Sports

LONDON, (Reuters) – Paul Collingwood, who stepped down  as England one-day captain last year, was named yesterday to  lead the Twenty20 side in next month’s World Cup.

HOUSTON, (Reuters) – Ron Artest scored a game-high  27 points as the Houston Rockets crushed the Portland Trail  Blazers 92-76 on Thursday to advance to the second round of the  playoffs for the first time in over a decade.

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Donald Peters has resigned from the post of Chief Executive Officer of the West Indies Cricket Board with immediate effect, the regional governing body announced last evening.

Pitbulls favoured With $1 million in prizes at stake and being the strongest team in the competition on paper, Gizmos and Gadgets Georgetown Pitbulls are favoured to cart off the DJ Stress T20 festival which is set to bowl off today at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

MIAMI, (Reuters) – Olympic champion sprinter Usain  Bolt of Jamaica has dropped out of a race this weekend after  suffering minor injuries in a car crash on the outskirts of his  Caribbean homeland’s capital, his agent said yesterday.

-Essequibo beaten by 145 runs Demerara skipper Rajendra Nikbarran starred with both the ball and bat as Demerara steamrolled Essequibo by 145 runs in their first round encounter of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/GTM-sponsored Under-19 Inter-county limited overs match at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary yesterday.

Rose Hall Town Windies Sports Bar (RHTWSB) reached the finals of the Berbice Cricket Board organized Associated Business Services (ABS) 40-overs-a-side cricket tournament when they edged past arch rivals Port Mourant by seven runs at the Area “H” ground on Wednesday.

Milerock and Blueberry to clash in final Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) 2008 League champions Milerock came from behind to defeat Topp XX, whilst Blue Berry Hill United needled Eagles United to set up a clash in the final of the Linden Town Week senior football tournament last Tuesday at the Mckenzie Sports Club ground.

The Berbice Cricket Board junior cricket selection committee has made two changes to the Berbice squad that played Essequibo recently for the upcoming Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/GTM-sponsored one day tournament.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Liverpool’s hopes of prising  the Premier League title from Manchester United’s grip will be  boosted by the return of captain Steven Gerrard for Sunday’s  match at home to Newcastle United (1230 GMT).

SYDNEY, (Reuters) – This year’s Ashes series in  England is shaping up to be one of the most even in years,  former Australia captain  Steve Waugh said yesterday.

CENTURION, South Africa, (Reuters) – A half-century  by Tillakeratne Dilshan steered the Delhi Daredevils to a  six-wicket win over Deccan Chargers at Centurion as they joined  them at the top of the Indian Premier League yesterday.

DERBY, England, CMC – Rain allowed just 28 overs but West Indies struggled in the time available on the opening day of the four-day tour match against England Lions yesterday.

(Reuters) – Indian Premier League results and  standings on Thursday. Delhi Daredevils beat Deccan Chargers by six wickets Chennai Super Kings beat Rajasthan Royals by 38 runs Standings                                          P     W    L    T    NR   PTS Deccan Chargers                            5      4     1    0     0       8 Delhi Daredevils                             5      4     1    0     0       8 Kings XI Punjab                              5      3     2    0     0       6 Mumbai Indians                             5      2    2     0     1      5 Chennai Super Kings                     6      2    3     0     1      5 Rajasthan Royals                            6      2    3     0     1      5 Bangalore Royal Challengers     6      2    4     0     0      4 Kolkata Knight Riders                   6       1   4     0     1      3 * T denotes tied, NR no result Playing today Kolkata Knight Riders v Mumbai Indians, East London   (1030) Bangalore Royal Challengers v Kings XI Punjab, Durban (1445)

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky,  (Reuters) – The $2.2 million  Kentucky Derby tomorrow is unlikely to unearth a potential  Triple Crown winner with the 20-strong field featuring a solid  yet unspectacular crop of three-year-olds.

-Kanhai named MVP A vociferous crowd at the McKenzie Sports Club hard court in Linden yesterday hailed the McKenzie High School (MHS) as they blew away New Silver City Secondary School (NSSS) 50-36 to preserve their championship trophy in  the finals of the 5th Victory Valley Royals (VVR) Inter-school basketball tournament.

The sight of captain Chris Gayle using the aid of a runner has become worryingly familiar for the West Indies and it recurred yesterday just a week before the first Test against England at Lord’s.

-Cougars upset Plaisance A Peter Parks double helped the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) defeat tournament host Bakewell Buxton Stars (BBS) 4-1 in their feature match-up, when action in the second annual Mackeson Stout/Digicel-sponsored Sweet 16 Football tournament continued at the Plaisance Community Centre ground on Tuesday.

Demerara looking for comprehensive win Coach of the Demerara Under-19 Inter-county team currently contesting the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/GTM-sponsored Under-19 Inter-county tournament, Orin Bailey told Stabroek Sport that nothing but a comprehensive win is on his mind for today’s game.

Guyana and Stanford Twenty20 players Travis Dowlin, Christopher Barnwell, Deon Ferrier and Derwin Christian along with Reon Griffith and Orin Forde are set to participate in the Georgetown squad contesting the DJ Stress T20 Cricket Festival at the Providence Stadium tomorrow.