SPORTS DIGEST: International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge has said Germany would make ideal hosts for the 2012 summer games.

"I see Germany's chances as fundamentally good," Rogge told German sports magazine Kicker.

"Germany has a stable political system, a stable economy and is a big sports nation with great experience in organising major sports events," he added.

The German Olympic committee (NOK) will name its candidate for the 2012 Games in 2003.

CYCLING: Mark Scanlon recorded a fine result in the penultimate race of his pro trial with the AG2r team, taking third place on the last stage of the Paris-Corrèze event in France, write Shane Stokes.

Scanlon rode well throughout the stage, scooping enough mountain points to bring him to fourth in that classification and then performed strongly in the final kilometres to cross the line just five seconds behind Credit Agricole's Pierrick Fedrigo and Kurt-Asle Arvesen of the EDS Fakta squad.

The ride saw Scanlon move up to 16th place overall, take fifth in the most aggressive rider classification and also eighth in the points standings.

ATHLETICS: World 5,000 metre record holder Gillian O'Sullivan leads the Irish team for the World Race Walking Cup which takes place in Turin, Italy on October 12th-13th.

She is joined by the recently married Olive Loughnane who finished 13th in the European Championships in Munich in August. The men's team is led by Robert Heffernan who finished eighth in Munich.

CRICKET: India and Sri Lanka shared a world title of sorts at the Premadasa Stadium yesterday - but both were left disappointed after rain forced a no-result in the ICC Champions Trophy final.

Needing to beat only 222 for seven to win on the reserve day, India had reached 38 for one when they were cut off in their prime.