Today's other stories
Beijing's best run of "blue sky days"
OLYMPIC GAMES: Beijing is on track to ensure clean air for August's Olympics after marking the least polluted first quarter in the Chinese capital in nearly a decade.
Beijing notched up 67 "blue sky days" from January to the end of March, 12 more than the same period a year earlier and the highest in nine years, Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau Vice-Director Du Shaozhong said, according to Xinhua news agency.
"Beijing is prepared in terms of air for the Olympic Games," Du said yesterday, according to Xinhua.
The city's standard for a "blue sky day" has not been widely recognised by international scientists and some foreign media have accused local officials of fiddling with measures to get the desired results.
Smog that regularly blankets Beijing is a major worry for athletes. Marathon record holder Haile Gebrselassie said earlier he would not compete in the Games because of the pollution.
Davenport finds the going tough
TENNIS: Lindsay Davenport could not repeat her stunning third-round form as she lost to Dinara Safina in the last 16 at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami yesterday.
The 31-year-old American beat world number two Ana Ivanovic on Sunday but found Russia's Safina too tough, going down 6-3 6-4.
Top seed Justine Henin saw off Elena Vesnina 6-2 6-2, and Venus Williams beat Caroline Wozniacki 6-3 6-3.
Venus Williams hit 23 winners past 17-year-old Dane Wozniacki to set up a quarter-final against Svetlana Kuznetsova, who beat Shahar Peer 7-6 (7-4) 6-3.
"I played some good tennis and aggressive when I needed to, and a lot of really good service games," said Williams. "I definitely feel like I'm playing well."
Grealey leaves coaching post
CRICKET:MIRIAM GREALEY has stepped down as coach of the Ireland senior women's team due to family commitments.
Grealey, who recorded 18 years as a senior player for Ireland, also coached the development side for six years and the senior squad for two-and-a-half years.
She said of her decision,"I've really enjoyed my time with the Ireland senior team, but it has just become too time consuming with my family responsibilities.
"I will still be involved with coaching at grass-roots level, and will assist Cricket Ireland in any way I can. I wish my successor all the very best in the role."
Cricket Ireland chairman David Williams commented: "Miriam's service to the game in Ireland has been without equal and I thank her on behalf of all in Cricket Ireland. Her dedication, loyalty, and professionalism has been instrumental in the success of the women's game in recent years.
"She will be sorely missed."
Joyce to captain MCC against county champions
CRICKET:FORMER IRELAND cricketer Ed Joyce was yesterday named as captain of the MCC side to face reigning county champions Sussex in the annual curtain-raiser to the English season at Lord's next week.
The 29-year-old from Bray is one of four players with England experience named, along with his Middlesex team-mate Owais Shah and the Essex duo of Ravi Bopara and wicket-keeper James Foster.
"It is an honour to be asked to captain the MCC team against Sussex and it's a match I'm greatly looking forward to," said Joyce, who toured with the second-string England Lions side to India earlier this year. With the spotlight on this game it's a chance to get some early season form and make the England selectors sit up and take notice."
MCC SQUAD (v Sussex, Lord's, April 10-13): E Joyce (Middlesex, capt), R Bopara (Essex), M Carberry (Hampshire), J Foster, (Essex), S Finn (Middlesex), A Harinath (Surrey), S Kirby (Gloucestershire), G Onions (Durham), A Rashid (Yorkshire), A Richardson (Middlesex), O Shah (Middlesex), J Tredwell (Kent).
Leinster-Munster game a sell-out
RUGBY:Leinster's top of the table Magners League clash with Munster in the RDS on Saturday, April 12th is set to be an 18,500 sell out.
Tickets have sold steadily in recent weeks and only a limited number of twin packs, with the final home game of the season against the Dragons (weekend May 2nd-4th, date TBC) will be available from the Leinster Rugby Store (Donnybrook) today from 1pm, but these are expected to sell out quickly.
Leinster boasted an average figure of 11,900 supporters in Magners League home games last season, albeit boosted by the 48,000 sell out in the Last Stand in Lansdowne Road and a then previous record figure of 27,252 in the 27-20 victory over Munster two months previously.
The province averages 13,350 at home games in the RDS to date this season.
Silver medal for Thanou
ATHLETICS: Controversial Greek sprinter Katerina Thanou has been awarded a 100 metres silver medal from the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton after the disgraced Marion Jones was stripped of all her medals having admitted use of the banned steroid THG.
However, Thanou received a two-year suspension after missing a third drug test on the eve of the 2004 Olympics and the International Association of Athletics Federations were reluctant to award her the medal.
