The Sports Matrix: Friday 20 May 2011
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Your support makes all the difference.England dilemma after Morgan knock
Eoin Morgan reaffirmed his credentials for a place in England’s squad for next week’s first Test by posting an unbeaten 156 for the Lions against Sri Lanka. The Middlesex batsman hit 24 fours and four sixes as the Lions closed the day on 394 for 4. MORE
Napier hits 16 sixes to equal record
Graham Napier equalled the world record for sixes in a first class innings after hitting 16 of them against Surrey yesterday. The Essex all-rounder struck a 130-ball 196 as he equalled the mark set by Andrew Symonds for Gloucestershire in 1995. MORE
Alonso happy to extend Ferrari stay
Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso has confirmed that he will remain with the Maranello team until the end of the 2016 campaign. “I don’t imagine a better place to race for a racing driver,” the 29-year-old Spaniard said. MORE
City chairman reaffirms title wish
The Manchester City chairman, Khaldoon al-Mubarak, has reiterated the club’s desire to push on and challenge for the Premier League title next year. “Being fourth is a big accomplishment; this is one step further,” he said. “We want to win the league.” MORE
Big shots prevail at start of Match Play
The opening day of the World Match Play went to form, with five of the world’s top six winning their first matches. World No 1 Lee Westwood eased by Anders Hansen while Luke Donald beat Ryan Moore. Rory McIlroy defeated Retief Goosen on the last. MORE
Fabregas warned against leaving
Cesc Fabregas would have no guarantee of trophies if he left Arsenal in the summer, according to manager Arsène Wenger. “A player who changes his club every time he is frustrated or when he doesn’t win a trophy, goes nowhere,” Wenger said. MORE
Del Potro ‘thought of retirement’
Juan Martin Del Potro has told i how he contemplated retirement owing to a recurring wrist injury. “You think about everything when you have so much time to think,” the Argentine said ahead of next week’s French Open. “And the tennis life is very short.” MORE
Wenger: No logic to resting Carroll
Arsène Wenger said there would be “no logic” to a decision to rest Andy Carroll for the European Under-21 Championship while including Jack Wilshere. Stuart Pearce will omit Carroll from his squad named on Monday because of fatigue. MORE
Murray pulls out of warm-up event
Andy Murray has followed Novak Djokovic and Lleyton Hewitt in pulling out of the Masters Guinot exhibition tournament in Paris, seen as a warm-up to next week’s French Open. The Briton is expected to be fit for the start of the Roland Garros event. MORE
Opinion: James Lawton
What makes Mick McCarthy such a formidable customer in a corner is his ability to strip down illusions and still suggest that there may be a fighting chance. When the pressure is at its highest he often produces his best. MORE
2022 World Cup vote may be rerun
Fifa president Sepp Blatter admitted yesterday that a rerun of the vote to host the 2022 World Cup was possible. Qatar won the right to host the event, but there is currently an inquiry into wrongdoing during the process. Blatter refused to put any limit on the measures they could take if they uncovered corruption, and said that the inquiry must go “step by step”. The allegations that could trigger a rerun of the vote were uncovered by the Sunday Times, which alleged to a Commons select committee investigation into football governance that ExCo members Issa Hayatou and Jacques Anouma took bribes of $1.5m each to vote for Qatar. The Football Association yesterday said that it would abstain in the Fifa presidency vote on 1 June, which pits Blatter against Bin Hammam. MORE
FA ‘losing the plot’ over referee rules
Stoke City chairman Peter Coates has criticised the Football Association after Tony Pulis was warned for praising Howard Webb. “I am beginning to think people are losing the plot with these things,” Coates said. Sir Alex Ferguson was similarly warned. MORE
Woodward turns down RFU role
Former England coach Sir Clive Woodward has turned down a role as the Rugby Football Union’s performance director to continue his work with the British Olympic Association. The failure to lure Woodward is seen as an embarrassment to the RFU. MORE
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