Cricket: Brian Lara was yesterday snubbed by the West Indies selectors when they chose not to name a captain in their provisional squad of 19 for this summer's World Cup.
Lara is under immense pressure in the Caribbean following six straight Test defeats - a 5-0 series whitewash in South Africa and Monday's 312-run loss to Australia when the Windies were skittled out for 51, their lowest Test score ever.
The former Warwickshire batsman, holder of the highest individual innings in both first-class and Test history, has only been appointed skipper for the first two games of the current four-match series against the Aussies.
Defeat in the second Test, which starts in Jamaica on Saturday, could spell the end of Lara's reign as captain.
Provisional squad: Adams, Ambrose, Arthurton, Bryan, Chanderpaul, Dillon, Hooper, Jacobs, Joseph, King, Lambert, Lara, Lewis, McGarrell, Murray, Ragoonath, Simmons, Walsh, Williams.
Cycling: French rider Laurent Roux, racing for the Casino team, won the fourth stage of the Paris-Nice race in Vichy yesterday - a 201.5 km ride from Nevers to this central French town.
The 26-year-old, who rode for the TVM team that withdrew from the Tour de France last year over drugs allegations, came home a few seconds clear of Belgian Jo Planckaert and another Frenchman, Stepahen Heulot, was third.
Paris-Nice: Fourth stage (Nevers-Vichy, 201.5 km) - 1, L Roux (Fra) Casino 5 hr 4 min 46 sec; 2, J Planckaert (Bel) at 8 sec; 3, S Heulot (Fra) same time; 4, J Voigt (Ger) same time; 5, P Savoldelli (Ita) same time; 6, M Den Bakker (Ned) same time. Overall: 1, S O'Grady (Aus) Credit Agricole 15 hr 42 min 58 sec; 2, A Tchmil (Bel) at 7 sec; 3, R Sorensen (Den) 24; 4, M Den Bakker (Ned) 28; 5, M Wauters (Bel) 31; 6, A Merckx (Bel) 32.
Mountain Running: Yesterday's second running of the Irish Times-sponsored Irish Schools' Mountain Running Championships at St Columbas attracted more than 350 entries and saw Blackrock College's Robert Connolly retain the senior title.
Lanesboro's Amanda Hanly easily held off Anne Marie Gilsenan (Oldcastle) and Catherine McKeon (West Wicklow) to take the senior girls' title. Peter Dalton (Oatlands) and Sheila Coyle (Drogheda) won the intermediate while Jason O'Brien (Wilsons Hospital) and Aideen Broe (Dominican, Wicklow) took the Junior titles.
Irish Schools' Mountain Running Championships (at St Columbas): Senior boys' - 1, R Connolly (Blackrock College); 2, M Doyle (Ringsend Inst); 3, A Cumiskey (Inchicore VEC). Intermediate boys' - 1, P Dalton (Oatlands); 2, C Longmore (Benildus). 3, J O'Muirchearh (Benildus). Junior boys' - 1, J O'Brien (Wilson's Hosp); 2, D Mullen (Bush PP); 3, C Murray (Benildus). Senior girls' - 1, A Hanley (Lanesboro); 2, A M Gilsenan (Oldcastle); 3, C McKeon (Wicklow). Intermediate girls' - 1, S Coyle (Greenhills); 2, K Guthrie (Firhouse); 3, M Slattery (St Mary's, Arklow). Junior girls' - 1, A Broe (Dominican Wicklow); 2, D Martin (Ballyshannon); 3, M Kenny (Oldcastle).
Basketball: Tralee Community School completed the double at the National Arena yesterday when capturing the All-Ireland Schoolboys' U-19 C League title yesterday. Having taken the All-Ireland cup last month, Tralee, led by National League star Michael Quirke (who took the MVP award) proved to strong for St Joseph's, Spanish point, making their first appearance in the final.
In the U-19 B decider, Darragh Smith hit four crucial long baskets for Our Lady's against Community School, Ballincollig CS.
U-19C - Tralee Community College 62 (M Quirke 27, J Walsh 10, D Boylan 8), St Joseph's, Spanish point 48 (C Haugh 16, A O Sullivan 12, B O' Grady 8). U-16C - St Eunan's, Letterkenny 48 ( L Mac a Bhaird 18, K O'Neill 11, D Leech 9, P Rose 7), Intermediate Killorglin 29 (P Doyle 9, T O'Regan 9, N Looney 6). MVP: L Mac a Bhaird. U-19B - Our Lady's, Castleblaney 48 (D Smith 19, B McGuiness 7, C Woods 7), Community School, Ballingcollig 44 (R Mc Gowan 19, M O' Brien 9, C Kelliher 10). MVP: D Smith.
