SPORTS BAG

LOUD-MOUTH HAYE British heavyweight boxer David Haye is coming out of retirement again and I suppose he’ll be bringing his mouth with him! Does boxing really need this?

Arthur Bell

Bangkok EUROPA DOMINATION England could dominate this season’s Europa League. Liverpool, who are among the favourites, have advanced to the knockout stages and could be joined by the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea.

James Morrison

Bangkok NO TO CRICKET DIVISIONS A correspondent suggested recently that perhaps it is time to divide those countries playing international cricket into two divi- sions, which would benefit the less strong nations, i.e. Ireland, Scotland, Holland and the UAE, by providing them with more opportunities for competitive matches at the highest level. However, it is puzzling that he believes that Pakistan and Bangladesh, who he places in “Division 2”, should be denied playing against those in “Division 1” — Australia, West Indies, England, India, New Zealand and South Africa — due to the fact that at present they are unable to play on home soil for security reasons, playing their “home” matches in the UAE. Sri Lanka would likewise be denied as he feels that they “still have issues”.

It is difficult to understand the logic of this idea. Not only would those who have the honour to represent their country be denied the chance to play those in “Division 1” but the cricket-loving public who follow the game throughout the world would be similarly denied. And it looks like being a very long time before the security issues are solved, the world being in such turmoil. Of those he places in “Division 2”, only Holland, Scotland and the UAE do not already play at international level, other than the occasional one-off game, so there seems little advantage in taking up this idea anyway.

The Bounder

Rayong