Which England bowler has claimed that his team’s bowling was versatile enough to win the Ashes in Australia?

Lyon and Bordeaux agreed on a transfer fee of €22 million ($27.98 million) plus €4.5 million for Bordeaux if Lyon were to sell him later to another club. Gourcuff, 24, who has won 22 caps for France, was expected to leave Bordeaux since new Girondins coach Jean Tigana left him out of the starting lineup for his side's 2-1 win at Paris St Germain in Ligue 1.

"We have no fear going to Australia, and we certainly have the skills necessary to go and win the Ashes over there. We are very confident in our attack," said Broad. Commenting on Australian captain Ricky Ponting’s swipe that his side could inflict another 5-0 humiliation upon England, Broad said: "We're all very confident in what we do. We have the best spinner in the world in Graeme Swann and some very skillful seamers too."

Hamilton, who came sixth at the Australian Grand Prix, was booked and had his Mercedes car impounded for spinning his wheels in view of the police in a street near the Albert Park circuit. The McLaren driver was fined Aus $500 ($445) but avoided a conviction for reckless driving. Magistrate Clive Alsop said Hamilton was a role model for young people, which put the onus on him to behave responsibly.

The world number one is the top men's seed for the US Open as he bids to complete a career Grand Slam. Swiss Roger Federer, a finalist at Flushing Meadows the last six years, lifting the title five times, is seeded second. Serb Novak Djokovic is seeded third and Briton Andy Murray, the 2008 US Open runner-up, fourth.

Mancini said he has no regrets about missing out on Liverpool’s Fernando Torres, as, according to him, new signing Balotelli is better than the Spanish striker. "Balotelli could be even better than Torres because Torres can only play as a striker. Balotelli can play as a striker or as a winger. What is sure is we are talking about two fantastic players," he said. Mancini believes Balotelli, 20, is already one of the best football players in the world.

“The health of Australian cricket is pretty good on the field, but there are things England are doing behind the scenes that suggest to me they are leading the world," Buchanan said. "We may not see the effects for three or four years, but if they keep doing what they are doing, they will create a gap between themselves and the rest. Australia need to be mindful of that, and take a leaf out of England's book."

Pollard said he learnt a lot from his Mumbai Indians captain Tendulkar. “Sachin is in a class of his own,” the West Indian said. “The way he lifts every player and shows enthusiasm to go out and perform is amazing. We get to learn a lot from him and I have learnt a few things and I’ve put that into my cricket. It has been fun and it is the dream of every boy to play with someone like Sachin Tendulkar.”

"Year after year it looks like, but no, it looks like, but no. Always the same type of comment, 'It's a young team, it will be next season, it will be next season’," Mourinho sniggered. Former Chelsea chief Mourinho had a turbulent relationship with Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger.

The NBA fined the Portland Trail Blazers player $25,000 on Thursday for public statements considered detrimental to the league after local media quoted his agent as saying he wanted a release from his contract. The league said in a short statement that the fine was related to the Spaniard's desire to be traded or released by the Trail Blazers with two years remaining on his contract.

The Russian tennis star was named the world's highest-paid female athlete by Forbes magazine. Sharapova pulled in $24.5 million over the past year, including $1 million earned from prize money and the rest from endorsements and appearance fees. The Williams sisters, Serena and Venus, occupy the second and third slots, respectively.