■ Soccer
Souness bids for Wolves
A consortium led by Graeme Souness made a written offer on Wednesday to buy League Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers. The former Rangers, Liverpool and Newcastle manager is leading an unnamed group of investors. "Following my verbal offer, myself and partners -- all of whom are UK-born and based -- have made a written offer which is being considered," Souness said. "Both parties have agreed to keep details of these negotiations confidential." Souness had a ?20 million (US$38.8 million) bid to buy Wolves rejected on Tuesday. Wolves owner Jack Hayward said he was willing to sell the club, which is ninth in the Championship.
■ Soccer
Garcia faces long lay off
Luis Garcia will be out of action for six months after a scan on Wednesday revealed the Liverpool forward ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. The 28-year-old Spain player landed awkwardly on his knee in Tuesday's 6-3 defeat to Arsenal in the League Cup quarter-finals. Chile's Mark Gonzalez will miss at least three weeks as a result of the right shin injury he also sustained in the loss.
■ Rugby Union
Hadden names large squad
Scotland coach Frank Hadden named a 33-strong squad on Wednesday for training next week at Murrayfield ready for the Six Nations championship. Injuries mean Scotland will be without their top two scrum halves, Chris Cusiter and Mike Blair, for at least the first game of the championship. Hadden has named scrum halves Rory Lawson and Sam Pinder in the training squad. The squad also features four uncapped players -- back Robbie Kydd, prop Alasdair Dickinson, flanker John Barclay and full-back Calum MacRae. Scotland's first Six Nations game is against England on Feb. 3.
■ Cricket
Doping duo in Cup squad
Pakistan fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, cleared last month of a doping offence, have been included in a provisional 30-man squad for this year's World Cup. Pakistan officials said they had no concerns over the pair's availability despite the World Anti-Doping Agency challenging their exoneration at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. "We have followed a decision of a proper appeals tribunal which lifted their bans last month after taking into account every aspect of the case. Pakistan has handled the case fairly," Saleem Altaf, director of cricket operations said. Akhtar was banned for two years and Asif for one after they tested positive for nandrolone in October. They were cleared by a PCB appeals tribunal last month.
■ Football
Hall of Fame finalists named
Recently retired NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue and former Buffalo Bills star running back Thurman Thomas are among 17 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's class of 2007. Also making the cut is Bruce Matthews, who played every position on the offensive line for the Oilers/Titans from 1983-2001. Matthews is in his first year of eligibility, while Thomas is in his second year, as is former Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin. The other 11 modern-era finalists are defensive ends Fred Dean and Richard Dent; guards Russ Grimm and Bob Kuechenberg; punter Ray Guy; wide receivers Art Monk and Andre Reed; linebackers Derrick Thomas and Andre Tippett; cornerback Roger Wehrli; and tackle Gary Zimmerman. Joining them are senior committee nominees guard Gene Hickerson and tight end Charlie Sanders.
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