Sports DigestCRICKET: With sinewy skill, boyish enthusiasm and, in several senses, impeccable timing, the baton has been passed successfully from the old guard to the new. Vikram Solanki's century at the Oval on Saturday means that Nick Knight can rest peacefully in his post-World Cup retirement from international cricket.
The century, albeit made in the most sublime batting conditions, was the first for England against South Africa in the 24th meeting and showed that at last one of the next generation has, in the parlance of Duncan Fletcher, held up his hand and come to the party.
More than that, Solanki's innings of 106, which helped England to a convincing six-wicket win over ring-rusty South Africans, could yet be seen as a watershed in the drive to harness the talent and affinity of young Asians.
Solanki and Marcus Trescothick, captain for the day, put on precisely 200 for the first wicket - ended only when Solanki edged to slip and precipitated a mini-collapse. It was the 10th highest opening stand in one day internationals, and the third highest for any England wicket.
Trescothick went on to make 114. Only twice before, both at Lords, have two England batsmen made hundreds in the same one-day innings - 18 years ago when Graham Gooch and David Gower did so against Australia and, recently, Trescothick and Hussain against India in the climax to this competition last year.
ATHLETICS: Britain's Dwain Chambers beat world record holder Tim Montgomery and Mark Lewis-Francis to win the 100 metres at an international meeting in Glasgow yesterday.
Chambers stormed home in 10.15 seconds against a strong head wind after an impressive start. American Montgomery (10.26) and Briton Lewis-Francis (10.28) will be among the main threats to Chambers at the world championships in Paris in August.
Chambers, who was drawn in the outside lane, set a stadium record at Scotstoun.
BOXING: Joe Calzaghe could face a big-money showdown with middleweight world champion Bernard Hopkins after his win over Byron Mitchell on Saturday.
Calzaghe put on a stunning show for Showtime, who screened his devastating two-round destruction of American challenger Mitchell in the United States.
Calzaghe's 13th defence of his WBO super middleweight title lasted just five minutes 36 seconds but just about every second was action-packed.
Calzaghe climbed up from the first knock-down of his fighting life to bludgeon Mitchell non-stop and become the first man to beat the former WBA world champion from Alabama inside the distance.
Jay Larkin, the Showtime boxing chief, was ringside at Cardiff's International Arena and he joined promoter Frank Warren in pledging to make new attempts to pair Calzaghe with Hopkins.
Calzaghe's ferocious display of two-handed punching, which Mitchell recklessly tried to match, saw the American rescued by referee Dave Parris as he reeled out of control towards his own corner.
SAILING: Howth Yacht Club's Anthony Gore-Grimes emerged overall winner of the biennial Sovereign's Cup at Kinsale at the weekend when the X-302 took the best score in the biggest class under IRC handicap, writes David Branigan.
Second placed Spring Fever, an MG34 from skippered by Austin Whelan from the Dún Laoghaire Motor YC, was overall winner of the Portcullis Trophy for ECHO handicap. Both boats headed a sizeable turnout of 47 boats in Class 2 while the overall event was the biggest yet and had to be capped by organisers when entries reached 150.
Less than two points prevented Colm Barrington's Gloves Off from taking Class Zero. Triumph, therefore, belonged to Galway Bay Sailing Club's John Killeen on Nimmo for defeating Barrington in a closely sailed event.
