Thai deal could
Thai deal could face red card
BANGKOK: Thailand's likelihood of buying a 30 percent stake in English Premiership giants Liverpool has faded markedly since the kingdom abandoned plans to finance the deal through a public lottery, analysts and observers said.
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra gave his assurance at the weekend that Thailand's 100-115 million dollar bid for the fabled club was still on the table despite scrapping the 10-billion-baht (US$245.9-million) lottery.
"As of today the negotiation with Liverpool is still on," Thaksin said in his weekly radio address, just days after hinting at a collapse when he said "we don't even know whether we will buy the Liverpool stake". --AFP
;REUTERS; ANPAs..r.. Sports-Golf-Daly
Daly decides not to try to qualify for U.S. Open JP/9/Brief
Daly not to try to US Open berth
DUBLIN, Ohio: Two time major winner John Daly has decided not to play in a qualifying event for this month's U.S. Open and instead will take next week off.
Daly, who won the Buick International in February, has not qualified for the June 17-20 tournament at Shinnecock Hills automatically. He is not in the top-50 in the world or won two tournaments on the tour this year.
"My agents put an application in (for a qualifying event). I didn't. I told them not to put one in as I wasn't going to try and qualify, they did anyway," said Daly at the Memorial Tournament on Friday. --Reuters
;REUTERS; ANPAs..r.. Putbriefs-Cricket-Test Lara century helps put West Indies in control JP/9/Brief
Lara century helps Westin in control
LONDON: Brian Lara, who had threatened to resign as captain if West Indies failed to beat Bangladesh in the second and final test in Kingston, helped keep his job safe with a timely century on the second day on Saturday.
Lara (119) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (106 not out) put on 179 for the third wicket and the West Indies closed the day on 294 for three in reply to the visitors' 284.
Bangladesh had started the day on 264 for nine and added 20 to their overnight score before Pedro Collins had Tapash Basiya caught for 48. --Reuters