Sports

By Emmerson Campbell “These things do happen in boxing but we will be back stronger and better than ever.”

MADRID, (Reuters) – Cristiano Ronaldo has led Real Madrid’s charge to their first La Liga title in four years, and still has the chance to overhaul Lionel Messi to retain his league top scorer award before the end of the season.

(Reuters) – South African-born pace bowler Neil Wagner was fast-tracked into New Zealand’s test squad yesterday for their tour of West Indies, just two weeks after receiving approval from the International Cricket Council to be selected despite not meeting residency requirements.

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky, (Reuters) – Tomorrow’s $2.2 million Kentucky Derby is looming as one of the most open in its 138 years with at least 12 of the 20 entrants having a genuine shot at winning America’s famous and revered horse race.

(Reuters) – The top-seeded San Antonio Spurs thrashed Utah 114-83 on Wednesday to take a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference first-round series.

LONDON, England, CMC – West Indies touched down here yesterday for their three-Test tour against the World’s number one side, with English newspapers already launching their usual assault on the tourists.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – West Indies coach Ottis Gibson says he is staying out of the Chris Gayle dispute and will wait on the West Indies Cricket Board to sort out the player’s availability for the limited overs aspect of the England tour.

BANGALORE, India,  CMC – Chris Gayle smashed his fourth half-century in five innings but it was not enough to save Royal Challengers Bangalore from their second straight loss in the Indian Premier League yesterday.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados,  CMC – Captain Stafanie Taylor produced an excellent all-round performance to fire West Indies Women to a seven-run win over Sri Lanka in their five-match series here  yesterday.

Overseas-based sprinter and 2008 Olympic representative Adam Harris has his sights locked on the 2012 London Olympics as he aims to redeem himself for his performances four years ago in Beijing, China.

(Las Vegas Sun) Ask Floyd Mayweather Jr. a question at your own risk, because you can never be sure where the answer will take you.

(New Zealand Herald) Brendon McCullum won’t play in the one-dayers and Twenty20 internationals on New Zealand’s upcoming tour of the West Indies, which begins in June.

One of Sunday’s women’s semi-finals of the lucrative Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited/National Sports Commission/Guyana Softball League nationwide 10/10 could turn out to be a battle of rival captains June Ogle and Abena Parker.

(Las Vegas Review Journal) He had been beaten and battered for almost 12 rounds by Manny Pacquiao in 2009.

David Khan and his son Taffin are in the lead after three rounds of the nine-round Caribbean Containers-sponsored Junior FIDE rated tournament which commenced last week-end.

MUMBAI, India, IANS/CMC – Mumbai Indians have signed up West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Smith as cover for left-arm Australian seamer Mitchell Johnson, who has been ruled out with an injury.

KARACHI, (Reuters) – Former Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria will protest his innocence when he appears before an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) disciplinary hearing investigating corruption charges this month, his brother Vicky said on Tuesday.

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – Kobe Bryant scored a game-high 38 points as the Los Angeles Lakers held off a late fightback by the Denver Nuggets to win 104-100 on Tuesday and take a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference quarter-final series.

(Reuters) The Boston Celtics held firm while Eastern Conference rivals the Chicago Bulls collapsed as the NBA title contenders handled the absence of their All-Star point guards in different ways on Tuesday.

The Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA) Hadi’s World Inc/City Mall nationwide male/female softball tournament concludes this weekend, with both the semi-finals and finals starting at 10 am at the Cyril Potter College ground.