Other sports news in brief
O'Sullivan makes too many mistakes
SNOOKER:Ronnie O'Sullivan turned in an error-strewn display as he crashed out of the China Open in the first round.
The Essex cueman was beaten 5-3 by wildcard Tian Pengfei as a bizarre mistake on the black in the final frame saw O’Sullivan concede defeat with the ball resting in the jaws of the pocket.
O’Sullivan had started the match in ominous form, winning the opening frame with a break of 93. Further breaks of 77, 59 and 61 followed but any errors made by the world number one were punished by his 22-year-old opponent.
With the scores level at 3-3 O’Sullivan knocked in six reds and six blacks to assume control, but when he missed an ambitious cut along the top cushion Tian stepped in to take the frame with a break of 87.
And things only got worse for O’Sullivan as he inexplicably tried to gently roll in a straight black, which would have given him the frame, but it failed to drop and he conceded without asking Tian to take on the simple pot to seal his win.
Rematch with Valuev would be 'a disaster'
BOXING:Rival promoter Frank Warren recoils at the prospect of a rematch between David Haye and Nikolai Valuev, claiming it would be "a disaster" for boxing.
German promotional company Sauerland has options over Haye and could invoke a clause that would force the heavyweight rivals to meet again.
Haye seized the 7ft 2ins Russian giant’s WBA world title with a majority points decision in Nuremberg last November, though it was widely regarded as a dismal contest.
The 29-year-old from London defends his crown for the first time against John Ruiz in Manchester on Saturday night with a view to meeting either Vitali or Wladimir Klitschko later in the year.
But Warren insists the only way Haye will fulfil his ambition is if Valuev is paid to step aside.
“If Hayes beats Ruiz then Sauerland, who he’s signed a deal with, will enforce a rematch with Valuev,” the promoter said yesterday.
Williams eases into last four
TENNIS:Venus Williams surged into the semi-finals of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, brushing aside Agnieszka Radwanska 6-3 6-1. The number three seed, who struggled against Daniela Hantuchova on Tuesday had no such problems yesterday as she cruised to a straight sets victory in one hour and 15 minutes.
Williams will now face former Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli who ousted 12th-seeded Belgian Yanina Wickmayer 6-4 7-5.
Moriarty advances in China
TENNIS:Ireland's new Fed Cup recruit Julia Moriarty has provided herself with a timely boost for the women's international team competition in Malta from April 19th-24th. Australian-born Moriarty, who received clearance from the ITF last week to represent Ireland, yesterday won her way through to the second round of the ITF Women's Circuit event in Nanking, China. World number 695 Moriarty, who is seeded number seven, enjoyed a comfortable 6-1 6-4 victory over Vietnam's 1024-ranked Thuy-Dung Nguyev.
In the ITF U-18 Circuit in Nagoya, Japan, Ireland’s Sam Barry coasted to a 6-2 6-1 win over Japan’s Kazuma Kawachi. But Dubliner John Morrissey, who was the number one seed, crashed out 6-3 6-4 against Korea’s unseeded Jea Moo Lee.
England name Twenty20 squad
CRICKET:England have named uncapped Michael Lumb as well as fellow South African-born player Craig Kieswetter in their 15-man squad for the ICC World Twenty20, a tournament in which they have been drawn alongside Ireland and hosts West Indies in Group D, writes Emmet Riordan.
There are also recalls for Ravi Bopara and Michael Yardy but there is no place for Matt Prior, with England relying on Kieswetter behind the stumps.
Former Ireland star Eoin Morgan is also included after impressing in the early stages of his England career.Ireland face England in the second of their Group D fixtures at Providence Stadium in Guyana on Tuesday May 4th.
ENGLAND SQUAD:P Collingwood (Durham, capt), J Anderson (Lancashire), R Bopara (Essex), T Bresnan (Yorkshire), S Broad (Nottinghamshire), C Kieswetter (Somerset), M Lumb (Hampshire), E Morgan (Middlesex), K Pietersen (Hampshire), A Shahzad (Yorkshire), R Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire), G Swann (Nottinghamshire), J Tredwell (Kent), L Wright (Sussex), M Yardy (Sussex).
