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General Sports News

Pietersen ruled out of Ashes

Author: Rose Young
Date: 23/07/2009

England's hopes of regaining The Ashes have been dealt a major blow after it was confirmed that Kevin Pietersen will play no more part in the series.

Pietersen has been forced to have surgery on the troublesome Achilles tendon injury which hampered him during the first two Tests against Australia.

He will be sidelined for at least six weeks, preventing him from featuring in the last three Tests of the series, which England currently lead 1-0.

Ian Bell or Robert Key are expected to come in to the team to replace the 29-year-old.

In football, former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has shocked the football world by taking up a role with Notts County, who have been installed as online betting favourites to win promotion from League Two.

The Swede has been appointed as the new director of football at the world's oldest football club, who only narrowly avoided relegation to the Blue Square Premier League last season.

Will Sven-Goran Eriksson be able to guide Notts County to promotion from League Two? - Latest Football Betting

France international Samir Nasri could return to action by the beginning of September, according to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

There had been fears that the 22-year-old could be sidelined for three months after picking up a leg injury during pre-season training.

Harry Redknapp does not know where rumours linking David Beckham with a move to Tottenham Hotspur have come from.

However, the former Portsmouth boss has confirmed that he would like to be reunited with Pompey striker Peter Crouch who has turned down the chance to move to Sunderland.

Meanwhile, Pompey insist there is no way that Sylvain Distin will be allowed to leave Fratton Park but accept that Crouch has played his last game for the club.

Javier Mascherano is keen to leave Liverpool and move to Spain, according to the Argentina international's agent.

The 25-year-old has been linked with Real Madrid and Barcelona this summer after growing 'tired of life in England'.

Mascherano has spent the last three years in the Premier League after initially joining West Ham United.

He featured in only seven matches for the Hammers before moving to Anfield in January 2007 and has gone on to be an integral part of Rafa Benitez's team, playing 90 matches for the Reds.

The Football Association has banned four footballers for up to a year following a betting scam that took place at the end of the 2007-08 season.

James Harris, David Mannix, Robert Williams and Andrew Mangan were all found guilty of betting on the outcome of the Accrington Stanley v Bury game on 3 May 2008.

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