Sports Digest: Cricket The Ireland 15-man squad, with coach Adrian Birrell and new ICU chief executive Warren Deutrom, bid their official farewell yesterday before heading off to the Caribbean to prepare for the ICC World Cup, writes Richard Gillis.
"There's a lot of work to be done as we prepare to play in the World Cup for the first time in our history," said Birrell. "There's a huge challenge for us out there, and of course an opportunity to put Irish cricket even more firmly on the map. I'm confident we'll play good cricket in those games, and if we bring our A game with us, then who knows what might happen?
" We've played big names before, and taken a few notable scalps along the way. I'm backing my team to do well, and hopefully we'll produce some notable performances."
Captain Trent Johnston looked forward to the tournament, where Ireland face Zimbabwe (March 13th), Pakistan (17th) and hosts West Indies (23rd) in the group stage, and the in-form South Africa in an official warm-up match next week.
"It's a magnificent to be competing against the modern greats in World Cricket," said Johnston. "We'll be pitting our wits against Brian Lara, Chris Gayle, Mohammed Yousuf and Inzaman-Ul-Haq, in the group games."
Sailor aims to return
RUGBY: Former Wallaby winger Wendell Sailor, banned for two years in 2006 after testing positive for cocaine, has spoken to Australian National Rugby League clubs about a return when his ban expires.
The 32-year-old said he did not want his career to end with his drug shame. "I have had a couple of NRL clubs that have asked and been interested, but I won't name them," he told a Sydney radio station. "I will not finish my career the way I did last year."
He was banned by the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) in July last year after he failed a drug test following a Super 14 match for the NSW Waratahs.
Federer on shortlist
AWARDS: Tennis world number one Roger Federer, seven-times Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher and top golfer Tiger Woods are all in the running for a third Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award in April.
Tennis grand slam champions Amelie Mauresmo and Maria Sharapova, and swimmer Laure Manaudou are among the candidates for the Sportswoman of the Year Award.
The winners will be chosen by the members of the 43-strong Laureus World Sports Academy.
They will make public their decisions at a televised ceremony in Barcelona on April 2nd.
Kovalainen walks away
MOTOR SPORT: Renault Formula One rookie Heikki Kovalainen yesterday walked away from a massive shunt in testing in Bahrain. Kovalainen wrecked the right side of his car after smashing into a barrier at high speed at the Sakhir circuit.
The Finn, who has taken up the race seat vacated by double world champion Fernando Alonso following the Spaniard's move to McLaren, climbed out of his car unaided.
While debris was cleared from the smash, it led to a considerable delay in testing on the first day of the final three-day session ahead of the opening race of the season at the Albert Park in Melbourne on March 18th.
