Cricket: Ian Ward, the Sussex and former England batsman, has announced his retirement from first-class cricket. The 33-year-old, who won five Test caps in 2001, has decided not to see out the final two years of his Sussex contract and will concentrate on his television career with Sky Sports. Ward joined Sussex from Surrey last year in the hope of reviving his Test career but had an injury-hit 2005. He said: “I have really enjoyed my time at Sussex and the club have been very good to me. I am disappointed I wasn’t able to make more of a contribution this year.”

Ward has scored 8,527 first-class runs in 138 matches since being re-signed by Surrey in 1996, having been released by the county in 1992.

Lloyd’s relief

Darts: Colin Lloyd, the defending champion, came through a tense tussle with Tom Kirby, the local favourite, in the opening round of the Skybet World Grand Prix in Dublin last night. Kirby came back from two legs down in the final set, but Lloyd outscored his opponent in the fifth leg before finishing on a double 20 to complete a 2-1 win. Steve Beaton, a former world champion, advanced to the second round with an impressive 2-0 win over John Part, of Canada.

Midweek match

Boxing: Twenty years ago, nearly all big-time bouts took place midweek. Tonight, ITV2 takes a step back in time with coverage of Michael Jennings defending his British welterweight title against Bradley Pryce at the Guild Hall, Preston. Jennings won the title in style, knocking out Jimmy Vincent in one round in July. Pryce, 24, who is trained by Joe Calzaghe’s father, Enzo, is making his second attempt for the title, having been stopped by Neil Sinclair in Belfast in 2003.

Reading on road

Hockey: Reading, the five-times former champions, will travel to Old Loughtonians in the only all premier division match in the fourth round of the men’s English Cup. Nine non-EHL sides also feature in the draw, which pits Cannock, the holders, against St Albans.

Higgins blown out

Snooker: Alex Higgins, 56, who has not competed at the sport’s highest level since 1997, was beaten 5-2 by Gary Hardiman, a member of the host club, in the first round of the Victor Chandler Irish Professional Championship at the Spawell Sports & Leisure Centre, in Dublin, last night.

Simmons protest

Cricket: Phil Simmons, the former Zimbabwe coach, yesterday contested a 24-hour deportation order served on him on Friday. The former West Indies batsman is arguing with Zimbabwe Cricket that his employment had not been ended properly.

Axe falls after loss

Rugby union: Only four of the England players from the starting XV beaten 33-8 by the Black Ferns on Saturday remain for the second women’s international with New Zealand in Hamilton tomorrow. They include Jo Yapp and Karen Andrew, the half backs, and Kim Shaylor, the Worcester wing who has scored six tries on the tour.

Pam Orton

Netball: Pam Orton, vice-president of the All England Netball Association and a former international umpire, has died in Ipswich after a short illness. The funeral is at 11am tomorrow at the Parish Church in Elmsett, Ipswich.

Warren earns Woods meeting

Golf: Marc Warren, from Cambuslang in Lanarkshire, will find himself playing alongside the world’s leading players next month after booking his place in the HSBC Champions Tournament in China by winning the 2005 Challenge Tour. The 24-year-old topped the European Tour’s second-tier competition after the season-ending event in Italy at the weekend, earning him the right to join Tiger Woods and company in the Shanghai event.

“It’s going to be pretty special,” Warren said. “With guys like Tiger and Vijay Singh there it is going to be a brilliant chance to see what the difference is between players at that level and the level I have been playing at.”

Browne eyes title

Bowls: Barry Browne, of Co Antrim, will represent Ireland in the WBT World Indoor Singles Championship in Norfolk in January, while Ian McClure and Jeremy Henry, the 2004 world champions, came through the Irish play-offs to secure a place in the field for the pairs.