2005 sporting highs and lows

LONDON – Confounding the odds in the finest traditions of schoolboy sporting fiction became commonplace in Britain during 2005.

* In May, Liverpool recovered from a 3-0 halftime deficit against AC Milan to win the European Cup on penalties in Istanbul. * In July, London was unexpectedly selected to host the 2012 Olympics ahead of Paris.* Then on a September day at the Oval in London, the England cricket team finally recaptured the Ashes from Australia after striving unavailingly since the 1986-7 series to beat their oldest enemy.* Billionaire owners made their mark in British soccer.American tycoon Malcolm Glazer took control of Manchester United, angering fans by imposing hundreds of millions of pounds worth of debt on the club.The spending power of Russian Roman Abramovich helped Chelsea to win the English League title for the first time in 50 years.* In Germany, referee Robert Hoyzer was jailed for two years and five months for rigging games in return for payment in a scandal which deeply embarrassed authorities preparing to host the World Cup.* Brazilian forward Ronaldinho, who guided Barcelona to the Primera Liga title, was named European Footballer of the Year and has been tipped to retain Fifa’s World Player of the Year title on December 19.He also took the inaugural FIFPro World Player of the Year trophy awarded by his fellow professionals.Brazil were dominant in South America, finishing top of the two-year, 10-team, 18-match World Cup qualifying marathon.* Tens of thousands of fans gathered in the rain in Belfast to pay their final respects to former Northern Ireland and Manchester United winger George Best who died in November after years of heavy drinking.* In cricket, the outcome of the 2005 Ashes series, acclaimed as the greatest in history, hung in the balance until the final afternoon of the five-test series.Shane Warne proved he is not just the best leg spinner ever but probably the best bowler of any type as he bowled throughout the day.* Australia’s rugby union team, World Cup finalists two years ago, lost eight out of nine games.Coach Eddie Jones was a predictable victim and Wallaby captain George Gregan, who won a record 115th cap in the loss against France, is likely to join him in the wilderness.* In the Australian Open tennis, Russian Marat Safin harnessed his talent and controlled his temper to end Roger Federer’s grand slam dream before it had started.Federer then succumbed to Spanish teenager and eventual champion Rafael Nadal on clay in the semi-finals of the French Open.* The Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, refocused after the distractions of recent of years to win a grand slam each.Croatia beat the Slovak Republic 3-2 to win the Davis Cup for the first time.* Tiger Woods missed the cut at the Byron Nelson event in May after a record 142-tournament streak but otherwise his revised swing was in good order with wins in the Masters and the British Open golf.A typical late charge was not enough to prevent New Zealand’s Michael Campbell winning the US Open and Phil Mickelson took the US PGA.* Fernando Alonso took over from Michael Schumacher as the world Formula One champion, winning the title in Brazil after the longest season in history comprising 19 races.He celebrated again in Shanghai when he gave Renault their first constructors’ title.* Lance Armstrong extended his winning record in the Tour de France to seven consecutive victories but was then embroiled in one of the drugs controversies which continue to haunt cycling.* Athletics, another sport plagued by dope busts, welcomed a new 100 metres world record holder in Jamaican Asafa Powell.Powell reduced Tim Montgomery’s world record by a hundredth of a second to 9.77 seconds but missed the Helsinki world championships because of injury.* The All Blacks then beat Wales, Ireland, England and Scotland on successive weekends to complete only their second grand slam.-Nampa-Reuters* In July, London was unexpectedly selected to host the 2012 Olympics ahead of Paris.* Then on a September day at the Oval in London, the England cricket team finally recaptured the Ashes from Australia after striving unavailingly since the 1986-7 series to beat their oldest enemy.* Billionaire owners made their mark in British soccer.American tycoon Malcolm Glazer took control of Manchester United, angering fans by imposing hundreds of millions of pounds worth of debt on the club.The spending power of Russian Roman Abramovich helped Chelsea to win the English League title for the first time in 50 years.* In Germany, referee Robert Hoyzer was jailed for two years and five months for rigging games in return for payment in a scandal which deeply embarrassed authorities preparing to host the World Cup.* Brazilian forward Ronaldinho, who guided Barcelona to the Primera Liga title, was named European Footballer of the Year and has been tipped to retain Fifa’s World Player of the Year title on December 19.He also took the inaugural FIFPro World Player of the Year trophy awarded by his fellow professionals.Brazil were dominant in South America, finishing top of the two-year, 10-team, 18-match World Cup qualifying marathon.* Tens of thousands of fans gathered in the rain in Belfast to pay their final respects to former Northern Ireland and Manchester United winger George Best who died in November after years of heavy drinking.* In cricket, the outcome of the 2005 Ashes series, acclaimed as the greatest in history, hung in the balance until the final afternoon of the five-test series.Shane Warne proved he is not just the best leg spinner ever but probably the best bowler of any type as he bowled throughout the day.* Australia’s rugby union team, World Cup finalists two years ago, lost eight out of nine games.Coach Eddie Jones was a predictable victim and Wallaby captain George Gregan, who won a record 115th cap in the loss against France, is likely to join him in the wilderness.* In the Australian Open tennis, Russian Marat Safin harnessed his talent and controlled his temper to end Roger Federer’s grand slam dream before it had started.Federer then succumbed to Spanish teenager and eventual champion Rafael Nadal on clay in the semi-finals of the French Open.* The Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, refocused after the distractions of recent of years to win a grand slam each.Croatia beat the Slovak Republic 3-2 to win the Davis Cup for the first time.* Tiger Woods missed the cut at the Byron Nelson event in May after a record 142-tournament streak but otherwise his revised swing was in good order with wins in the Masters and the British Open golf.A typical late charge was not enough to prevent New Zealand’s Michael Campbell winning the US Open and Phil Mickelson took the US PGA.* Fernando Alonso took over from Michael Schumacher as the world Formula One champion, winning the title in Brazil after the longest season in history comprising 19 races.He celebrated again in Shanghai when he gave Renault their first constructors’ title.* Lance Armstrong extended his winning record in the Tour de France to seven consecutive victories but was then embroiled in one of the drugs controversies which continue to haunt cycling.* Athletics, another sport plagued by dope busts, welcomed a new 100 metres world record holder in Jamaican Asafa Powell.Powell reduced Tim Montgomery’s world record by a hundredth of a second to 9.77 seconds but missed the Helsinki world championships because of injury.* The All Blacks then beat Wales, Ireland, England and Scotland on successive weekends to complete only their second grand slam.-Nampa-Reuters