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General Sports News

Strauss calms KP storm

Author: Sir David Smith
Date: 30/03/2009

England cricket captain Andrew Strauss has tried to quell the growing storm surrounding team-mate Kevin Pietersen's recent actions and comments.

Pietersen had asked to be allowed time off form the tour of the West Indies, before admitting to being 'at the end of his tether'.

He then added to the media frenzy by laying into Windies stalwart Shivnarine Chanderpaul and accusing colleague Samit Patel of being 'fat and lazy'.

However, Strauss said after victory on the fourth ODI in Barbados: "I've had a chat to him about what he said and I think it's completely dealt with as far as we're concerned.

"I don't think anything he said was in a malicious manner and we move on from there and hopefully lessons have been learned."

In football, Netherlands midfield ace Rafael van der Vaart has denied reports suggesting that he is close to agreeing a move to Chelsea from Real Madrid.

The 26-year-old has struggled to make his mark at the Bernabeu since his switch from Hamburg last summer, but van der Vaart insists that he is focused on matters in hand with Real.

Meanwhile, Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon has again admitted that he may consider leaving the club to try and safeguard his international future with Scotland.

The 26-year-old has not featured for the Black Cats since early February, having lost his starting spot to Marton Fulop following an injury.

In the rugby union world, Wasps' director of rugby Ian McGeechan has again given fly-half Danny Cipriani hope of a British Lions call-up.

Cipriani impressed in the 19-14 weekend defeat to Saracens, having missed much of the current campaign due to an ankle injury.

McGeechan offered his support to Cipriani following his latest display, although he added that the talented youngster still needs to improve further.

He said: "We'll have to see a bit more, but that was comfortably the best game I've seen Danny play since he's come back.

"That was pretty close to where he was last year before he got injured and I can't give him any higher praise than that."

The world of golf again marvelled at the feats of sportsbook favourite Tiger Woods, who took the honours at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, having only recently returned to action following knee surgery.

Woods said after his success: "To feel the heat on the back nine on Sunday like that, to have to make a putt at 14 to save par and to make that putt on the last, those are good times.

"It feels good to be back in contention again and to feel the rush and to have to deal with everything coming down the stretch."

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