Alex Morrison has pulled the plug on his promotion at the Gorbals Leisure Centre a week today after suffering a string of call-offs, writes Jim Black. Having switched venues from the Kelvin Hall – the six-fight bill was originally scheduled for tonight – he has lost Scott Harrison, the former world champion; John Simpson, the former British and Commonwealth title holder, and Stephen Simmons, the Commonwealth Games bronze medallist. Then Craig McEwan, the Edinburgh middleweight who had been in line to replace Harrison on the top of the bill, also called off so that he can fight in Edinburgh next weekend.
Morrison said: "I have decided to postpone the show until the third week in January. My sponsors were happy for me to go ahead, but my heart wasn't in it, although I feel sorry for Jon Slowey and David Broffy who both sold a lot of tickets."
CRICKET
Josh Edwards, the Stirling County all-rounder and Saltires prospect, is "settling in well" on a Cricket Scotland Racionzer Scholarship in his native Australia, writes William Dick. Based in Brisbane, he is playing for Wynnum Manly and Andy Tennant, Saltires head of performance, said: "He started in fourth grade and has already worked his way up to second. We hope he can push on and make the first grade side. It's a really competitive environment and we're convinced that he will benefit from the experience."
Cycling
Three Scots will take to the boards with a host of world-class opponents at tonight's Revolution Meeting in Manchester, writes Colin Renton. Charline Joiner, the triple Scottish track champion, Kayleigh Brogan, the road and criterium title holder; and Eileen Roe, who posted several wins on the continent over the summer, will compete against a field brimming with top performers. Among their leading rivals will be the Dutchwoman Marianne Vos, the world and Olympic road race champion; Jo Rowsell, a member of the victorious Great Britain women's pursuit team in London; and Lizzy Armistead, who was runner-up to Vos in the road race.
Gymnastics
Scotland's Daniel Keatings returned to top-level competition after missing out on the Olympics when he helped Great Britain finished third-highest qualifier in the team event at the World Cup in Stuttgart, Germany, last night. Japan lead the way with 176.350 points, followed by Brazil (176.200) and Britain (175.300). Keatings' fellow-Scot Dan Purvis competes in the individual events today.
hockey
Glynhill Kelburne's bid to retain the title should receive a stern examination this weekend with back to back games against Grange and Inverleith in the Aberdeen Asset Management national league at Bellahouston, writes Craig Madden.
They are three points behind Grange, albeit with two games in hand, while Inverleith are nine points adrift, yet Harry Coles, Kelburne's manager, views the matches of equal importance to his side's aspirations. "Both sides have several good individual players capable of inflicting serious damage if given the opportunity, so we will have to be at our best for both games," he said.
Grange look the more likely to upset Kelburne's rhythm. The champions won the initial meeting between the pair last season 5-0, but Grange were 3-1 victors in the return.
Alan Forsyth, the Scotland striker, has notched 12 goals in six league outings for Kelburne, while Jonny Christie and new signing Ben Peterson are also rattling them in. Grange have been far from shy in front of goal themselves, though, with 37 in eight games – Cammie Fraser, from open play, and Rob Barr, from set pieces, are the main threats – although they have conceded 21 goals so far this season, in contrast to only six by Kelburne.
Inverleith's season has been beset by inconsistency – they lost six goals to Edinburgh University last weekend – and it would be a surprise if Stevie McCurry's side upset Kelburne.
ICE HOCKEY
Adam Walker will be back on the ice as Braehead Clan take on Hull Stingrays tonight (7pm) having been forced to sit out Thursday's victory on Humberside, writes Nigel Duncan. The Fife-born forward was sent to the dressing room by the referee before the game began because he was not listed on the team sheet. He watched Clan coast to a 7-2 win to avenge Sunday's 6-4 loss at the same venue.
Dundee CCS Stars will have their player/coach Jeff Hutchins calling the shots from the bench as they bid to end a four-game losing streak. He has been sidelined by a knock and misses out along with long-term injury victim Doug Krantz against Coventry Blaze, who head north after Paul Thompson, their coach, was yesterday given an undisclosed fine by the Elite League disciplinary committee following his conduct in a league match at Cardiff Devils on Sunday. "The fine relates to his conduct towards supporters," said a league spokesman.
SPEEDWAY
Edinburgh Monarchs yesterday signing the Australian Sam Masters thanks to a social network and the eagle-eyed son of a club director, writes Nigel Duncan. The 21-year- old, who was Premier League Riders' champion in 2011, recently finished 10th overall in the World Under-21 Championship and signed after having contacted Edinburgh offficials via Facebook. "I wrote on there a couple of days ago, but I didn't know if anyone had seen it," said the Australian. However, Gordon Campbell, son of Monarchs director John, alerted his father. Masters, who scored 14 points on his last visit to Armadale in October, arrives on loan from Somerset Rebels and hopes to double up by riding for Poole Pirates in the Elite League, having featured for Pirates as they just missed out on the title this year. "I'll still be based down in Somerset," he said. "I live with a good family there, although I'll be staying up in Edinburgh some of the time."
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