The British squash star won his third World Championship title, defeating Gregory
Gaultier in the final of the Men’s World Open Squash Championship in
Manchester. He joins the pantheon of all-time squash greats, Australian
Geoff Hunt; Pakistanis Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan; and Egyptian Amr
Shabana – who have three world titles.
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98) Barry Davies still going strong at Wimbledon
Still one of the best commentators in the business, still a mystery as to why
he has been marginalised. But hearing him pop up on Wimbledon is a nice
summer treat for fans of warm, enthusiastic but measured sports broadcasting.
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97) Charlie Appleby re-established the Godolphin name after doping shame
The trainer has 200 horses under his wing, but more than that, he was charged
with restoring the reputation of Godolphin after the doping scandal at
Moulton Paddocks stables in Newmarket. He has delivered for Sheikh Mohammed
on all fronts.
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96) Ryan Giggs turned 40
Made his debut at 17 in the 1990-1991 season and is still going strong for
Manchester United at age 40. You could argue whether United’s problems are
typified by playing a 40-year-old and a centre half in the centre of
midfield, but nobody can argue against the sustained brilliance and freakish
fitness of the man with 668 league games for Man United.
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95) The Ashes heroes who were caught short
One of cricket’s most revered temples was turned into an impromptu latrine by
England’s Ashes winners back in the summer as they went for a pee on the
Oval pitch during beery celebrations. Seized upon by Aussie media, many of
whom seemed in danger of wetting themselves, as evidence of the England
team’s disrespectful attitude to the game.
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94) Guan Tianlang became the youngest player to make the cut at a Major
China’s Guan qualified for the 2013 Masters Tournament by winning the 2012
Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Thailand and, in April, became the
youngest player to make the cut at a major, aged just 14 years and five
months. He played a practice round with Tiger Woods prior to the tournament;
Woods said: “It’s frightening to think that he was born after I won my
first Masters.”
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93 The Special One returned
They say you should never go back, but what does Jose Mourinho care what they
think? Rafa Benitez was only keeping the seat warm for Mourinho, who took
over in June and has seemed (by his own highly charismatic and dynamic
standards) rather muted in his second spell at Stamford Bridge. Who knows
how long this second coming will last?
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92) New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez was suspended for 211 games for drug use
One of the most widely disliked players in MLB history, A-Rod was just one of
13 players suspended for their part in the Biogenesis human growth hormone
scandal, but the fact that he has been a) such a big name and b) such an
unpopular bloke, made it all about him. He has been given a 211-game ban,
but is appealing. Amusingly said after first hearing: “We crushed it.”
This turned out to be somewhat wide of the mark.
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91) David Warner’s brother abused Shane Watson on Twitter
It seems that being a bit of an oaf runs in the family, as David Warner’s
brother Steven took to Twitter to have a pop at Shane Watson when the
Australian batsman wasted, as Steven saw it, a DRS review during the Ashes.
“F****** selfish Watson the sooner you are out if [sic] the side you
great pretender the better.” Also tweeted the brilliant suggestion that
“Mickey Warner was an escape goat [sic, again]”. Warner Brothers: you
would not have them on your quiz team.
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90) Songezo Jim became the first black South African to cycle in World Tour
The Cape Town cyclist, who only learned to ride a bike at the age of 14, took
part in the Milan-San Remo cycle race and thus became the first black South
African to ride a tour event. Said that the race was “the coldest I
have ever been on a bicycle”.
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89) Adrian Lewis and Phil Taylor played the greatest darts match ever
The November William Hill darts Grand Prix paired the sport’s big two in a
semi-final of incredible quality. The pair totalled 32 180s in a classic
that Taylor won 16-9. Lewis hit 18 maximums and lead by 8-7 before Taylor
produced eight legs in a row to turn it around. Both players were actually
laughing as they played, so ridiculous was the standard.
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88) Paul Scholes retired
Played his last competitive game at Old Trafford (in Sir Alex’s final match)
and left the field when substituted with a brilliantly Scholes-ish slightly
embarrassed, very understated clap and trot as the crowd chanted his name.
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87) Ben Stokes went from zero to Ashes hero
Hero might be a bit of a strong term to apply to a player part of a side 0-3
down with two to play, but the performance of Ben Stokes has been the sole
bright spot of England’s tour Down Under so far. Defiant Perth century was
England’s best moment of the series so far, enforcing the impression that
England have found a highly promising all-rounder – it’s a big turn around
from a year ago, when he was sent home from a Lions tour for bad behaviour.
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86) Will Smith took the worst penalty since Diana Ross
The Hollywood star, producer, rapper and actor is traditionally described as
being “multi-talented”. It’s fair to say that taking football
penalties is not among those many attributes. A promotional tour of London
coincided with the Champions League final, and Smith was lured to Wembley
Park for the chance to slot a few past Edwin Van Der Sar. More air shot than
Fresh Prince…
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85) Sarah Taylor made a stunning Ashes catch
Correctly anticipating that Aussie batter Jodie Fields was going to attempt a
reverse sweep off the bowling of Dani Hazell, the England keeper moved
smartly to her right. The Australian connected solidly with the shot but
Taylor was able to leap across and pull off a miracle catch to the delight
of the Hove crowd.
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84) Lawrence Okoye was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers
The British discus record holder (a useful rugby player as a youngster)
completed one of sport’s most remarkable career-switches when he declared
his intentions to play in the NFL. He was signed on April 27 by the San
Francisco 49ers, although he sadly picked up an injury and has yet to play
for the West Coast side.
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83) Ronnie O’Sulivan won World Title having been semi retired
Snooker wouldn’t be snooker without Ronnie having tantrums, deciding that he’s
done with the sport and generally threatening to take his ball away. This
year was no different, with the genius picking and choosing his events in a
way that incurred the wrath of the sport’s governing body. Did decide to
play at The Crucible, where he won his fifth World Title, and setting a
record for century breaks in a final. Will he play next year? Who knows?
Certainly not Ronnie.
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82) Henrik Stenson charged up the golf rankings
In golf, 2013 was the year of the Iceman. Has enjoyed 13 top 10 finishes and
has moved from 61st in the world into 3rd, the highest-ever rank for a
Swedish golfer. Finished runner-up at The Open and looks good value to go
one better than that at a Major soon.
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81) Steve Darcis: Knocked Rafael Nadal out of Wimbledon in first round
Before this year’s Wimbledon, the only question most non-tennis experts would
have asked about Steve Darcis was “who?” But the Belgian announced
himself to the world in June when he beat the great Spaniard in straight
sets, the first player to beat him in the first round of a Major. Pulled out
before the second round, though, with a shoulder injury sustained in his
heroic underdog win.
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Tomorrow 80-61
Wednesday 60-41
Thursday 40-21
Friday 20-1