Andrew Flintoff climbed off the canvas to record a points win on his heavyweight boxing debut against Richard Dawson lqst night.

Andrew Flintoff climbed off the canvas to record a points win on his heavyweight boxing debut against Richard Dawson.

World champion Ronnie O'Sullivan has joined a new management company just days after putting his snooker playing career on hold.

Darren Clarke was clearly making the most of his first day as a major champion today – and he hopes it is only four weeks until Lee Westwood is doing the same.

KIERAN O’REILLY doesn’t sport the sort of tan you might expect for someone just back in Dublin after a marathon trip that lasted 54 days and took in the exotic destinations of Dubai, Bangladesh and India.

Andrew Flintoff has retired from cricket after being told his body would not be able to cope with his planned comeback.

Past winners Mon Mome (2009) and Comply Or Die (2008) are among a maximum field of 40 declared for the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on Saturday.

ANDREW STRAUSS is confident his new-look England are about to go places in one-day cricket – and is hoping they can start by wrapping up their series against South Africa 3-1 today.

Lee Westwood shed tears of joy today after scooping the biggest jackpot in European Tour history with what he rated the best performance of his career.

Ireland will attempt to overturn the odds and bring Ashes winners England crashing down to earth today in Belfast.

Andrew Flintoff was appropriately involved in the pivotal moment as England bowled out Australia to reclaim the Ashes at the Oval today.

ENGLAND bowling hero Stuart Broad played down his own contribution after the home side moved into a dominant position against Australia in the decisive fifth Test at The Oval, yesterday.

MATT PRIOR insisted England had no excuses for their Headingley capitulation despite a chaotic start to the fourth Ashes Test.

RICKY PONTING accepts his pantomime villain role in this summer’s Ashes simply “goes with the territory” for a touring Australia captain.

ENGLAND are confident their surprise call-up of Warwickshire batsman Jonathan Trott for this week’s fourth Ashes Test will not backfire in a similar manner to last year’s shock selection for the Headingley Test.

ENGLAND face an anxious wait to see whether key batsman Kevin Pietersen will be fit to withstand another battle with Australia in next week’s third Ashes Test.

ENGLAND captain Andrew Strauss praised the stirring response his battle-weary side gave to their underwhelming Ashes series beginning after they recorded a historic win at Lord’s yesterday.

GRAEME SWANN urged against panic as England strive for victory today in the second npower Ashes Test at Lord’s.

JAMES ANDERSON revealed a desire not to waste their ‘get-out- of-jail’ card was behind England’s dominant display in the second npower Ashes Test at Lord’s yesterday.

ENGLAND have ruled out any prospect of sentiment influencing their selection for today’s second Ashes Test and will only include Andrew Flintoff in their Lord’s plans if he has fully recovered from knee trouble.

Andrew Flintoff today announced he will retire from Test cricket at the end of this summer’s Ashes series.

ENGLAND coach Andy Flower feels Australia captain Ricky Ponting “made a meal” of perceived stalling tactics during the final afternoon of the first Ashes Test.

ENGLAND are facing an anxious wait to determine whether they face another dilemma over the balance of their side after all-rounder Andrew Flintoff emerged as a doubt for the second Ashes Test.

ENGLAND’S 2005 Ashes hero Andrew Flintoff last night gave a dressing room rallying cry following Australian domination of the second day of the opening npower Testin Cardiff.

KEVIN PIETERSEN reflected on a satisfying day for England after their most positive start to an Ashes series for years.

Street dancers Diversity are celebrating a shock victory over singer Susan Boyle in the Britain's Got Talent final.

ENGLAND recovered from a pedestrian start to yesterday’s opening match of the NatWest Series with Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen propelling them to a competitive total against South Africa.

CONGRATULATIONS to the BBC Radio 5 Live newsreader who recently added to the gaiety of a nation with the following breaking news item: “Andrew Flintoff is to see a renowned joint specialist in Amsterdam.”

ENGLAND all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has revealed he never made it onto a pedalo in the infamous incident which overshadowed his cricket World Cup.

ENGLAND lost a highly-charged thriller at The Brit Oval yesterday as India levelled the NatWest Series of one-day internationals by completing a huge run chase in the final over.

TALISMANIC all-rounder Andrew Flintoff was dispatched to see his ankle surgeon yesterday as England prepared for last-minute selection issues for the World Twenty20.

MICHAEL VAUGHAN is relishing the prospect of choosing between an increasing pool of outstanding bowlers as competition for places increases among England’s attack.

ENGLAND coach Peter Moores has refused to blame their under-par over-rate as a reason for England’s failure to wrap up the opening npower Test before bad weather came to India’s rescue.

ENGLAND will fly back home from the Caribbean next week and face an inevitable clamour for change following one of their most testing winter campaigns in recent years.

ENGLAND captain Michael Vaughan admitted his side had “let a lot of people down” after they were knocked out of the World Cup in humiliating fashion by South Africa yesterday.

Ireland captain Trent Johnston hopes a few pints of Guinness were raised in toast to his team’s effort during their World Cup Super Eight defeat to England yesterday.

IRELAND captain Trent Johnston reckons being dubbed part-time pushovers will give his team extra motivation to inflict another World Cup shock — this time on England (2.30pm, Sky Sports 1).

ED JOYCE will adopt a hard-headed approach to tomorrow’s reunion with Ireland and attempt to use the emotion of the occasion to inspire a greater level of performance at the Providence Stadium.

IRELAND have been given some timely advice on spin ahead of their World Cup Super Eights clash against England from West Indies legend Lance Gibbs.

Andrew Flintoff’s participation in England’s opening training session in Guyana was restricted by a stomach bug today.

Alvin Rouse could be forgiven for complaining about life in the eircom First Division. Instead Monaghan United’s goalkeeper from Barbados is loving every minute of it. Well, almost every minute. Colm O’Connor reports.

England cricket star Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff has apologised for the late-night drinking binge at the World Cup which led to him being sacked as vice-captain.

All-rounder Andrew Flintoff failed to travel with the team to today’s crucial Group C World Cup match against Canada at the Beausejour Stadium.

England suffered a scare ahead of the opening match of their Cricket World Cup when seamer Jimmy Anderson was taken to hospital with a fielding injury.