentees and will not be fit in time for the Bulgaria game on 8 October or the trip to Switzerland four days later, while there are limited options when it comes to trying to freshen things up in defence and up front. All of which paints a bleak picture for Wales supporters and one that is particularly demoralising given that their team have played only 90 minutes of football in Group

Ed Smith and other correspondents ( Letters , 31 August) are absolutely right on insisting that a clear separation exists between the events of the Pakistan “no-ball scandal” and the game itself. In England over the past decade many hundreds of thousands of youngsters – some at schools where not a ball had been bowled, ever – have been inspired by the opportunities they’ve been offered thanks to the great Chance to Shine scheme. With enthusiastic support from government and cricketing organisations and individuals, many boys – and girls – are now enjoying the sport and finding the experience life-enhancing. After years of public and school pitch closures and sales, and the game diminishing as a sport for all, we are steadily reclaiming it for our young people. We must not allow a headline-grabbing incident, as serious as it is, to in any way damage this fantastic project and other similar enterprises, but encourage their expansion instead. The evidence is there for all to see. Cricket is a positive force for both player and spectator alike. There is no crisis here. Graham Benson Ventnor, Isle of Wight • For those ticket-holders like myself concerned that the Twenty20 game between England and Pakistan in Cardiff tomorrow may still not go ahead ( Three Pakistan players suspended by ICC , 3 September), the nearby Cooper’s Field has an excellent supply of early conkers available, provided the squirrels and seagulls don’t get them first. Conkers , of course, is a sport where gamesmanship – if not exactly cheating – has long been a way of life. Keith Flett London Cricket Twenty20 guardian.co.uk

• Rangers fans caused ‘mayhem’ at final in 2008 • Manchester suffered ‘worst night of destruction since blitz’ All but one of 12 rioting football hooligans who took part in the worst destruction Manchester has suffered “since the blitz” will be going to jail, a judge said today. They were among hundreds of Rangers fans who caused “mayhem” at the Uefa Cup final held in the city two years ago, in which Zenit St Petersburg won 2-0. Police were attacked and property damaged in the hours of violence in the city centre and two officers – Mick Regan and John Goodwin – were caught by the mob, surrounded and battered. Judge Andrew Blake had indicated 11 of the 12 were going to jail and had sentenced eight of the defendants before a fire alarm caused Manchester Crown Court to be evacuated temporarily. Several defendants put thumbs up to weeping relatives in the public gallery as they were led down to the cells. But then Scots accents could be heard shouting up to the courtroom: “Fuck Manchester! Fuck Pc Regan and Goodwin as well!” Passing sentence, Judge Andrew Blake said: “The riot police were deployed in full riot gear and struggled to contain the trouble and restore order. “What followed was the worst night of violence and destruction suffered by Manchester city centre since the blitz. “What came afterwards, the damage, the filth and litter was apparent to all who arrived in Manchester the following day. “Many more than these 12 were involved. It had nothing to do with football rivalries but everything to do with drink. “The anger of the mob was directed at the police doing their best to restore order.” There were audible gasps from the public gallery as he jailed Scott McSeveney for three-and-a-half years for violent disorder and the assault on Pc Goodwin. Pc Goodwin was separated from his detachment, outnumbered by tens of fans and attacked. Brought to the ground, he was stamped on and kicked and said later he thought of the Met Police officer Keith Blakelock – killed in the Broadwater Farm riot in 1985 – and thought he was going to die at the hands of the mob. He was saved only after a Rangers fan, Sharon Gibson, lay across him and her boyfriend shouted: “You are letting the team down.” Rangers return to Manchester to play United in a Champions League group game on 14 September. Rangers guardian.co.uk

Giovanni Trapattoni said he would settle for a victory by the only goal, even if he had to suffer. The Republic of Ireland manager duly went through the wringer on a nervous night here in the Armenian capital but he emerged with the result he wanted to ignite his team’s Euro 2012 campaign when the substitute Keith Fahey, who had been on the field for only eight minutes, swept home. The Birmingham City midfielder was winning only his fourth cap and never before had he played in a competitive international. With one swing of his right boot, he became an instant hero. It felt as though Ireland had been let off the hook. Armenia had been on the front foot for much the second half and there was a desperation about some of Ireland’s defending. But Trapattoni’s team could also point to a glaring miss by the captain Robbie Keane in the 63rd minute, when he dragged a shot against the post when clean through. Ireland have a chequered history in what used to be the Soviet bloc but this result was one to cherish. If it once again demonstrated the perilously fine margins at international level, it also allowed Ireland to look ahead with optimism. Next up is Andorra in Dublin on Tuesday night. Trapattoni will fancy his chances of making it six points from six, before the sterner tests in Group B present themselves. Keane had said on the eve of the tie that the most important thing was not to lose but nobody really believed him. Armenia, ranked 96th in the world, have had some encouraging results at home of late; they defeated Belgium in a World Cup qualifier last year, while they beat Poland and drew against Serbia and Portugal in Euro 2008 qualification. But if Ireland were to entertain hopes of making it to their first major finals since the 2002 World Cup, everyone knew, deep down, that this was a match they needed to win. This was Ireland’s first competitive fixture since the controversial play-off against France last November and Trapattoni started with nine of his line-up from that night. It would have been 11 had it not been for injuries to Keith Andrews and Damien Duff. The Italian is not a man who meddles with the tried and trusted. The staples of the Trapattoni regime have been discipline, hard work and focus and, as ever, they were on show in front of what was a small and far from intimidating crowd. It is then up to Keane or one of the creative talents to conjure the decisive moment. Ireland have also tended to be productive from set pieces. Keane might have put his team ahead in the early running when, from Kevin Doyle’s flick-on, he darted intelligently into the area for a volleying opportunity. His contact was not true, however, and the ball squirted wide. Keane looked dangerous throughout, even if he could not finish. He had the ball in the net in the 36th minute only to be contentiously pulled back for offside. The chance of the first half came from an Ireland set piece. Aiden McGeady’s corner was deep and Sean St Ledger’s header firm, after he had got up well, but Roman Berezovsky made a fine reaction save. Armenia showed themselves to be a quick and technically talented team. All of their front players caught the eye, especially Henrik Mkhitaryan, Shakhtar Donetsk’s new £6m signing, who roamed and probed with menace. Ireland restricted them to efforts from distance in the first half, a volley from the excellent Yura Movsisyan apart, although one pot-shot from the striker whistled just over the crossbar. Ireland’s defence did not enjoy the best protection from Whelan and Paul Green, who was making his competitive debut. It was tense and tight stuff. Armenia were the better team in the second half and as they hit their attacking stride they subjected Ireland to a series of nervous moments. One almighty scramble ended with Movsisyan firing a shot at Richard Dunne. The Ireland defender also almost put through his own net with a looping back header. But after Keane had blown his golden chance and Doyle had gone close, the last word, unexpectedly, went to Fahey, who capitalised after good work by Liam Lawrence. It was far from a vintage Ireland performance but, as Trapattoni had always said, it is the result that stands the test of time. Euro 2012 Armenia Republic of Ireland David Hytner guardian.co.uk

Hit F5 for the latest updates or click the auto-refresh button, email simon.burnton@guardian.co.uk and view the live scores 7.52pm: The rain has stopped, so more action imminent. 7.42pm: Meanwhile it’s still raining, but not as heavily. 7.41pm: “How is it that Flushing Meadows’ courts are faster than Wimbledon’s?” asks Gary Naylor. “Are the balls different? At Wimbledon (in person for the first time this year), I felt the balls were too heavy and “died” too much on the grass. The power game needs tempering, but pace on the ball – whatever the sport – improves the spectacle and favours the more skilful players.” The balls are different, as it happens – Slazenger at Wimbledon, Wilson in New York. Indeed, even at the US Open there are different balls – I believe the men have a slightly more hard-wearing felt on theirs, even though they’re only used for six games. 7.37pm: There’s no doubt who the crowd will be behind. Brown is obviously not like the average tennis player, even when he doesn’t turn up in a camper van. He’s got an interesting back-story, is tall, black, dreadlocked, genial and possesses one heck of a serve. But he’s not, or rather has never been in the past, good enough to beat the top players. 7.33pm: Looks like this might be a light but lingering shower. I’ll bring you updates as and when I have them, of course. 7.30pm: The players leave the court. The skyline looks grey and dreary in New York. Time to check that weather forecast. First set: Murray* 2-1 Brown Three aces in that game, held to love. More worrying, the rain seems to have returned. First set: Murray 1-1 Brown* Brown’s first serve is a massive 130mph+ ace, which Murray challenged but was well in. His second is another massive ace which Murray also challenged, and was on the line. That’s one challenge left for the set. The third serve Murray gets a racket on, but the ball doesn’t make it over the net. An easy hold. First set: Murray* 1-0 Brown Still a lot of empty seats as Murray holds serve, not as easily as he might have liked. One deuce required. Impressive returns from both sides from Brown. 7.20pm: Murray’s going to serve first. Balls in hand. Action. 7.19pm: “I’m a bit disappointed to see that Andy Murray isn’t wearing a Bulgarian flag headband,” writes Gary Naylor, as Greg Rusedski predicts an easy win for Murray in “not the prettiest of matches”. 7.13pm: In fact, they’re out already. Action imminent. 7.13pm: Looks like a brief and light shower – nobody’s come off the other courts. Meanwhile, if you like football at all take a look at this unbelievable scorcher from today’s Kazakhstan v Turkey game. 7.03pm: The good news: it’s not very hot. The bad news: it’s raining. 7.00pm: Other than a fairly brief glimpse at Wimbledon, when his potential Davis Cup defection was the issue of the day, I’m afraid I don’t know any more than Murray about Brown. The next few hours will be a learning experience for the both of us. 6.54pm: Evening world! Kim Clijsters is roaring through her match – 5-0 in the second set, having won the first 6-3 – so Murray should be on shortly and it’s about time I settled into my seat and got ready for the ride. You can still read Kevin Mitchell’s match preview here , if you’d like. And as I write, Clijsters completes a suddenly-very-straightforward victory, after a fairly troubled start, and it’s time for Murray to tie his shoelaces and introduce himself to Dustin Brown. US Open tennis Andy Murray Tennis Simon Burnton guardian.co.uk

• Scot replaces Geraint Thomas for Melbourne event • Will race alongside Mark Cavendish and Jeremy Hunt David Millar is to replace Geraint Thomas in the British team at the road cycling World Championships next month. Thomas – who is set to compete in the Tour of Britain later this month – announced yesterday he was pulling out of the three-man team for the race in Melbourne on 3 October. Millar, who was originally only selected for the time-trial at the World Championships, will now also join Mark Cavendish and Jeremy Hunt in the men’s road race after the British Cycling performance director, Dave Brailsford, decided not to add to the squad. “Following selection, Geraint was feeling tired in subsequent races and felt the road worlds were out of reach,” said Brailsford. “David Millar has now been selected to ride the road race as well as the time-trial and based on his current form we believe he will work well with Jeremy to give Mark the best chance at the road worlds.” After racing in Melbourne, Millar, who was stripped of the 2003 world time-trial title after admitting he used the blood-booster EPO, and Thomas will then head to Delhi to compete for Scotland and Wales, respectively, in the Commonwealth Games. Cycling guardian.co.uk

• Video footage shows Ferrari driver was over starting line • Outcome of findings will not effect overall result The FIA, Formula One’s governing body, is to investigate how Felipe Massa was able to make a false start at last weekend’s Belgian grand prix without any race officials or rival teams noticing. Video footage taken from the crowd and posted on the internet after the race at Spa clearly show that the front of Massa’s car was positioned well ahead of the line on the starting grid. Had it been noticed the Ferrari driver, who started sixth and finished fourth, would have collected a penalty. “The problem was not brought to the attention of the FIA race director by either the marshals nor the automatic jump start system in time to be able to apply the appropriate penalty for jump starts,” an FIA spokeswoman said. “As no further information or complaints were received before the publication of the official result on Sunday night, the classification of the Belgian grand prix will now remain unchanged. “The FIA are investigating the causes of the apparent failures in communication with race control in order to ensure a repetition is not possible.” Normally a transponder on the car would send an automatic signal to alert officials to the vehicle being out of position at the start. Ferrari have already been fined $100,000 (£64,780) for illegally ordering Massa to let team-mate Fernando Alonso pass at the German grand prix in July. Felipe Massa Formula One guardian.co.uk

• City inquired about Milan forward just before transfer deadline • Italy international has joined Roma on loan The Italy forward Marco Borriello came close to signing for Manchester City earlier this week, his agent has claimed. The Milan player was loaned to Roma on the final day of the transfer window after turning down a loan switch to Juventus. The 28-year-old was also strongly linked to Real Madrid. “It could have ended differently,” Tiberio Cavalleri, Borriello’s agent, told Corriere dello Sport. “On Monday, I had a call from [Roberto] Mancini saying he wanted the player Borriello to go to Manchester City. On Tuesday, Real Madrid made an approach, but then [Karim] Benzema said no to [a move to] Marseille and that’s when Roma came into the picture.” Borriello has five caps for Italy but was not part of their World Cup squad. Manchester City Transfer window guardian.co.uk

• Fly-half joins MLS side after stints at Tottenham and QPR • Speculation grows over his doubts regarding Melbourne move The Major League Soccer side Colorado Rapids have confirmed that Danny Cipriani has joined them for training. The fly-half is due to head to Australia early next month to begin his two-year contract with Super 15 franchise Melbourne Rebels. He has already trained at Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers this summer and played in pre-season reserve games for both clubs, leading to suggestions he was angling for a switch to football. And his presence at the MLS club has only heightened doubts over his commitment to rugby. “Dan has a friendship with members of our coaching staff and is currently training with the club,” Colardado’s head coach, Gary Smith, told the club’s official website, www.coloradorapids.com. “He wanted to take advantage of training at altitude and to engage in competitive sessions with our club as we prepare for the last part of our season.” Cipriani explained his appearances at Tottenham and QPR as an attempt to vary his training regime during the off-season. But reports surfaced he was having second thoughts over his move to the Melbourne and was trying to plot an escape route into football. Cipriani explained his decision to join the Rebels as the need to make a fresh start after falling out of favour with the England coach, Martin Johnson. He won the last of his seven caps two years ago amid concerns over his attitude at England and Wasps. Danny Cipriani Rugby union guardian.co.uk

• Farah says it’s time to take a break from racing • British runner won double gold at European Championships Mo Farah has withdrawn from next month’s Commonwealth Games so he can take a break from athletics having won gold in the 5000m and 10,000m events at the European Championships in Barcelona. “I had a great 2010 season and my body is telling me that it is time to take a break from training and racing,” the 27-year-old said. “I have been competing since the start of the year at cross-country, road and track and feel that I need a few weeks off now to let my body recover so that I can start winter training fit and healthy. Over the past few weeks I have been getting a few niggles, nothing serious but enough to tell me to ease back. “I was looking forward to the Commonwealth Games but after the success I had this year I am happy to call it a season.” Farah took 10,000m gold ahead of fellow Briton Chris Thompson in Barcelona and then clinched a golden double four days later in the 5000m final. Last month he also became the first Briton to run under 13 minutes for the 5000m by breaking David Moorcroft’s 28-year-old record in the Diamond League’s Zurich meeting. Mo Farah Commonwealth Games 2010 Athletics guardian.co.uk

Peterborough’s triple threat should prove more than enough to handle Tranmere, while we take a look at long-priced Lincoln Thanks to Bournemouth conceding twice in injury-time last weekend, we were denied another full house on the tipping front. Twice. In injury-time. Not that I’m bitter. At all. Peterborough to beat Tranmere @ 21-20 It’s a short price for an away team but, spare a battering down at Dean Court in week two, Gary Johnson’s team have been producing performances worthy of odds-on expectation. Last weekend’s 3-0 win at goal-shy Plymouth lifted Posh second as the triple-pronged offensive threat of Craig Mackail-Smith, Aaron McLean and George Boyd proved their worth once again (the trio have nine goals between them already). Tranmere remain winless, two goals in the final 12 minutes at fellow strugglers Dagenham & Redbridge preventing a third defeat in four matches last week. Don’t expect those statistics to improve on Saturday. Lincoln to beat Chesterfield @ 5-1 Stick with me here. The Imps’ two defeats this season have been against Torquay and Rotherham, arguably the most impressive pair in the division thus far, while they won at Gillingham and were held by Crewe, themselves fresh off a 7-0 Barnet bashing. Unbeaten Chesterfield could well be over-respected, given their early schedule has incorporated a comparatively soft line-up featuring Barnet, Hereford and Macclesfield (admittedly, the other win was against Port Vale). It may sound like straw-clutching, but the price looks too long not to have a little bite at, though keep your stakes at half those of the first tip. NB: all prices with Betfair at the time of publication Sport betting James Dart guardian.co.uk

• England prop forward to join from Harlequins in 2011 • ‘The club is entering an exciting time,’ says 24-year-old St Helens have confirmed the signing of Harlequins prop forward Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook on a four-year contract from 2011. The 24-year-old England international is the third high-profile recruit for new coach Royce Simmons following the signings of Castleford centre Michael Shenton and Manly Sea Eagles prop Josh Perry. “I am delighted to have signed for the Saints,” said McCarthy-Scarsbrook. “The club is entering an exciting time in its history and to be a part of that was a great pull. “Not only will it have a new stadium in 2012 but the quality of the players already in the squad like James Graham and James Roby and the likes of Michael Shenton and Josh Perry means they will be challenging on all fronts. I am looking forward to linking up with my new team-mates and continuing to learn under Royce Simmons.” McCarthy-Scarsbrook, who will make his final appearance for Harlequins against Warrington tonight, is a straight replacement for Bryn Hargreaves, who is following current coach Mick Potter to Bradford next season. “I would like to thank Quins for giving me the chance to play rugby league,” he added. “I have enjoyed my time there. The fans and players have been excellent with me and I wish them all well in the future.” McCarthy-Scarsbrook, who made his made his England debut against Wales in 2008, has made close to 100 appearances for the Londoners since 2005. “We are delighted to have secured Louie’s services for the next four years,” said tSaints chief executive Tony Colquitt. “His signing bolsters our pack and gives it some real go-forward next season. At the age of 24, he will continue to develop.” St Helens guardian.co.uk

• Beckham hopes to face Columbus Crew on 11 September • Midfielder almost recovered from achilles tendon injury David Beckham hopes to make his return to action in LA Galaxy’s match against Columbus Crew on 11 September, the midfielder said today. Beckham has been on the sidelines since March when he suffered an achilles tendon injury, while playing on loan for Milan, that cost him a place in the England squad at the World Cup in South Africa. “The doctors’ original date was 1 October but I always kind of said I want to be ready before then,” he said. “I’ll keep my fingers crossed and hopefully will play in part of the game here against Columbus. I’ll be on the bench, and hopefully I’ll get on the field for 15-20 minutes. That’s what I’m looking at.” Beckham took part in his first full training session with the club on 11 August. “At the moment, you have good days and you have bad days,” said Beckham. “You wake up with a lot more pain in your body when you’re in preseason. I have to do it because I need to get as close to match fitness as possible. “It’s a bit difficult because when you don’t play in games; that’s where you get the real fitness from. But I’m doing what I can in the gym and what I can on the field, just trying to get strength back in my leg. “It kind of kicks you up the backside when you realise you can’t do certain things. Working out was something I’ve done for the last 25 years, and to not being able to do it was tough for me.” The former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder said he was still tentative in some areas of movement. “When you do go through a trauma like this, an injury like this, there’s always going to be that thing in the back of your mind saying, ‘The last time I did that motion was when it actually snapped’. Cutting and turning and pushing off is still difficult for me, but that’s going to come in time.” The 35-year-old said he had never considered retirement and added that he had been grumpy at home. “It’s probably better asking my wife that more than me,” he said. “Being around the house, not being able to train, not being able to play, I think it’s been worse for her than me. It’s been a long road.” David Beckham LA Galaxy guardian.co.uk

• Newcastle recruit insists he still has the desire • ‘If you are fit and you are strong, age doesn’t matter’ Sol Campbell says he still has the desire to play for England and claimed that, at 35, he can perform to the same level as when he was 30 years old. Campbell joined Newcastle United in the summer as a free agent from Arsenal and made his first appearance for the club on Tuesday evening for the reserves in a 3-1 victory over Sunderland. Asked if he is good enough to play for England, Campbell, who won the last of his 73 caps three years ago, said: “I think last season for sure. I have still got it. I still have the passion, the fire in my belly. I want to win. But you just can’t do anything about it any more. So I am not going to fight. I am going to fight on the pitch for Newcastle and if it comes to the stage where someone says can you fight for England then I will fight for England. But I am not going to go on about it. It is just not worth it. “I’m just going to concentrate on Newcastle and if anything happens at a later stage it happens. I have just got to get my football right and concentrate on moving Newcastle in the right direction and if anything happens in the future, it happens.” Campbell said he has never retired from international football and, after a successful spell at Arsenal in the second half of last season, hinted at disappointment that Fabio Capello did not recall him for the World Cup squad. “I never mentioned that I was retiring, no. If people don’t like you, people don’t like you. It’s as simple as that. But then maybe I should have retired and maybe he would have brought me out. Who knows?” Campbell said, referring to Capello’s attempt to persuade Paul Scholes to play, and Jamie Carragher’s brief return from international exile. Campbell added: “It doesn’t matter where you are at with your age, if you are fit and you are strong, and you are physically there and want it, then you have got the experience so I think there should be no problem really. “Last season I worked really hard and I think I showed to all the people that if you work hard then you are there. If you get an opportunity, you get an opportunity, but it really comes down to the people behind the scenes and the manager. You can’t do anything about it. I could have scored 10 goals in the first half of the season. It doesn’t matter.” Campbell is now looking forward to the challenge of playing at St James’ Park. He said: “With Newcastle there are 50,000 people watching and they want it to be a success, and that is what I am all about. I remember going to Portsmouth and people [asking] what going there is all about, and I came away with an FA Cup and a European campaign. That is what I am all about.” Sol Campbell Newcastle United England Jamie Jackson guardian.co.uk

• Steven Naismith replaces the Birmingham City striker • Craig Levein makes eight changes to side beaten in Sweden James McFadden is the most notable player to pay the penalty for Scotland’s dismal friendly showing in Sweden last month, with the Birmingham City man dropped for tomorrow night’s Euro 2012 qualifier in Lithuania. McFadden, an iconic figure for the Scottish support on account of his 15 goals in 46 internationals, has been left out by Craig Levein with the Rangers forward Steven Naismith a surprise starter in support of Kenny Miller, the lone striker. Naismith has opened the season brightly, but has featured just three times before for his country. David Weir will, as expected, partner Stephen McManus at the heart of the Scotland defence. Alan Hutton’s swift return from groin surgery also hands him a place in Levein’s starting XI. Middlesbrough’s Barry Robson has been preferred to Graham Dorrans on the left of Levein’s midfield. In total, Levein has made eight changes to the side beaten 3-0 in Stockholm. Scotland Euro 2012 Ewan Murray guardian.co.uk

• Pannu says ‘no Mourinho’ remark was taken out of context • Manager’s talks over signing a new contract still dragging on Peter Pannu, Birmingham City’s vice-chairman, was forced into an embarrassing climbdown today when he claimed that he enjoyed a “phenomenal” relationship with Alex McLeish, 24 hours after accusing the club’s manager of making unreasonable contract demands and “not being totally tried and tested yet”. Pannu, who had also suggested in his earlier remarks that McLeish was “no [José] Mourinho”, said that he had never intended to criticise the Scot and went on to claim that the two parties were close to agreeing a new contract that could be in place by next week. That stance contrasted sharply with the picture that Pannu had painted beforehand, when he claimed McLeish was “asking for a very large amount of money which I was not prepared to meet”. McLeish, who led Birmingham to their highest top-flight finish in 51 years last season, when the club secured ninth place in the Premier League after winning promotion 12 months earlier, was disappointed with Pannu’s initial comments and it remains to be seen whether there is any lasting damage to their relationship. Pannu was understandably keen to stress that was not the case today as he tried to pick up the pieces from an embarrassing episode. “This is all nonsense,” Pannu said. “We are just perhaps inches away from Alex signing a contract, possibly by next week. Our relationship is phenomenal, we are very strong and close, and I want to dispel this notion that there is anything wrong. In fact, I spoke to Alex about the Mourinho reference and we laughed about it. In the whole context of the interview I did, it would not have had a sting to it. But to take out the extract like that made it look worse than it was. “Mourinho came up because I mentioned that the agent who made the initial approach to me about Alex and his contract represents Mourinho. Nothing was meant as a slight to Alex in the context of the conversation I had.” Pannu claimed that the only stumbling block on McLeish’s contract negotiations, which started last season and have been painfully slow, was “not pay-related” and expressed his confidence that an agreement will be reached “very soon”. McLeish, who was reluctant to be drawn on Pannu’s original comments when he was asked about them at a press conference yesterday, would not comment further today other than to add: “We are close to a new contract, but negotiations are still ongoing.” Birmingham City Stuart James guardian.co.uk

• England bowler to have surgery next week • ‘I’m devastated but determined to overcome this setback’ The England fast bowler, Graham Onions, faces a further nine-month lay-off after the England and Wales Cricket Board announced that he will undergo surgery next week in a bid to overcome the back injury that has ruled him out of this winter’s Ashes series. Attempts by England’s medical staff to solve Onions’s long-standing stress fracture without an operation have proved unsuccessful. Onions will undergo surgery next Monday and cannot realistically expect to return until midway through next summer. He first experienced discomfort in the nets on England’s tour of Bangladesh and left the tour without playing a game. The ECB’s chief medical officer, Dr Nick Peirce, said: “Graham has been suffering from ongoing discomfort due to stress fractures on both sides of his back. We have thoroughly exhausted all avenues of conservative treatment and rehabilitation with surgery very much seen as a last resort. Unfortunately, Graham has not responded to these forms of treatment and as a result we have no option left but to undertake a course of treatment involving surgery. “The surgery Graham faces is a relatively significant operation and his rehabilitation will see him ruled out of all cricket for approximately up to nine months. His rehabilitation will be overseen and carried out by the ECB medical team in conjunction with the medical staff at Durham.” England have long accepted that they will contest the Ashes without Onions. They discounted him from their plans three months ago, but the player himself remained committed to proving his fitness. Only now has realisation dawned as to the full extent of his injury. “I’m shattered to have been ruled out of the Ashes with the prospect of a lengthy recovery period,” he said. “After experiencing the euphoria of being part of an Ashes winning England team last year I was determined to get myself fit for selection ahead of this winter’s tour of Australia. Unfortunately, that’s not to be and even though we have tried every possible form of treatment, surgery is the only option left. “While I’m devastated to be facing such a long lay-off from cricket I’m determined to overcome this setback and make sure I get back bowling again next year and work my way back into the England calculations.” England Cricket Team Cricket David Hopps guardian.co.uk

• West Brom keeper released after family bereavement • Watford’s Scott Loach is called up to join Euro 2012 squad The goalkeeper Scott Carson has been released from the England squad to play against Bulgaria in the Euro 2012 qualifiers following a family bereavement. Watford’s Scott Loach has been called up from the Under-21s as his replacement. Carson, the West Bromwich Albion keeper, was hoping to make his first England appearance since the victory over Germany in Berlin in November 2008, although the role has always been earmarked for Manchester City’s Joe Hart. But instead he has withdrawn and once again Capello has had to look outside the top flight to find a replacement. Loach ended up being the understudy to Hart for last month’s friendly win over Hungary when the current No2 Ben Foster withdrew through injury and Paul Robinson announced his retirement from international football. England play Bulgaria at Wembley tomorrow before taking on Switzerland away on Tuesday as they attempt to make amends for a disappointing World Cup England Euro 2012 guardian.co.uk

• Former spinner calls on ICC to flex its muscles • ‘[Pakistan players] should be thrown out if found guilty’ Any players found guilty of being involved in match-fixing or any other form of illegality related to gambling in cricket should be banned for life, the former Australian spinner Shane Warne has said. The News of the World last weekend made allegations that the Pakistan bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were asked to bowl no-balls during their Fourth Test against England at Lord’s. “If it is true and they have been found [guilty of] match-fixing and throwing games and spot-betting with the no-balls and stuff, if that’s the case they should be thrown out,” Warne said today. “If it’s fixed by players, they should be banned for life. Anyone who’s involved should be thrown out. “The ICC have to flex their muscles and just go after Pakistan.” Warne, who was fined for admitting he had taken money from an Indian bookmaker for providing pitch and weather information in 1994, said he had been shocked by the latest allegations, especially since the International Cricket Council had instituted an anti-corruption unit. “I thought that the game was clean now with the anti-corruption people there,” Warne added. “[But] if you look back over the incidents they’ve had in the past, you’d have to say no, they haven’t really flexed their muscles. So you’d hope that at this stage they can flex their muscles and show that they do run the game.” Shane Warne Pakistan cricket betting scandal Pakistan cricket team Cricket guardian.co.uk

Also featuring college football classics, a very risky overtaking manoeuvre and a driver on his fag break 1) The college football season kicks off tonight. The Oregon Ducks will be hoping their opener goes better than last season when running-back LeGarrette Blount decided to lay out an opponent with a straight right . Blount narrowly escaped a season-long ban, issued a full apology and was later drafted by the Tennessee Titans, where he has not entirely avoided further fisticuffs . While we are at it here are a few classics from last season: Fresno State 53-52 Illinois , Arizona 41-44 Oregon and Central Michigan 27-26 Michigan State . 2) The Luton Town manager Richard Money took exception to fans abusing his players at the weekend and was forced into a Blount-style apology . Harry Redknapp apologises to no man though. He just tells them to eff off (SyCo and MoxyCoxy spotted this about five minutes after we had seen it, so they shall have their spotters’ badges). 3) Still, Harry was not quite as exposed by that question as Neymar was by this tackle . 4) Is this the riskiest overtaking manoeuvre of all time ? 5) Roger Federer pulled off this ludicrous between-the-legs winner at last year’s US Open. He did it again at Flushing Meadows this week, only this time the shot was better . 6) There has been some disillusion on this blog in the past few weeks about the prevalence of faked videos. One of the most infamous is the clip in which Kobe Bryant jumps a speeding car (over 4m views and counting). But could it be done in real life? . Our favourites from last week’s blog 1) Ways to entertain yourself when the safety car comes on . 2) The Chicago Bears showed that it is not just (British) football teams who can produce awful pop music . But for the most gut-wrenchingly terrible team song of all time, you have to delve into the world of the Glasgow Diamonds . 3) If you are going to put your money on a greyhound, put it on a greyhound smart enough to cheat . 4) What Wayne Rooney would have liked to do to Cristiano Ronaldo after the winking incident at the 2006 World Cup. 5) When showboating goes well . 6) Aaron “Wheelz” Fotheringham lands the first double backflip in a wheelchair . You wouldn’t eat those Skittles he chucked on the floor, mind. Spotters’ badges OhMonsieur, dontgetmeimasnowman, mattiogo, rowingrob, escartin, moxycoxy, TheCorporal, stubnitz. guardian.co.uk

• England midfielder secure despite injury problems • All United’s senior players have been registered The England midfielder Owen Hargreaves has been included in Manchester United’s 25-man Premier League squad despite his ongoing injury troubles. The former Bayern Munich player has made a solitary substitute appearance in the last two years as he battles tendinitis and there had been serious doubts over his inclusion. However, United confirmed this afternoon that all of their senior players, apart from those out on loan, have been registered to play. Manchester United guardian.co.uk

• Premier League ratify transfer after assessing documentation • Spurs moved for Van der Vaart only two hours before deadline Rafael van der Vaart’s £8m transfer to Tottenham Hotspur from Real Madrid has been officially ratified by the Premier League, the club’s website confirmed this afternoon. It is understood that the delay in confirmation was due to the late arrival of paperwork at the governing body close to yesterday’s transfer window deadline. Gloucester Place received a deluge of documentation moments before the window officially closed at 6pm, with the Tottenham manager, Harry Redknapp, revealing yesterday that the club had only open talks for Van der Vaart at 4pm. Redknapp said: “I thought he was going to Bayern Munich for about £18m and suddenly he became an awful lot cheaper and the chairman came to me and said: ‘Look, he’s available for around about £8m.’ “I felt we’d already got a good squad, it wasn’t a case of really being desperate to get anyone in. It was only when he rung me at about four o’clock and told me there was an opportunity here and did I want to do something? “I said: ‘I don’t really want to spend your money but if you feel you want to have a go then, well, let’s push on and give it a crack and see if we can pull it off.’” Van der Vaart becomes Redknapp’s second deadline-beating signing after Spurs earlier sealed a loan deal for the Croatia goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa. Tottenham Hotspur Real Madrid Transfer window Jamie Jackson guardian.co.uk

• Board will decide whether to give businessman green light • Club lost Marc Wilson and Tommy Smith in late transfers Balram Chainrai’s proposed takeover of Portsmouth could take a decisive step next week when a meeting of the Football League board will decide next Thursday whether to ratify the Hong Kong businessman again taking control of the club. Chainrai was in charge of Portsmouth last season when it was forced into administration during a troubled 18 months, which featured four different owners and severe financial mismanagement, and ended in relegation from the Premier League. The club exited administration after its creditors voted to agree a Company Voluntary Agreement that pays each of them 20p in the pound over five years, which amounts to around £16m. If Chainrai does become the new owner he faces a challenge to maintain Portsmouth’s Championship status. An already skeletal squad lost Marc Wilson, the captain, and Tommy Smith during the transfer window before it shut yesterday, with Liam Lawrence and Dave Kitson joining Steve Cotterill’s team. Portsmouth Business Jamie Jackson guardian.co.uk

• Coach says critics of Real’s slow start are unreasonable • Real were held 0-0 by Real Mallorca while Barcelona won José Mourinho says he is the ideal person to bring long-term stability to Real Madrid, and has played down the significance of their disappointing opening-day draw at Real Mallorca. Real were held 0-0 on Sunday while arch-rivals Barcelona swept aside Racing Santander 3-0, opening up an immediate two-point lead in the La Liga standings. The champions dropped only 15 points on their way to the title last season. “I am a coach, not Harry Potter,” Mourinho told the sports daily AS. “He is a magician. Magic is fiction and I live for football which is real. I’ve only been two months in Madrid. Do you know how many training sessions I have had with everyone together, including the new signings? Not even 10.” Last season’s treble-winning coach with Internazionale was brought in to replace Manuel Pellegrini in an attempt to end a run of two trophyless seasons at the Bernabéu, and to break Barcelona’s dominance of La Liga. “My profile as a coach is different to those they have had in recent years,” he added. “If things go badly and I have to leave I would have one of the best clubs in the world waiting for me. “This personal stability allows me to say I am the ideal person to be at Madrid because I fear nothing. Madrid need stability and I’m here to give it. Madrid is in many ways a conflict of footballing ideas. Coach after coach after coach … They need stability.” Mourinho signed a four-year contract in May to become their 10th coach since Vicente del Bosque was sacked in 2003. José Mourinho Real Madrid La Liga guardian.co.uk

• England defender back for reserves tonight • Rio Ferdinand may play against Everton next week Rio Ferdinand will make his long-awaited comeback for Manchester United in a reserve-team game against Oldham Athletic tonight. The game at Stalybridge will take on far more significance than a usual Manchester Senior Cup tie as it will represent Ferdinand’s first game since he was injured in a freak collision with Emile Heskey on the first day of training at the World Cup in South Africa. Sir Alex Ferguson had stated that the 31-year-old would not be fit to return until the end of September. However, at his weekly press conference last Friday, Ferguson revealed his defender had made a rapid recovery from the knee-ligament problem and said he would be finding a game for him during the international break. The Oldham match represents a suitable opportunity and if Ferdinand does come through unscathed he is expected to come into contention for a first-team comeback at Everton on 11 September, which represents the start of a hectic week that also includes home games against Rangers and Liverpool. Ferdinand will be joined in the United line-up by Wes Brown, the midfielder Anderson, who is also on his way back from long-term injury, and Federico Macheda. Manchester United Rio Ferdinand guardian.co.uk

• Co-hosts deny that supports’ enjoyment will be affected • $2bn cut from original $9bn budget for infrastructure Ukraine has announced a reduction in the government budget to co-host the Euro 2012 finals by more than a fifth, with the $2bn (£1.3bn) cut from the original $9bn affecting spending on the building of motorways and other vital infrastructure, suggesting supporters’ enjoyment of the tournament could be severely affected. But Ukraine’s deputy prime minister, Borys Kolesnikov, denied that the 22% slash in investment means fans – he estimated 750,000 people will visit Ukraine during the tournament – could struggle to move between the four cities where matches are to be played. Kolesnikov told People’s Daily Online in China: “We have fallen behind the schedule. We planned to spend much on constructing highways in the country but [are] now forced to concentrate just on the most strategic roads to link airports, stadiums, hotels, roads to the state border, as well as those around the host cities and towns related to the places of residence. I think we’ll spend no more than $7bn.” Kolesnikov also seemed to suggest that co-hosting Uefa’s premium national competition with Poland could result in the country losing money. He said: “It is not easy to say how much the country would earn. What is clear is the fact that we will have modern stadiums, airports and new infrastructure. That is the real treasure.” Half the Ukraine’s government estimate of the overall $18bn budget is to come from private investment. Euro 2012 Ukraine guardian.co.uk

• Injured Ballack told he will retain captaincy when he recovers • Will not be fit in time for Germany’s game against Belgium Michael Ballack will resume his duties as Germany captain when he returns to the national team after an injury layoff, replacing Philipp Lahm who led the side at the World Cup in South Africa. “I have decided that Michael Ballack will continue being the captain of our team,” Germany coach Joachim Löw said ahead of their first Euro 2012 qualifier against Belgium in Brussels on Friday. “But I told him that as things stand today I do not see him being able to help the team [after his recent injury].” The 33-year-old, who has won 98 caps and scored 42 goals, had said he was expecting to resume the role after he missed the World Cup due to an ankle injury. However, Lahm, who replaced him, also said he wanted to stay on as captain even when Ballack returned. Ballack is not expected to make his international comeback until October at the earliest, missing the qualifiers against Belgium and then Azerbaijan on 7 September due to a lack of match practice. Löw said Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira had secured their starting spots in midfield after a superb World Cup and that Ballack would have to return to top form to win a place in the team. “We will see what the situation is in the coming weeks. I will monitor his development and in October I will decide whether I will boost the squad with him,” said Löw, adding that Lahm would remain captain when Ballack was not on the pitch. Germany guardian.co.uk

• London club made late move for Blackburn right-back • Premier League checking if deal beat 6pm deadline West HamUnited are waiting for Premier League approval to complete the free transfer of the Denmark right-back Lars Jacobsen from Blackburn Rovers. The move was agreed late on transfer deadline day and checks are being made to ensure the relevant paperwork was submitted before the 6pm deadline. Jacobsen, 30, has earned 35 caps for his country and played 16 times for Blackburn after joining them on a free transfer from Everton last summer. The West Ham manager, Avram Grant, whose side have conceded nine goals in their opening three Premier League games, had made recruiting a new right-back a priority. Jacobsen began his career at Danish side Odense and played for Hamburg, FC Copenhagen and Nuremberg before joining Everton two years ago. His appearances there were limited by a shoulder injury and he was allowed to leave after one season. Jacobsen played in all three of Denmark’s matches at this summer’s World Cup, where they failed to progress from their group. West Ham United Blackburn Rovers Transfer window guardian.co.uk

You have to think it through – or you’re in trouble We all know poker is a psychological game. You must be alert to your opponents’ fear, confidence, aggression, hope, tiredness, hunger; all affect the bets they might make. Internet poker is more purely mathematical – but there are still emotional factors around players that have just won or lost big pots, especially on the bubble of large tournaments. Here is an example of a situation where my psychology was off, in the UKIPT Edinburgh. I was chip leader on the table and was playing (and winning) most pots. In this hand, I called an early position raise with a pair of fives; the button and big blind called behind. The flop came 2 5 6. A set! The big blind checked and the original raiser bet 1000. I called, hoping the button might try a “squeeze play” or that the original raiser would keep betting. But the button folded and it was the big blind who check-raised up to 4000. The original raiser folded and I set the big blind in for a total of about 15,000. He called immediately with 34 (a straight) and his hand stood up. I had played the hand as though it were day two of a far more expensive tournament, full of 24/7 poker nuts getting flairy with 99 or 33. That’s what I’m used to. But this was a £500 event for newer players, who are just not going to risk getting knocked out at the start by making big check-raises from early position without the nuts. I’m not beating myself up; it’s almost impossible to pass a set on the flop and the chips might always have gone in. But they went in the wrong way, for the wrong reasons, because I bet lazily with insufficient thought to the mood of the table. victoriacoren.com Poker Victoria Coren guardian.co.uk

• Impressive England beat Olympic silver medallists 1-0 • Hosts Argentina and South Africa also win England upset Olympic silver medallists China 1-0 with a first-minute goal to record their second victory at the women’s hockey World Cup on Tuesday. Hannah McLeod’s strike from a first-minute penalty corner put England on six points following their 3-2 win against Spain on Sunday, while China, who lost 2-1 to South Korea, are in danger of failing to reach the semi-finals. China were frustrated by a strong England defence and solid performance from goalkeeper Beth Storry in a tempestuous contest. England captain Kate Walsh and China’s Sun Sinan were both shown green cards (two minute send-offs), while Sun’s team mate Fu Baorong was given a yellow card (five-minutes off). Hosts Argentina also won, 1-0 against South Korea, and South Africa overcame Spain 2-1 with a tremendous winner from Sulette Damons in two more tight Pool A matches. guardian.co.uk

The day’s play from around the grounds. Click here to see live scores and county cricket video highlights can be perused here 10.20am Could Ryan Sidebottom be in line for a surprise return to Yorkshire, writes Andy Wilson ? The county have made an official approach to speak to the England left-arm seamer, who is thought to be keen on coming back to the north having rejected Nottinghamshire’s offer of a new deal. Lancashire have also hinted that they could be interested, setting up one of the more intriguing transfer battles of what is looming as a busy close season. Other players on the move include wicket keepers Luke Sutton (Lancashire to Derbyshire) and Tim Ambrose, who seems certain to leave Warwickshire with a return to Sussex being mentioned – which could in turn leave their keeper Andrew Hodd as a possible target for Lancashire’s former Sussex coach Peter Moores. Sussex are the favourites to sign Amjad Khan, who is unlikely to be the only player to leave Kent as they aim to trim the playing budget. Martin van Jaarsveld was strongly linked with Lancashire last season before signing a new two-year deal to stay at Canterbury but the South African’s wife is from the north-west, and it would be no great surprise to see that deal revived. Owais Shah’s shock release from Middlesex will surely produce a Sidebottom-style scramble, with Essex among the front-runners despite their apparently certain relegation, and of course Kevin Pietersen now looks likely to start next season as a Surrey player, provided he doesn’t tweet too indiscreetly during the loan period that will begin today. We’ll be keeping an eye on his CB40 debut for the brown caps at the Oval later, but the action begins at the four Championship games going into their second day. Sidebottom bowled well without luck here at the Riverside, where Phil Mustard’s century with impressive support from Scott Borthwick would seem to have ended Notts’ hopes of the win they need to all but seal the title. Somerset and Yorkshire will be hoping the Durham bowlers perform just as well to claim a win that would breathe a bit of life back into the Championship race. 9.50am Morning. Notts need to get amongst Durham’s lower-order today if they are to continue their serene progress to the County Championship title. The hosts are 347 for six overnight at Chester-le-Street. Andy Wilson is there. We are also at the Oval for this evening’s CB40 match between Surrey and Worcestershire, in which Twitter’s kevinpp24 should get a bat. And we’re keeping an eye on this year’s Bristol Wicketfest. Oh, and if any counties release a player in unfortunate circumstances , we’ll be sure to bring you the grovelling follow-up press releases as and when they happen. Cricket Kevin Pietersen County Championship Division One County Championship Division Two Andy Wilson Barney Ronay guardian.co.uk

• Striker had agreed terms for move to England • Permit application refused by Home Office Ivelin Popov’s proposed move to Blackburn Rovers is off after the Litex Lovech striker was denied a work permit. Popov had agreed terms to join the club after completing a medical last week, but the Home Office refused him a permit because he had not played in enough internationals. The 22-year-old, who has scored three goals in 15 matches for Bulgaria, made his international debut in a friendly against Wales in 2007 but missed several games in the last year due to injury. Popov, scorer of 32 goals in 101 matches in the Bulgarian top division, was instrumental in helping the Lovech club win last season’s league title, two national cups and the domestic Supercup. Popov is expected to start for Bulgaria in their Euro 2012 qualifier against England on Friday. Blackburn Rovers Transfer window guardian.co.uk

• World No1 beats Gabashvili without conceding a break • Nadal: ‘If I want to win here I need to serve really well’ Rafael Nadal made a confident start in his effort to complete a career grand slam by winning 7-6, 7-6, 6-3 in a heavy-hitting contest against the Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili at the US Open. Looking comfortable on the fast Arthur Ashe centre court, and with a newly powerful serve, the 24-year-old Nadal claimed the first two tie-breaks by 7-4. Nadal, the world No1 and the first seed, who topped 130mph on his fastest serve, registered the first service break of the match when the 93rd-ranked Gabashvili netted an easy forehand in the seventh game. Nadal then closed out the match with another break. “My serve tonight worked well,” said the eight-times grand slam winner, who needs a US Open title to complete a career grand slam. “Hopefully it will continue like this. My serve is not my best shot but I always try hard to keep improving and that’s what I’m working on all the time.” The Spaniard produced seven aces and a first-serve success rate of 67% in a match that lasted nearly three hours. “I know if I want to have chances to win here I need to serve really, really well, so that’s one of the things I am most focused on,” said Nadal, the winner of this year’s French Open and Wimbledon championships who now plays Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan in the second round. US Open tennis Rafael Nadal Tennis guardian.co.uk

Pakistan players are called to summit with cricket officials following allegations that three players are at the centre of bet-rigging scam Nick Hayes

Go here to see the original:
Nick Hayes on Pakistan cricket betting allegations

• Andy Murray begins campaign against Lukas Lacko • Venus Williams, Kim Clijsters and Andy Roddick also play (Show courts, all times local, -5 hours from BST) Arthur Ashe Stadium 11am Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) v 21-Zheng Jie (China) 4-Andy Murray (Britain) v Lukas Lacko (Slovakia) 3-Venus Williams (US) v Rebecca Marino (Canada) 7pm 2-Kim Clijsters (Belgium) v Sally Peers (Australia) 9-Andy Roddick (US) v Janko Tipsarevic (Serbia) Louis Armstrong Stadium 11am 20-Sam Querrey (U.S.) v Bradley Klahn (US) 24-Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) v Vania King (US) Melanie Oudin (US) v 29-Alona Bondarenko (Ukraine) Frederico Gil (Portugal) v 18-John Isner (US) Grandstand 11am 10-Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) v Gisela Dulko (Argentina) 7-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) v Michael Llodra (France) 6-Francesca Schiavone (Italy) v Maria Elena Camerin (Italy) 17-Gael Monfils (France) v Igor Andreev (Russia) US Open tennis Tennis guardian.co.uk

• Middlesex forced into apology to Owais Shah • Batsman to leave after 16 years with county Middlesex have issued a grovelling apology to their England batsman Owais Shah after he found out through the internet that his contract with the county was not being renewed. The club have blamed a local news group for breaking the story online before it had a chance to meet Shah to inform him of their decision. In a statement, the club explained: “Middlesex County Cricket Club would like to sincerely apologise to Owais Shah for the unsatisfactory manner in which he found out that his contract with the county was not being renewed. “Unbeknown to Middlesex CCC the news became public when a regional media group who circulate local newspapers in the north London and Middlesex areas broke a pre-arranged embargo. Middlesex CCC feels extremely let down by the individuals involved who allowed this to happen and are sorry that Shah’s association with the club should end in such a manner. As one of Middlesex’s leading modern players he deserved a lot better.” While Middlesex released Shah – who has spent 16 seasons at the county, scoring more than 20,000 runs in all forms of the game – they also announced the signing at the end of the season of the Derbyshire opening batsman Chris Rogers and confirmed that Eoin Morgan has signed a new two-year deal with the club, so ending speculation that he might leave them. Rogers resigned last month as Derbyshire’s captain, since when they have had a poor run, culminating in their dismissal for 44 against Gloucestershire at Bristol today. Rogers, who played one Test for Australia, and has been one of the most prolific scorers in county cricket in recent seasons, signs a three-year deal. Middlesex David Hopps guardian.co.uk

• Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Amir summoned • More arrests made over money laundering links The three Pakistan players at the centre of a betting scandal will travel to London for a summit meeting on Thursday that is likely to see them dropped for the rest of the tour. The Pakistan captain, Salman Butt, and the bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif will be brought before the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, Ijaz Butt, the country’s high commissioner and lawyers. It also emerged yesterday that Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs made three arrests on Sunday in connection with a long-standing investigation into money laundering, believed to be centred on Croydon Athletic, the Ryman League club owned by the man at the centre of the News of the World sting, Mazhar Majeed. “Three individuals were arrested on Sunday as part of an ongoing investigation into money laundering. This includes two 35-year-olds (a male and a female) from the Croydon area, and a 49-year-old male from the Wembley area,” said HMRC in a statement. “These individuals were arrested, questioned and have been bailed pending further investigation.” Police had already confirmed that Majeed, who is close to members of the Pakistan team and is alleged to have accepted £150,000 to ensure no-balls were bowled at certain points during the opening day of the fourth Test last week, had been arrested on Sunday and released on bail in connection with a separate investigation into the Sunday newspaper’s claims. It is understood that the 35-year-old Majeed was one of the three people referred to in the HMRC statement. The pivotal meeting was called following a conference call between the PCB, the Pakistan government and the high commissioner about how best to deal with claims that have precipitated a crisis in the game. Along with the wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal, the three players were implicated in a betting scam in which they were alleged to have been paid by Majeed to deliberately bowl no-balls during specific overs of the fourth Test against England at Lord’s. As a sign of the confusion within the Pakistan camp, the team management appeared conflicted over the exact timing of the meeting, with one official last night insisting it would go ahead on Thursday while others expected it to happen tomorrow. Regardless of the timing, the trio will then return to Taunton where the tourists are due to play a warm-up match against Somerset on Thursday. Unusually, their nets session – minus the three accused players – was closed to the media as the squad attempted to escape from the circus that has engulfed the touring party since Sunday’s allegations. Although the PCB will continue to stress that the players are innocent until proven guilty, with International Cricket Council investigators yet to interview them in order to avoid prejudicing the parallel police inquiry, it is likely that a form of words will be found to omit them from the rest of the tour. The England and Wales Cricket Board and the ICC had lobbied the PCB to omit the players from tomorrow’s warm-up match as well as the Twenty20 and one-day internationals that follow. It is understood that their wish will be granted, guaranteeing the ICC some breathing space before deciding on its next move. With police set to re-interview the three players named by the News of the World as having been involved in the scam at the behest of Majeed before the end of the week, investigators from the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit will move quickly to follow suit. The trio will be confronted with the allegations as well as separate evidence gathered by the unit, but it is by no means certain investigators will announce a definitive conclusion before Sunday’s Twenty20 match. Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, said he hoped there would be “some sort of a conclusion” to the investigation by the weekend, insisting “prompt and decisive action” would be taken against anyone who sought to harm the game’s integrity. He said: “Make no mistake, once the process is complete, if any players are found to be guilty, the ICC will ensure that the appropriate punishment is handed out. We will not tolerate corruption in this great game.” Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the former Police Service of Northern Ireland chief who took over as chairman of the unit three months ago, is believed to have remained in Abu Dhabi but is in hourly contact with his investigators, police and cricket authorities. The Pakistan interior minister, Rehman Malik, said yesterday he wanted to wait for the police report before sending an investigation team to England. Although the ECB stands to lose between £10m and £12m if the rest of the series is cancelled, it acknowledges that the longer-term damage to the sport’s integrity and its commercial viability will be much greater if a cloud of suspicion hangs over the remaining matches. Sponsorship specialists warned yesterday that the scandal would have a direct impact on revenues if not properly dealt with by the ICC. “Will this affect Pepsi in Pakistan? Probably not. But the impact will be felt at their corporate headquarters in the US,” said Rupert Pratt, managing director of Generate Sponsorship. “Likewise with nPower. It doesn’t look very good for your chief executive to be making a presentation that is tainted and portrays values that are the absolute opposite of those you are trying to project as a sponsor.” He said cricket sponsors had already cancelled all their national newspaper advertising because of the negative impact of the story and that the implications would snowball if the authorities were not seen to deal effectively with the problem. “Five years ago, cricket used to be seen as a traditional, safe sponsorship. Now it is a hot potato, it’s a potentially risky investment. The main impact will be felt in two or three years’ time if this isn’t stamped out.”. Pakistan cricket team Pakistan cricket betting scandal Cricket Owen Gibson David Hopps guardian.co.uk

• Briton throws away one-set lead against Yung-Jan Chan • ‘I’m not the player I was … I need time to decide what to do’ Britain’s Anne Keothavong today admitted she needed time to “reassess” her career after crashing out of the US Open with a first-round defeat to Yung-Jan Chan in sweltering conditions at Flushing Meadows. Keothavong appeared on course to join her compatriot Elena Baltacha in the second round when she cruised through the opening set, but she lost 12 of the next 14 games as the world No77 Chan, of Taiwan, completed a 2-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory on court 14. It was a second disappointing performance in succession in a grand slam for the British No3, who lost to Anastasia Rodionova in the first round at Wimbledon this summer after leading 4-0 in the final set. The 26-year-old Londoner was ranked as high as 48 in the world in February last year, but then ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee in July, a similar injury to the one she suffered on her right knee in 2004. “My ranking and my tennis isn’t where I would want it to be, I have higher expectations for myself,” a tearful Keothavong said. Asked about getting back to her best, she added: “I’m not the player I was two years ago here [when she reached the third round]. I don’t know. Who knows what’s going to happen after this? I’m going to need time to reassess and decide what I want to do.” Keothavong had no answer to Chan’s use of moon balls – slow, defensive looping shots – and as the match progressed Keothavong grew increasingly frustrated and made a raft of unforced errors. “I played a good first set and was completely dominating and then she changed her tactics and started throwing in the moon balls and I just didn’t deal with it very well,” said Keothavong, who also received treatment for blisters on her feet early in the deciding set. “You either have to be brave and take it on and come forward or step back and be strong and work your way within the point. I got stuck in between and it wasn’t very good. “In some ways you’ve got to give it to her because it worked and she just kept doing it. It’s not the way I expected her to play but against me today it was effective. She changed her tactics and that’s where I shot myself in the foot. “I’ve been playing long enough, I should know better. It happens to all of us when you might not think as clearly as you would like out there.” Anne Keothavong US Open tennis Tennis guardian.co.uk