BMW International, Sky Sports 2, 11am
It’s decision day. This is a decent enough tournament in its own right, but the fact that the end of play today is the cut-off point for Bernhard Langer’s European Ryder Cup team adds a bucketload of extra spice. There were four automatic places still up for grabs at the start of the tournament in Munich, plus those two wildcards. Bernhard, look at me . . .
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Real Mallorca v Real Madrid, Sky Sports 1, 6.30pm
The last time Michael Owen went to the Balearics, it was probably with sun cream, towel and a trashy book (David Beckham: My Side?). This time, it’s supposed to be work, but given the competition he faces from Real’s star-studded squad, he might be advised to bring a good book (Spanish for Dummies? It’s a bargain tenner on Amazon) as he could be spending a while on the bench
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Belgium Grand Prix, ITV1, 12.10pm
It seems as if in the build-up to every race this season we’ve been told this is the one where (insert a Williams/BAR/Renault/McLaren driver here) will finally challenge Michael Schumacher. And what happens? The German has won the past seven grands prix and if he makes it eight in a row in Spa, then a seventh world championship is his with four races to go
MONDAY
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US Open, Sky Sports 2, 4pm
The final Grand Slam of the year gets under way in New York. Flushing Meadow is the most gritty and urban of all the venues, with the hubbub of the city almost enveloping the arena — don’t expect curtseying or Sir Cliff Richard here. Andy Roddick was a fitting victor last year, romping to his first Grand Slam win, but finds himself seeded second behind the urbane Roger Federer — what a final that would be
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WEDNESDAY
England v India, Sky Sports 1, 10.30am
Everything may be rosy for Michael Vaughan and Co in the Test arena, but in the one-day game England still have plenty of ground to make up. India, a high-class outfit, are the opposition in a three-game warm-up for next month’s ICC Champions Trophy, and with Andrew Flintoff currently able to walk on water there is reasonable hope for an upturn in fortunes
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FRIDAY
Spain v Scotland, Five, 8.50pm
What possible good can this friendly do Scotland? Having been hammered at home by Hungary, the prospect of a trip to Valencia to take on the likes of Raul and Reyes is not likely to raise morale
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SATURDAY
Azerbaijan v Wales/Austria v England, Sky Sports 1, 5pm
A stands for (must-win) away games in Azerbaijan and Austria. World Cup qualification for Germany 2006 gets under way and both home countries are on the road for fixtures from which three points are vital. Wales are off to Baku and need to beat the group’s makeweights — managed, curiously, by former Brazilian World Cup winner Carlos Alberto — if they are to challenge England and at last qualify for a finals, something they haven’t done since 1958, coincidentally the last time England met Austria in a competitive match. England are expected to top Group 6 with something to spare. Failure to win in Vienna will, rightly or wrongly, turn up the heat beneath Sven-Göran Eriksson another notch. Maybe that’s why he wears platforms