Maccabi Tel Aviv advances; Gilboa and Rishon avoid hoops playoff sweeps
Gilboa/Galil and Rishon Letzion rose to the occasion last night, besting their opponents in must-win situations to keep their playoffs alive. In Jerusalem, Dan Shamir won for the first time at Malha since leaving Hapoel Jerusalem, as his Hapoel Holon team won 70-65 to take a 2-1 lead in that best-of-five series. Maccabi Rishon charged late to run away 88-73 at home against Ashkelon. Or Solomon scored 10 in the first quarter to get Rishon going, while Derwin Kitchen and Joe Crawford took over in the second half. Gilboa also dominated its opponent, topping Maccabi Ashdod 74-60. (Arie Livnat )
Tomorrow's soccer slate will determine European fate of three Premier League teams
Tomorrow's slate of Premier League soccer matches will determine who gets to play in Europe next season and who stays home. By winning Wednesday, Bnei Yehuda guaranteed at least third place and a spot in Europe. Hapoel Tel Aviv will play in Europe if it doesn't lose to Maccabi Haifa tomorrow. If Hapoel loses, it can still squeeze through on condition that Maccabi Netanya fails to beat Bnei Sakhnin. Haifa will play in Europe if it beats Hapoel Tel Aviv. If it loses, it will need Netanya to draw or lose. In any event, either Hapoel Tel Aviv or Maccabi Haifa will be in Europe, depending on which one wins the State Cup. In order for Netanya to reach Europe it must beat Sakhnin and then finish in fourth place. In that situation, it will need the one finishing above it - be it Maccabi Haifa or Hapoel Tel Aviv - to win the Cup. (Shai Nimrodi )
Hawk-Eye tests goalline technology two months before vote on its implementation
The second phase of testing with Hawk-Eye's goalline technology system has started, less than two months before soccer's rule-makers decide whether it can be used in games. Experiments with the Sony Corp.-owned system were conducted at Southampton's St. Mary's Stadium yesterday. Hawk-Eye is a camera-based ball-tracking system successfully deployed in tennis and cricket. The other system being considered by the International Football Association Board is the GoalRef system, which is set to be tested in Danish matches. GoalRef, owned by a German-Danish company, uses a magnetic field with a special ball. IFAB is set to make a final decision on whether to allow the use of goalline technology at a meeting on July 2. (AP )
S. African Richardson named new ICC chief
David Richardson, the former South Africa wicketkeeper, has been chosen by the International Cricket Council as its new chief executive. The 52-year-old Richardson, who played 42 tests and 122 one-day Internationals, will replace fellow South African Haroon Lorgat when the latter's four-year term ends in June, subject to the appointment being ratified at June's ICC annual conference in Kuala Lumpur. The appointment was approved by the ICC Board in a teleconference yesterday. Richardson was his country's first choice behind the stumps for more than six years after South Africa's readmission to international cricket following a two-decade long international sporting boycott brought about through the policy of apartheid. (Reuters )
