Sports

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, CMC – Guyanese Lennox Cush and Jamaican Carl Wright delivered pivotal batting performances for the USA to stun Scotland while fancied Ireland crashed to defeat in yesterday’s opening day of the ICC World Twenty20 qualifying competition.

NAGPUR, India,  (Reuters)  India found their number  one ranking under threat after South Africa orchestrated their  first defeat on home soil in almost two years yesterday.

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – The Los Angeles Lakers  pulled together to win their second straight contest without  Kobe Bryant with a 101-89 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on  Monday.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) announced yesterday a change in the Twenty20 International schedule for the Digicel 2010 home series schedule against South Africa.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Chris Paterson will become the  first Scottish player to win 100 caps when he turns out at fullback against Wales on Saturday.

By Tony Cozier Changes will be made and he will make them himself, Chris Gayle vowed after the West Indies’ second heavy, successive defeat to Australia in the five-match ODI series in Adelaide yesterday.

By Marlon Munroe West Indies most successful captain Clive Hubert Lloyd has urged  batsmen in the national cricket team to put a premium on their wickets and implored bowlers to be patient.

By Rawle Toney Andy Wong of Bartica can boast that he is the king of the Joe Vieira Park after the teen dominated the INXS Performance motocross ‘Hot Track’ Grass Track meet Sunday last at the Schoonard, West Bank Demerara facility.

By Rawle Toney Twenty-seven-year-old Alwyn Etwah left Guyana this morning for Las Vegas where he will perform duties as an assistant referee for the International Rugby Board’s (IRB) USA Seven’s World Series tournament to be held this weekend.

Digicel/Cell Smart yesterday announced their alliance with the Kaieteur Cycling Club and the National AIDS  Programme Secretariat (NAPS) to stage a 20-lap race in the National Park on Sunday, February 14.

Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC) and national all-rounder Deon Ferrier stroked an unbeaten 153 for Aranguez while Guyana Defence Force all-rounder Travis Blyden took his first five-wicket haul of the season for Rousillac United in the Trinidad and Tobago national two-day championship league, North zone over the weekend.

Guyana women’s hockey team once regarded as a force to reckon with in the region, will be looking to reclaim former glory at the forthcoming Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Puerto Rico in July.

ADELAIDE, Australia,  CMC – Former West Indies captain Carl Hooper is delighted with the decision to appoint Ottis Gibson as head coach of the embattled regional side.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Retired players and budding  talents will both get an opportunity when a worldwide Twenty20  format starts this year, former Australia bowler Shane Warne  said yesterday.

ADELAIDE, Australia,  CMC – West Indies are hoping the Adelaide Oval can signal a reversal in their fortunes, as it did during the Test series here last December.

MIAMI, (Reuters) – The New Orleans Saints completed  their long-awaited transformation from chumps to champions by  defeating the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 in the Super Bowl on  Sunday to claim their first NFL title.

NAGPUR, India, (Reuters) – South African Dale Steyn confirmed his status as the world’s premier quick bowler with a career best seven for 51 on the third day of the first test  against India yesterday.

BOSTON, (Reuters) – The Orlando Magic dominated the  third quarter to clinch a 96-89 comeback victory over their  Eastern Conference rivals, the Boston Celtics, on Sunday.

MELBOURNE, Australia, CMC – Australia’s bowlers are praising their new strategy to curb Chris Gayle’s explosive hitting, after the West Indies captain was dismissed cheaply in West Indies’ 113-run loss in the opening One-Day International on Sunday.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Foreign players, led by Barbadian Carlos Brathwaite and Guyanese Troy Cornelius, were prominent on the final day of third-round Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board Premiership Division matches here on Sunday.