Smith passed Stewart, but crossed the yellow line in doing so. Photograph: Jerry Markland/Getty Images for Nascar
Tony Stewart was the second driver to cross the line but still claimed his first win of the season at the Talladega Superspeedway.
With two crashes having depleted the field, Stewart led after the final restart but was challenged in [...]

Kevin Keegan has been unhappy with Newcastle’s failure to attract key signings. Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
Kevin Keegan’s reign at Newcastle has come to an abrupt end after meetings with club owner Mike Ashley today, according to Guardian sources.
After making his unhappiness with the club’s failure to sign three or four major targets this summer [...]

Mikael Lundberg on his way to his second Russian Open victory. Photograph: Ian Walton/Getty Images
Mikael Lundberg became the Russian Open champion for the second time in four years as he held off the field with a final round of 68 in Moscow.
Although the challenge of Englishman Jamie Moul faltered in the final round Jose Manuel [...]

Flintoff will replace Paul Collingwood. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images
Andrew Flintoff will make his first Test appearance for England in 18 months in the second Test against South Africa at Headingley, captain Michael Vaughan has confirmed.
Vaughan stated that Flintoff will bat at No7, though he could not confirm who he would replace, as the final [...]

Faustino Asprilla: a hero or a villain for the Magpies? Photograph: Mark Thompson/Allsport/Getty Images
Football’s essence is its simplicity - 22 men, an inflated pig’s bladder, an inflated ego with a whistle - but, as Leslie Grantham would tell you, sometimes a strength can also be a weakness. People rush to form straightforward opinions, to eschew [...]

Rivaldo - the greatest since Maradona? Photograph: Nuno Correira/Getty Images/Allsport
A common, if slightly cringeworthy, observation of pundits in this country is that, if you could marry British will with continental skill, you would have the perfect footballer. Such a mixed recipe was thrillingly in evidence in Diego Maradona. Since then, however, perhaps only Rivaldo has [...]

An eye injury may rule Andrew Sheridan out of second Test. David Rogers/Getty Images.
Andrew Sheridan is a doubt for England’s second Test against the All Blacks after suffering a cut above an eye during his side’s chastening defeat in Auckland.
The Sale prop will have further tests tomorrow to determine whether the injury, sustained during [...]

Bryan Robson celebrates his goal against Holland. Photograph: Bob Thomas/Getty
Footballers pride themselves on taking one game at a time, but it is impossible to review their performances in such a way. All act as details on a bigger picture, from which judgement is made. If they didn’t, Avram Grant would still have a job, and [...]