Cricket: Courtney Walsh yesterday became Test cricket's leading wicket-taker of all-time after taking up his 435th wicket.

The 37-year-old broke Kapil Dev's six-year-old record of 434 wickets, the Indian all-rounder having retired from the international arena in 199394.

Walsh's prestigious moment arrived on his home ground of Sabina Park, Jamaica, after he had Henry Olonga caught at short leg by Wavell Hinds in the second Test against Zimbabwe.

Fittingly it ended Zimbabwe's second innings for 102 - Heath Streak was unable to bat through injury - and Walsh was embraced by his team-mates before he kissed the ground.

It was the paceman's third dismissal of the innings, following the wickets of Trevor Gripper, caught behind by Ridley Jacobs for a duck and Grant Flower, taken by Sherwin Campbell at second slip for 11.

Having taken two for 46 in the tourists' first innings of 308 all out, Walsh soon wreaked havoc second time around, reducing Zimbabwe to 14 for two. But he had to wait another four hours before making his mark on history as Olonga prodded forward and was snapped up by Hinds for two.

Walsh passed the milestone in his 114th Test, some 17 Tests less than former India skipper Kapil.

Tennis: Ireland were paid a unique compliment by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in Estoril, Portugal yesterday when they were named as number one seeds for this week's Fed Cup Euro-African group two qualifying series.

Team manager Pete Lowther said that the ITF's decision reflects the progress made by individual Irish players over the past year during which three of them earned rankings within the world's top 500. Yvonne Doyle, in particular, has soared in the rankings and is now placed at 250.

Doyle, together with Spanishbased Kelly Liggan, Gina Niland, and Cork teenager Elsa O'Riain, will be represent Ireland who have been drawn against Malta, Macedonia, Kenya and Mauritius. Ireland open their bid against Malta today.