hockey

Gordon Shepherd, Scotland women's coach, will make changes for tonight's third Test against South Africa at Titwood and it will means international debuts for Edinburgh University's Sarah Robertson and the Grove Menzieshill pair Kerry Hall and goalkeeper Nicki Cochrane, writes Craig Madden. Shepherd set out to give playing time to all 23 players in his training squad, including the seven new caps. There will also be recalls for experienced players Ali Bell, Kat Cameron and Kareena Marshall.

The Scots, minus their GB players Laura Bartlett, Emily Maguire, Abi Walker and Vikki Bunce, drew 2-2 with London Olympics-bound South Africa in the opening game, but lost the second 2-1. "I'm relatively happy with these results against a country six places above us in the international rankings; you can't expect youngsters to play at the same level of intensity as experienced players," said Shepherd.

n Great Britain men must win against New Zealand in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia today if they are to reach the final on Sunday. Although they are three places behind Jason Lee's charges in the international rankings, New Zealand lead the way after three rounds of matches.

cricket

Fraser Watts, Scotland's most experienced player, is out of Saltires' CB40 double header against Hampshire and Surrey next week because of work commitments, writes William Dick. The selectors will name a replacement for Watts, who recently reached the 200-cap landmark, later this week and the front runners are the Watsonians batsman Ewan Chalmers and the Warwickshire youngster Freddie Coleman.

ICE HOCKEY

Todd Dutiaume, the 29-year-old player-coach and long-time club servant, confirmed yesterday that he will lead Fife Flyers into their second season in the Elite League, writes Nigel Duncan. He has taken time to make the decision following the tragic death of his wife and unborn twins earlier this year. Winnipeg-born Dutiaume, who has been with Fife for eight seasons, said: "The directors and I have had good discussions about this season and where we want to take the team and I am already excited."

sailing

Ruairidh Scott, the Tarbert man who won the prestigious Scottish Series Trophy overall prize in 2003, returns to his native waters later this week to contest the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Series Regatta, writes Kathy May.

Now based near Southampton, the sail-maker and pro sailor will race in IRC Class 3 as tactician on Grant Gordon's successful south of England-based J97 Fever Glenfiddich.

"We have won the national championships and were second at Cowes with the boat and we feel we are pretty competitive, though we know the other J97s have been well sailed," said Scott. "It is always a pleasure to be back at Tarbert." He and the Fever crew will face a number of former Scottish Series champions, not least last year's winning boat, the J97 Jackaroo of Jim and Steve Dick.

Three J97s will contest the class, including the Clyde helm Iain Laidlaw, assisted by sail-maker Chris Owen, who was a close second to the Fever crew at the recent Savills Kip Regatta, the warm-up event. Though the J97s finished 1,2,3 at Kip, they might not have it their own way on Loch Fyne – racing starts on Friday and finishes on Monday – as Cork's Anthony O'Leary, the overall winning skipper in 2004 and '06, will renew a rivalry with Scott which goes back more than 12 years. O'Leary races his modified 1720 Sportsboat under IRC handicap. Also involved in a virtual champion of champions class is Howard Morrison, past commodore of Clyde Cruising Club, organisers of the Scottish Series. It is 21 years since he won the series trophy on Ufor, his UFO31.

Grant Gordon is another Scottish owner who has raced a number of yachts called Fever from their Solent base. He chooses key regattas each year outwith English waters and returns this year to Tarbert, one of his personal favourites. Jim Dick, the current champion, will cannot compete on board his 2011 winning boat because he has an arm injury, while his winning skipper-helm Hamish Mackay has commitments elsewhere.

SNOOKER

Scotland's Fraser Patrick is one win away from securing a two-year World Snooker tour card following his third final-frame victory at Qualifying School No.3 in Sheffield yesterday, writes Lorin McDougall. He has now edged out John Astley, Kacper Filipiak and Lee Spick 4-3 to set up a winner- takes-all clash with either Michael Wasley or Allan Taylor.

SPEEDWAY

Craig Cook, the 25-year-old Edinburgh Monarchs rider who turned out for Manchester-based Belle Vue Aces, yesterday said he would jump at the chance of racing in the Elite League again, writes Nigel Duncan. The Cumbria-based rider scored 28 out of a possible 30 points in the meetings as Monarchs beat Rye House Rockets to reach the Knockout Cup quarter-final where they will play Glasgow Tigers.