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Flintoff to retire from Test cricket

Author: Rose Young
Date: 16/07/2009

Andrew Flintoff will retire from Test cricket at the end of the current Ashes series.

The 31-year-old has been ravaged by a series of injuries in the last few years and is currently battling to overcome a knee problem in time to feature in the second Test against Australia that is scheduled to start at Lord's on Thursday.

"My body has told me it's time to stop," admitted the Lancastrian all-rounder.

"I've been through four ankle operations, I had knee surgery just a couple of months ago and had three jabs in my knee on Monday just to get me right for this Test, so I took that as my body telling me that I can't cope with the rigours of Test cricket."

Meanwhile, sportsbook favourites Australia will definitely be without Brett Lee as the experienced seamer has failed to recover from a side strain which forced him to miss the first Test.

In football, Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor is reported to be on the verge of becoming the latest big-name signing made by Manchester City.

City boss Mark Hughes confirmed that negotiations with the Gunners over their Togo striker had been held during the press conference to unveil another new signing in Carlos Tevez on Tuesday.

Reports claim that Adebayor was in Manchester on Tuesday attempting to secure a work permit and could be unveiled as a City player in time to be on Wednesday's flight to South Africa for a pre-season tour.

Hughes has also urged John Terry to consider 'a different challenge' by swapping Chelsea for Eastlands.

Terry's future has been the subject of intense speculation in recent weeks following two unsuccessful bids from the ambitious Citizens.

How will Manchester City fare in the Premier League next season? - Latest Football Betting

Meanwhile, Aston Villa are believed to have had a £12million bid for England winger Stewart Downing accepted by Middlesbrough while Hull City have agreed a £5million fee with Fulham to sign striker Bobby Zamora.

Elsewhere, Burnley have completed the signing of Manchester United defender Richard Eckersley. The 20-year-old has agreed a four-year contract with the newly-promoted Premier League side after turning down a new deal at Old Trafford.

In golf, Colin Montgomerie has accused Sandy Lyle of undermining his chances of winning the Open Championship in the escalating row between the pair.

Lyle has apologised to Montgomerie after an interview he gave during last week's Scottish Open reopened the cheating storm which surrounded the former European Tour number one at the Indonesian Open in 2005.

Lyle claimed Montgomerie's controversial drop in Jakarta was "a form of what you would call cheating". He has since said sorry but Montgomerie has labelled his apology as "strange".

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