The Sport Review: “Ryan Giggs scores another year at Manchester United” plus 2 more

Ryan Giggs scores another year at Manchester United
Cricket World Cup: England breeze past Pakistan
Not axing Bahrain GP would be simply asking for trouble

Ryan Giggs scores another year at Manchester United

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 12:45 PM PST

ryan giggs

Manchester United veteran Ryan Giggs has agreed a one-year contract extension to keep him at Old Trafford until the end of next season.

The 36-year-old midfielder has made 862 appearances for the 18-time Premier League champions in a glittering career spanning 21 years.

Giggs, who has more than 32 winners’ medals including 11 Premier League titles and two Champions League crowns, made his debut for the Red Devils in 1991.

“All I’ve ever wanted to do is play for United and I’ve been lucky enough to do that for 20 years,” said Giggs. “It is great to know I’m still contributing to the team’s success and I feel I’ve got a lot to offer on and off the pitch.

He added: “This is an exciting time to be involved with so many good young players coming through.”

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson clearly believes Giggs still possesses the necessary attributes compete at the top level and remains full of praise for the veteran midfielder.

“You run out of words to describe Ryan Giggs,” said Ferguson. “He is a marvellous player and a wonderful man.

“To have the desire and the ability to play at the top level in such a physically demanding position at his age requires a special person.

“He is still turning in man-of-the-match performances and his experience is so vital for the younger players in the squad.”

Cricket World Cup: England breeze past Pakistan

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 12:30 PM PST

england icc cricket world cup

England cruised to a 67-run win in their final ICC World Cup warm-up match against Pakistan in Fatullah.

Stuart Broad sparkled again, taking five wickets after Paul Collingwood and Kevin Pietersen struck half centuries as England set Pakistan 274 for victory.

Collingwood also contributed with the ball with his three wickets helping dismiss for Pakistan for just 206.

Pakistan, who opted to rest Abdul Razzaq and Shahid Afridi, elected to field and once again England captain Andrew Strauss fell cheaply, this time to the pace of Shoaib Akhtar.

Jonathan Trott was also dismissed in single figures however Pietersen looked solid alongside Bell.

Pietersen raced to his half century before Bell eventually departed for 39 which brought the out-of-form Collingwood to the crease.

But the Durham man appeared to find his touch, playing his way towards his half century despite the loss of Pietersen for 66.

Ravi Bopara offered good support to Collingwood with a quick-fire 35 before Matt Prior contributed with a late 24 before the tail folded with Wahab Riaz claiming three wickets.

Just as he did against Canada, Broad tore through the Pakistan top order with only Younis Khan offering any resistance.

The middle order all got starts but failed to kick on with Collingwood's change of pace stalling a fightback.

Broad retuned to remove Khan for 80 and with his exit went Pakistan's chance of victory, falling 67 runs short.

Collingwood admitted it was a relief to be back among the runs following his first 50 in any form of cricket for three months after the victory.

“On a personal note, it was nice to get some runs,” he afterwards. “It’s been quite a frustrating few months for me, not being able to contribute as much as I would have liked.

“Even though it was a warm-up game, I thought it was important I spent some time in the middle and tried to get that confidence going again – and thankfully, it worked out well.”

England now begin the preparations for their group opener against the Netherlands on Tuesday.

Not axing Bahrain GP would be simply asking for trouble

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 09:24 AM PST

formula 1

The season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix is under threat of being cancelled as protests and military action on the streets of the island kingdom intensifies.

For all the politics that goes on in Formula 1 it is hard to believe that any driver would really want to take part in a race in such circumstances.

Risking your life by driving at breakneck speed on circuits or rally stages through mountains and forests is one thing—that goes with the territory—flying to Bahrain to take part in a race which has already been threatened by protest groups is just madness – and something organisers would have trouble justifying should it go wrong.

It would be simply reckless for such a large event to take place while the protests continue.

Some GP2 drivers already in Bahrain have reported hearing machine-gun fire from their hotel rooms, while others have seen lines of tanks and other heavily armoured vehicles snaking along roads close to the circuit.

It's no surprise that the Bahrain Motorsport Federation requested that event to be cancelled, and it will be no surprise to see the F1 test and opening race go the same way in the coming week.

On Thursday, some F1 fans said on Twitter that the race should go ahead, but what is two weeks more to wait? Would they risk their life to go to Bahrain in the current climate?

The FIA, Formula 1 Management, the organisers and the Crown Prince who make the decision on whether the race is cancelled have not helped the situation. Given the decision to cancel the GP2 Asia event, they could have called off the race immediately. Waiting, even a week, to make a decision, is surely delaying the inevitable.

Others have said the race should be cancelled to show F1 supports the protestors' cause, but that's taking it too far. F1 has nothing to do with the trouble in Bahrain and Bernie Ecclestone and the sport would gain absolutely nothing at all by getting involved.

FIA president Jean Todt's comments to the Irish Independent in Dublin on Thursday said it all.

Ultimately, the safety of the drivers, team personnel, officials, spectators and members of the media is of paramount importance. With that in mind, it's very obvious that in the interests of all parties the race should be cancelled.

Some fans have already declared they will boycott the race if it goes ahead, and some are contacting drivers and team personnel begging them not to race. Admirable, but what do they hope to achieve?

If the organisers believe the event can go ahead safely, and the other relevant parties accept that, then, as Virgin Racing boss John Booth said yesterday, the teams will go, and while that might be the case with his team, it is difficult to envisage all 12 teams and 24 drivers easily agreeing.

In 2005, seven of the 10 teams pulled out of the US Grand Prix at Indianapolis after the formation lap because of a problem with their Michelin tyres, yet the current teams are happy to go into the middle of a volatile situation in the Gulf to race?

For Ecclestone and the organisers they're damned if they do and damned if they don't.

But the overwhelming sense of opinion is that by going to Bahrain, they are simply asking for trouble, especially with protest groups already threatening to disrupt the race.

And even if the government and military manage to get the situation under control it only takes a small number of people for it all to go horribly wrong.

They have an opportunity to remove any such threat in front of the world's media, which seems to be what the majority of fans want.