Rodman given a new role
Basketball: Dennis Rodman may have departed the Celebrity Big Brother house but the former Chicago Bulls star has wasted no time finding a new home in the country. The 44-year-old five-times NBA champion will play for Brighton Bears tomorrow night after agreeing a deal within hours of his eviction from the reality television show.
The Bears’ club sponsor, Genesis, the freight shipping company, has agreed to pay the 6ft 7in forward $35,000 (about £19,600) to make his BBL debut against Guildford Heat in front of a crowd of only 1,800.
Foster upstaged
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Bowls: Paul Foster’s defeat in the quarter-finals at the hands of Robert Paxton provided a big surprise at Potters Leisure Resort, Norfolk, where the WBT World Indoor Singles Championship will conclude on Sunday. The No 1 seed was upstaged by Paxton, who won 4-9, 8-4, 2-0.
Trump an ace
Snooker: Judd Trump, aged 16 and five months, has become the youngest player to reach the final stages of a world-ranking event. Trump secured his place in the Welsh Open at Newport, starting on February 27, beating Adrian Gunnell in the final qualifying round in Prestatyn yesterday.
Rusty Woods
Golf: Tiger Woods made an unspectacular return to action yesterday with a first-round 71, one under par, in the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines, California. After taking a complete break over Christmas, the world No 1 had four birdies in six holes, but then had back-to-back bogeys.
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Thorpe sets date
Swimming: Ian Thorpe, the Olympic and world champion from Australia, is planning to retire after the 2008 Olympics Games in Beijing, aged 25. Thorpe signed a sponsorship deal last week through to the 2012 Games in London, but now says he is almost certain to leave the sport after 2008.
Gardener blooms
Athletics: Jason Gardener, the world and European champion, started his international indoor season with a victory in Moscow over 60 metres. The 30-year-old, with two quick times under his belt in domestic races already this month, won the IAAF meeting in 6.60sec.
Archer selected
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Badminton: Simon Archer’s farewell wish was granted yesterday when he was selected in the England squad for the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in March. Archer, 32, who won mixed-doubles gold medals in the previous two Games, has been picked for his experience.