rampant Liverpool, while debutant defender Zat Knight headed Villa’s opener at Villa Park.
Frenchman Louis Saha’s header sealed a 1-0 home win for Manchester United over Sunderland, South Africa’s Benni McCarthy scored early as Blackburn beat visitors Manchester City by the same scoreline and Arsenal saw off Portsmouth 3-1 in London.
Coventry, the Championship leaders, came from behind with two late goals to win 2-1 at home to Preston. Dele Adebola and skipper Michael Doyle scored.
Rangers are the only major British club with a 100 per cent record after chalking up a fifth straight win, 4-0 at home to Gretna in the Scottish Premier. Hibernian lie second after edging out Inverness, the bottom-placed visitors, 1-0 and title-holders Celtic cruised to a 5-1 win at St. Mirren.
Due to international matches, the top divisions in England and Scotland will close down this weekend. – John Hughes
CAPS United fined $250m
CAPS United have been fined $250 million and their abandoned match with Highlanders awarded to the Bulawayo club on a 3-0 score line, in a
judgment by the league’s disciplinary committee.
The decision was confirmed by PSL boss, Tapiwa Matangaidze.
The game was abandoned on August 11 after CAPS United fans behind Energy Murambandoro’s goal threw objects on the pitch to prevent an 85th minute penalty
awarded to Highlanders from being taken. The two teams were level 1-1 at the time.
Police, supported by anti-riot water cannons, stormed Barbourfields Stadium and drove out CAPS fans at the Mpilo End. A 30-minute stoppage followed, leading
to Masvingo referee, Godfrey Gombwe, calling off the match. $50 million was suspended on condition the club is not found guilty of similar conduct for the rest of the season. – Own Correspondent
Durham chase double
DURHAM, the newest of the 18 first-class counties, are chasing a notable double under the captaincy of Zimbabwe-born Dale Benkenstein.
Having recently clinched the Friends Provident Trophy, Durham are now right behind leaders Yorkshire, and with a match in hand, in the race for the County Championship.
Durham, without England stars Steve Harmison and Paul Collingwood, closed the gap by beating Worcestershire at Chester-le-Street. Yorkshire were not in action.
Zimbabwean Graeme Hick’s Worcestershire are relegated, while Somerset have been promoted from Division 2 following a 299-run victory over Glamorgan at Taunton. Ant Botha, the South African left-arm spinner, has quit Derbyshire with immediate effect and joined Warwickshire. – John Hughes
Chess Grandmaster first
ZAMBIA’S chess sensation Amon Simutowe has become the first Grandmaster in southern Africa. He earned his GM norm last week in Holland when he won the Max Euwe Memorial tournament in a star-studded field with veterans like Oscar Panno, Fridrik Olafsson and Graprindashvil. He becomes the fourth GM in Africa.
Simutowe’s name is known in the Zimbabwe chess circles for dominating the Zimbabwe Open, taking it from our own Robert Gwaze.
Gwaze and Watu Kobese are likely to be the next southern African GMs.
Currently, Simutowe is on a chess scholarship at the university of Dallas, Texas in the US. In the US he plays GMs like Hikaruand Shabalov.
He is also among the favourites at the Africa Chess Championships currently underway in Namibia. – Victor Chimbamu
Heath Streak to retire
FORMER Zimbabwe captain and English cricket club’s Warwickshire all-rounder Heath Streak will retire from county cricket at the end of the season.
“It’s been a difficult decision to call time on my career here in England,” the 33-year-old told BBC sport.
“Edgbaston is a special place to play and I am proud to have been able to call myself a Bear.
“I still intend to maintain an involvement in cricket in some capacity whilst travelling less and spending more time with my family.”
Chief executive Colin Povey said: “Streaky has been a magnificent ambassador for the game and has always given his all for the club.”
Streak, who made his Warwickshire debut in 2004 and became captain in 2005, has taken 102 wickets and scored 1,130 runs so far during his time at Edgbaston. – Own Correspondent
Soccer’s immigration woes
HARARE – Shooting Stars Football Club’s Zambian striker Clive Mwale, who had been given until 31August to regularise his stay in the country by Immigration officials, heaved a sigh of relief after beating the deadline to pay the US$500 government required to renew his work permit. Mwale’s work permit expired on 31 August, with the player not having applied for its renewal or extension. Mwale’s work permit has been extended until December 31, 2007.
In another case, Warriors coach, Rahman Gumbo, was on Friday instructed to immediately stop working for Malawi football giants MTL Wanderers as that country’s Immigration Department confiscated his travel documents. Chief Immigration Officer Elvis Thodi told local media on Saturday that they have asked Gumbo to leave the country. “The Temporary Employment Permit must be processed while he is in his country (Zimbabwe). The gentleman must go back home,” said Thodi. Gumbo, who joined the Malawi side last year, reportedly applied for a permit on August 6 this year, when he was already in the country. – CAJ News