■CRICKET
Hoggard writes off chances
Matthew Hoggard has written off his chances of returning to England’s squad for this year’s Ashes series against Australia. The seamer, an integral part of the side that beat Australia four years ago, played the last of his 67 Tests in New Zealand 13 months ago. “I’m completely and utterly not even thinking about a recall,” Hoggard said in a serialization of his autobiography in the Times newspaper on Monday. Hoggard was recalled to the squad last year for the series against South Africa but was overlooked. “They didn’t offer me the courtesy of an explanation as to why they hadn’t picked me, a centrally contracted player, in helpful conditions on my home ground,” he said. “To go from having one bad Test in New Zealand to losing my central contract five months later, and to barely have any contact for the five months in between, was a joke.” Hoggard said his form in New Zealand was affected by his wife’s health problems. “[Former coach] Peter Moores had known about Sarah’s illness since the tour of New Zealand. Still no contact, no phone call to see how things were at home,” he said. “Regardless of my own personal issues, if I’d been coach of the England team and I had a bloke who had taken 248 Test wickets and was still only 31, I’d have wanted to keep tabs on him.”
■HOCKEY
CIHL semis start Friday
The CIHL playoffs pick up again this weekend with the semi-final best-of-three series taking place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, if necessary. Semi-final series One begins on Friday at 9:15pm as the top-seeded Taipei Rhinos face off against the Taipei Wolves. The Rhinos have been the season-long favorites but the Wolves have already knocked off one top team in their dismantling of the Tainan Dragons in the quarter-finals. Semi-final Series Two begins immediately after the Rhinos-Wolves game and sees the second ranked Hsinchu Raptors take on the Taichung Lions. The second games of both series take place on Saturday (Lions-Raps 9:15pm; Rhinos-Wolves 10:45pm). If Saturday’s games end with teams tied with a victory a piece the action will continue on Sunday evening (7:15pm). All games take place at the Taipei Arena. Admission is free.
■SOCCER
Palestine to play in Europe
The Palestinian national team are to play their first ever European friendly on May 6 against Belgian Second Division side FC Brussels the organizers announced on Monday. The match is part of a series of events marking the 60th anniversary of the creation of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees which cares for some 4.3 million refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. “It is a major event because it will be the first time the national side has played in Europe,” said Leila Chahid, the Palestinian delegate to Brussels. The Palestinian Federation became a member of FIFA in 1998.
■SOCCER
Beckham backs campaign
David Beckham joined British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to launch an anti-malaria campaign on Monday. Beckham, tennis star Andy Murray and Olympic gold medal-winning heptathlete Denise Lewis posed for the cameras in front of a blue mosquito net draped over the front door of 10 Downing Street, the prime minister’s official residence. The trio have pledged their backing to Malaria No More UK, a charity launched in a bid to prevent millions of deaths from the disease worldwide.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and