A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
New one-day competition for Ireland
CRICKET:The International Cricket Council (ICC) have announced that a new 50-over competition will commence between the eight teams taking part in the next staging of the four-day Intercontinental Cup, writes Emmet Riordan.
The fixtures for the I Cup competition were announced yesterday with Ireland opening up with home ties against Namibia and Canada this summer. The new one-day competition will see competing nations also playing two One-Day Internationals around the four-day game.
The I Cup is increased from seven to eight teams, with the Zimbabwe XI dropping out and the United Arab Emirates joining Namibia after both played in the Intercontinental Shield final. Ireland, who have won the competition on three of its five stagings, will play four home ties, with away trips to Kenya, UAE and the Netherlands.
Cavendish claims Giro stage success
CYCLING:Britain's Mark Cavendish secured a sixth career stage win in the Giro d'Italia yesterday as he continues to rack up victories in the Grand Tours.
The HTC-Highroad rider stormed out from behind Italian Alessandro Petacchi to claim the bunch sprint victory by more than a bike length.
Spain’s Francisco Ventoso came closest to Cavendish on the slightly uphill sprint at Teramo whilst Petacchi had to settle for third.
Cavendish, second in the second stage behind Petacchi after the Italian allegedly shifted his line, said he was more than delighted to finally clinch a victory.
“As soon as I got on Petacchi’s wheel I knew I was in the best position,” he said.
Leicester fear cited Tuilagi will miss Premiership final
RUGBY:Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill expects to be without centre Manu Tuilagi for the Aviva Premiership final after the youngster was yesterday cited for punching Northampton wing Chris Ashton.
The 19-year-old England Saxons cap, a contender for a place in Martin Johnson’s World Cup squad, caught Saints star Ashton with a three-punch combination in the 32nd minute of Leicester’s 11-3 top-flight semi-final success at Welford Road on Saturday.
Independent citing officer Alan Mansell has decided Tuilagi has a case to answer and he will appear before a RFU disciplinary hearing today, on his 20th birthday, which will be chaired by Judge Jeff Blackett in London. Any suspension would be certain to end the Premiership Young Player of the Year’s hopes of appearing against Saracens at Twickenham on May 28.
