A round-up of today's other Sports stories in brief...
Akmal steers Pakistan to victory
CRICKET:Big-hitting from Kamran Akmal in the final over carried Pakistan to a four-wicket win over West Indies with one ball to spare in the first one-day international at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi yesterday.
Akmal smashed pacer Jerome Taylor for successive sixes and took a three off a misfield to settle the issue as Pakistan overhauled their target of 294.
Chris Gayle hit 113 in a total of 294 for nine but it was overshadowed as Fawad Alam (26) and Akmal (24), who came together with 33 required from 17 balls, got Pakistan home.
Debutant fast bowler Lionel Baker took three wickets for West Indies but the hosts were boosted by half-centuries from Khurrum Manzoor (69), Younis Khan (56) and captain Shoaib Malik (66).
Federer's upset stomach leaves him struggling
TENNIS:Top seed Roger Federer was left struggling yesterday after being laid low by an upset stomach as he battled to stay in the hunt for the Masters Cup title in Shanghai.
Despite beating first alternate Radek Stepanek 7-6 6-4 in the Red Group, the world number two's defeat by Gilles Simon on Monday means he must now beat in-form Andy Murray to avoid an end to his quest for a fifth Masters Cup.
World number four Murray, who has a 3-2 career advantage over Federer, has enjoyed his best year on the circuit and although he has already qualified for the last four, the Briton said he would be going all out for a win tomorrow.
"I guess I got really lucky my match was scheduled late today and then Radek was not playing with his own racket, so that made it a little bit more lucky," the Swiss player said. "At the end of the day I still have a chance. I hope with a day of recovery I'll make a miracle happen here and get through to the semis," added Federer.
McCann shows good form
CYCLING:Giant Asia rider David McCann is showing good form in China and the Belfast man is currently lying 10th overall after two days of racing in the Tour of Hainan.
McCann got his campaign underway when he placed 14th in Tuesday's Sanya city prologue, covering the three-kilometre time trial in a time 6.84 seconds slower than the winner Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kazakhstani National Team).
He then finished in the main bunch on yesterday's 163.6-kilometre race to Xinglong, being classified in the same time as the victor Boris Shpilevsky (Russian National Team ).
McCann won the third intermediate sprint and this helped move him up in the overall standings.
Shpilevsky leads Gruzdev by 15 seconds heading into today's second road race stage, a 159.4 kilometre race from Xinglong to Wenchang.
McCann is 17 seconds back in 10th and will aim to keep moving up the general classification.
Smit to equal forward record
RUGBY:South Africa captain John Smit feels "humbled" by the prospect of equalling the record of appearances by a Springbok forward this weekend.
Coach Peter de Villiers has named an unchanged team for Saturday's Test against Scotland at Murrayfield, meaning Smit will make his 80th appearance in the Springbok jersey to pull level with the record set by Os du Randt.
Smit said: "It is a very humbling achievement for me."
Ó Sé welcomes O'Connor decision
GAELIC GAMES:Tomás Ó Sé has welcomed the appointment of Jack O'Connor as manager of the Kerry football team, in spite of speculation that there might be some lingering ill-will between the duo.
O'Connor revealed in his autobiography Keys to the Kingdom that Ó Sé had left for home before the end of Kerry's victory over Longford in the All-Ireland qualifier at Fitzgerald Stadium having been substituted.
O'Connor also wrote about difficulties he had had with Ó Sé's older brother Darragh, who he said had questioned his methods, and Tomás subsequently expressed his displeasure at some of the revelations.
But speaking yesterday on the Saol Ó Dheas show on Raidió na Gaeltachta, which is produced by his former team-mate Dara Ó Cinnéide, Ó Sé declared: "I think the right decision was made and Jack was the best man for the job."
Joyce books semi-final ticket
BOXING:Three Irish boxers will be fighting for places in the finals of the European Championships tonight following a hat-trick of quarter-final wins at the Greenbank Academy in Liverpool over the last two days. Beijing Olympian John Joe Joyce, Belfast middleweight Eamon O'Kane and lightweight Ross Hickey are all through to the last four and are guaranteed bronze medals.
Joyce booked his ticket against Hungarian Gyula Kate in the 64kg semi-final following an 9-7 win over Bulgarian Dimitar Stilianov last night.
O'Kane beat Armenian 2008 Olympian Andranik Hakoyban and will go head-to-head with Russian puncher Maxim Koptyakou with a place in the 75kg final up for grabs.
Co Wicklow lightweight Hickey, who won his quarter-final bout on Tuesday, will also be in semi-final action against Vazgen Safaryants of Belarus.
