Sports

There were minor changes to the executive as Commodore Gary Best, Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force was returned unopposed as President of the Guyana National Rifle Association (GNRA) at its Annual General Meeting Thursday evening at the Bank of Guyana Roof Garden.

As part of its celebration of its 52nd anniversary as a club, Thomas United Football Club (FC) has launched a month-long “Mashramani Challenge Cup” scheduled to kick off from February 5 – March 8.

MELBOURNE,  (Reuters) – Novak Djokovic survived a brutal battle of wills with grand slam nearly man Andy Murray yesterday to reach the final of the Australian Open against fellow fighter Rafa Nadal.

National cycling coach Hassan Mohamed and Ricks & Sari Agro Industries Limited will team up to host the 19th annual Ricks & Sari Agro Industries ‘Teach Them Young’ cycling programme today at the National Park Circuit.

The Hadi’s World Inc., formerly the City Mall, of Camp and Regent Streets, nationwide male and female softball tournament organised by the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA) will continue tomorrow at several venues coubntrywide.

West Indies Cricket Board directors will convene a teleconference tomorrow and high on the agenda will be the present stalemate between the sidelined Guyana Cricket Board and the government-implemented Interim Management Committee.

By Emmerson Campbell The Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) will come alive tonight when the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC) presents the 20th edition of the Guyana Fight Night Pro Am card.

Guyana’s under-construction synthetic track at Leonora still remains in phase one  after a year and one month since  the contract was awarded to Courtney Benn Contracting Services Limited.

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – The battle for Los Angeles gained another feisty chapter as the Lakers scrapped to a 96-91 win over the Clippers on Wednesday to reassume inner-city bragging rights.

The Georgetown Football Association (GFA) shared out the promised cheques to all the clubs that failed to reach the finals in its knockout game and sanctioned Pele and GDF for their non-participation in its tournament at a General Council meeting on Saturday.

ABU DHABI,  (Reuters) – Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal took three late wickets to thrust his team back into contention at the close of the second day of the second test against England yesterday.

MELBOURNE, (Reuters) – There was no title at stake and no trophy to lift but Rafa Nadal’s victory over Roger Federer in the Australian Open semi-finals yesterday added another glorious chapter to the greatest rivalry in tennis.

ADELAIDE, (Reuters) – Rampant paceman Peter Siddle took five wickets as Australia bowled India out for 272 before extending their lead to a dominant 382 runs by the close of play on third day of the fourth test yesterday.

ABU DHABI, (Reuters) – Rory McIlroy shrugged off a misfiring driver to outscore playing partners Tiger Woods and Luke Donald in the Abu Dhabi Championship first round yesterday.

Clive Lloyd, chairman of the government-established Interim Management Committee, yesterday defended the body’s decision to select a 30-man provisional squad to prepare for the West Indies Cricket Board’s (WICB) regional four day competition which bowls off early next month.

The beleaguered Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) executives yesterday filed a motion in the High Court stating that the setting up of an  Interim Management Committee by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport was unconstitutional.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Daren Ganga paid tribute to the Trinidad & Tobago side that won the Caribbean Twenty20 tournament which ended last Sunday in Barbados.

DUBLIN, Ireland, CMC – Phil Simmons said Ireland will be ready to play Tests in five years.

ADELAIDE,  (Reuters) – Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke hit masterful double centuries to drive Australia to 604 for seven declared before their bowlers reduced India to 61 for two at the end of second day of the fourth test on Wednesday.

ABU DHABI,  (Reuters) – England’s Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann were the scourge of Pakistan as they picked up six wickets to reduce the hosts to 256 for seven on the first day of the second test yesterday.