A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
Extra incentive for Irish squad
CRICKET:The Irish cricket team have no intention of keeping their no-claim bonus intact in the forthcoming World Cup after being offered a €100,000 sweetener on the eve of their departure by team sponsors RSA, writes Emmet Riordan.
The insurance company announced the incentive at their headquarters in Sandyford yesterday and although the exact terms of the deal were not revealed, it is known that it is based on performances and will be divided equally amongst the full travelling party.
RSA’s Patrick Nally said: “We know the guys are hugely motivated to succeed at this World Cup and we hope this incentive scheme provides yet another boost to target a great showing. We have full confidence in the players and management and look forward to a really strong performance.”
Ireland coach Phil Simmons insisted his players intend to claim as much of the money as possible in Bangladesh and India and with it a place in the quarter-finals. That would require three victories in their six Group B games, but Simmons stressed the point that his side have not targeted teams and that they will go into each match confident of success.
“We’re looking forward to taking the money that RSA are giving us,” said Simmons.
“We’re not going to target specific teams. The thing about us now is we think we can win against any team we play and in any conditions we play. So that’s how we’re going to approach every team, it doesn’t matter if it’s Bangladesh, or if it’s India, we’re going to approach it the same way. That’s how we play cricket,” he added.
The 15-man squad departs for Dubai tomorrow and will play two warm-up games against Zimbabwe and Kenya during their stay in the Emirate. They will also play Zimbabwe, as well as New Zealand, in two official warm-up games ahead of their opening World Cup clash against Bangladesh in Dhaka on February 25th.
Henin retires a second time
TENNIS: Justine Henin (28) has announced her retirement from tennis for a second time after admitting defeat in her bid to recover from an elbow injury.
She quit the sport in 2008 when she was ranked number one in the world but had a change of heart and returned to the WTA Tour in January 2010.
Henin damaged a ligament in her elbow at Wimbledon. And yesterday revealed that injury has forced her to call time on her playing days for good.
Paralympic athletes set sights on London
THE Paralympic Council of Ireland yesterday officially rebranded itself as Paralympics Ireland and launched its panel of athletes for the 2012 London Paralympic Games, writes Johnny Watterson. A 70-strong panel of athletes across nine sports will bid for places in London next year.
All have reached agreed performance criteria for inclusion for the event, which takes place every four years after the Olympic Games.
The panel will participate in training camps and performance programmes throughout the year and includes reigning 100 metre and 200 metre champion Jason Smyth.
The panels will be kept open so as to include other athletes that reach the criteria.
- EQUESTRIAN:Kildare's Christy Murphy was elected chairman of Showjumping Ireland at an executive committee meeting on Tuesday night, writes Margie McLoone. A passionate amateur competitor, Murphy produces young horses at his home on The Curragh. He was previously chairman of the national amateur committee, has been a member of the SJI's management and finance committee for several years and a Leinster committee member since 2000.
Crossmaglen’s James Kernan moves to vice-chairman while south County Dublin’s Taylor Vard will be put forward as the SJI’s nominee for the role of senior international adviser to Horse Sport Ireland’s team showjumping manager Robert Splaine.
