The Kent pair managed only 16 overs between them before withdrawing from the

The Kent pair managed only 16 overs between them before withdrawing from the fray after tea, prompting the coach, Mike Gatting, to make his first appearance of the tour as a substitute fielder as Queensland took advantage of the lightweight attack to finish only 76 runs adrift on 154 for 4 after a second stoppage for bad light.
“Mark suffered a fracture in his index finger attempting a caught-and- bowled, so unfortunately he’ll be out for a little while,” Gatting said. “Dean’s hip is a bit sore and we thought it was best in the long term if he came off and rested it.”The opener Troy Dixon seized on England’s under-strength attack to score 62 for Queensland, but Craig White responded to the responsibility of becoming a strike bowler by dismissing Dixon and Jim Maher to finish with 2 for 27.Earlier, Headley and Glen Chapple helped England add a valuable 60 runs to their overnight score with a spirited 32-run last-wicket partnership.Second day of four; Queensland won tossENGLAND A – First InningsM A Butcher c Cassell b Jackson 72M P Vaughan c Barsby b Creevey 0A McGrath c Law b Muller 1C White c Seccombe b Creevey 24J E R Gallian lbw b Creevey 26*A J Hollioake lbw b Prestwidge 0M A Ealham c Seccombe b Creevey 41W K Hegg c Law b Creevey 3A F Giles c Seccombe b Creevey 20G Chapple not out 16D W Headley b Muller 14Extras (lb7, nb6) 13Total (83.3 overs) 230Fall: 1-8, 2-9, 3-39, 4-99, 5-114, 6-147, 7-164, 8-198, 9-201.Bowling: Muller 18.3-6-42-2; Creevey 27-5-70-6; Prestwidge 12-2-45-1; Law 5-2-14-0; Jackson 21-8-52-1.QUEENSLAND – First InningsT J Dixon c Vaughan b White 62T J Barsby lbw b Ealham 29J P Maher c Hegg b White 10*S G Law c Chapple b Hollioake 19M P Mott not out 12J L Cassell not out 9Extras (lb3, nb10) 13Total (for 4, 54 overs) 154Fall: 1-62, 2-81, 3-130, 4-132.To bat: W A Seccombe, S A Prestwidge, B N Creevey, P W Jackson, S A Muller.Bowling: Headley 9-1-30-0; Chapple 13-4-33-0; Ealham 5-2-16-1; Giles 9-3-25-0; White 10-2-27-2; Hollioake 8-5-20-1.Umpires: P D Parker and J F Torpey.. Dennis Rodman was suspended by the Chicago Bulls for two games without pay for using bad language in criticising National Basketball Association officials in a television interview after Sunday’s game at Toronto Raptors. “Dennis’s use of foul and abusive language and the embarrassment he caused the Chicago Bulls organisation by subjecting young children and loyal fans to his profane outburst cannot and will not be tolerated,” said Bulls vice-president Jerry Krause.
“We condemn in every way what Dennis said and the words he used. This suspension, which will cost Dennis $104,878 [pounds 65,000] in salary, speaks out about our concern.”Rodman, known as much for his wild hair-styles, body piercings and cross- dressing off the court as he is for his outstanding rebounding, misses Wednesday’s game against Minnesota and Friday’s game at New Jersey.In a statement issued in New York, the NBA said it would not take any additional action against Rodman. In a diatribe after he was ejected from Sunday night’s game, Rodman criticised both league officials and the NBA. He said NBA referees were being kept “in diapers” by the NBA Commissioner, David Stern.Rodman was suspended by the NBA for six games last season after he head- butted an official during a game..

Stand-off Gareth Hughes, who lost his first-team place at Saracens to the former Australian international Michael Lynagh, has signed for Worcester. TIPP-EX COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP: Norfolk 52 Cambridgeshire 3; Suffolk 17 Essex 14.
TOUR MATCH: England A 20 South Africa A 35.HART GILMORE FOUR COUNTIES CHAMPIONSHIP: Gtr Birmingham 21 Worcester & Hereford 30. Postponed: Derbyshire v Shropshire.CLUB MATCHES: Cheltenham 45 Royal Air Force 12 Cancelled: Reading v High Wycombe.. Richie Dixon, the Scotland coach, has warned his side against complacency when they face Italy at Murrayfield on Saturday, despite the visitors’ damaging defeat by England at Twickenham last month. Dixon believes the Italians will provide his side with a much sterner test than they posed England, and said: “Italy play as well as France in terms of creating and using space.

I’ve had a look at their squad and I think we can expect them to play different locks from those who appeared against England because they did not win enough possession at the line- out.
“Italy also have flair. They certainly troubled England in the second half when they scored three very good tries And what is more they defended well. I would say Italy have developed their game on defence.”The Scotland coach has not ruled out the possibility of using substitutes He added: “I never say never. We thought about making a substitution in the match against Australia, but in the end did not bother.”Meanwhile, recalled lock Andy Reed has revealed the main difference in Scotland’s preparations for international matches since his last Murrayfield game against France in 1994. Reed, who will play alongside his Wasps club partner Damian Cronin in the second row, said: “I’ve noticed there is not the mad panic to get the team prepared that there was in seasons gone by.”We now meet up on the Monday before the match and therefore have much more time to prepare ourselves properly. The intensity is just the same, but the approach is different.” Dixon believes the rest and relaxation is vital to his side’s new approach.

“Quality rest is as important as quality work,” he said.Meanwhile, Matt Singer, Cambridge’s two-try Varsity match-winner, could be a top player with Saracens next season if he wants to make rugby his day job. Singer twice scythed through Oxford’s defence to make it a hat- trick of Bowring Bowl wins for Cambridge at Twickenham on Tuesday.It was an English centre devastating a defence on a big Twickenham day and the crowd had not seen that for a long time.Singer played a handful of games for Saracens last season and the north London club’s coach, Mark Evans, said: “He will challenge strongly for a first-team place for us, but it will be at full-back, which is his favourite position. He will not be knocking out Philippe Sella at centre just yet, but he is a gifted player, with the potential to kick goals.”Singer put Cambridge ahead early in the match and then clinched the match with a score straight through the heart of Oxford’s tacklers, while in between he landed an impressive drop-goal.”I know nothing about professional rugby. I am on a teaching course at the moment and I don’t know whether to stay with teaching, combine that with rugby or go professional,” Singer said.He is still only 24 and while the debate about centre and full-back in the England team goes on, the selectors might take the chance to explore his centre credentials at A-team level.. The Budweiser League side Manchester Giants have signed the 6ft 8ins Western Samoan forward Frankie Edwards, who has been released after averaging 16 points in his four games for Birmingham Bullets. The 26-year- old replaces American Kirk Baker in the Giants’ squad.

NBA: Golden State 101 Toronto 91; Atlanta 89 Denver 88; Miami 76 Cleveland 74; New York 85 Washington 73; Houston 96 Minnesota 94; Detroit 93 Milwaukee 85; Phoenix 93 San Antonio 76; Utah 110 Indiana 86; Orlando 99 Portland 93; Dallas 100 LA Clippers 95; LA Lakers 92 Sacramento 90.
CLASSIC COLA CUP Semi-final second leg: Newcastle Eagles 84 (47) (Phelps 25; Blalock 22; New 19) Sheffield Sharks 75 (33) (Cauthorn 19; Winters 16; Hames 12) (Sheffield win 166-164 on agg).. Spencer Prior, the Leicester central defender, has undergone surgery on a damaged cartilage which has been troubling him for some time. The former Norwich player delayed his operation until his side’s current two- week break from action. Notts County’s FA Cup third-round match with Aston Villa has been put back a day to avoid a clash with city rivals Nottingham Forest’s home game with Ipswich. The Meadow Lane game will now kick off on Sunday, 5 January, at noon.
ASIAN CUP Group B: Iran 3 (Karim Bagheri 12, Ali Daei 37, Khodadad Azizi 48) Saudi Arabia 0; Iraq 4 (Majeed 17, 50, Shihaib 23, 60) Thailand 1 (Chalerman 26).TUESDAY’S LATE RESULTS: Auto Windscreens Shield Northern Section first round: Bury 3 Darlington 1; Carlisle 2 Rochdale 0; Doncaster 1 Stockport 2; Hartlepool 0 Burnley 2; Hull 3 Chester 1; Rotherham 0 Blackpool 1; Scarborough 0 Notts County 1. Southern Section First Round: Bristol Rovers 1 Brentford 2; Cambridge Utd 0 Colchester 1; Luton 2 Leyton Orient 1; Plymouth 2 Bournemouth 0; Gillingham 1 Cardiff 2 (aet). Bell’s Scottish League Premier Division: Dundee Utd 1 Rangers 0 First Division: Stirling1 St Mirren 1.