David Gourlay is only one match away from making a record sixth final appearance in eight years at the BUPA Open when he lines up in the semi-finals at Sheffield today, writes Anne Dunwoodie. He meets Kelvin Kerkow with both players flying the Australian flag. Kerkow is based in Elenora, Queensland, while the Scots-born Gourlay, awaiting Australian citizenship, plays from the Mount Lewis Club in Sydney. The other semi will be an all-English affair between Greg Harlow and Les Gillett.

Gourlay, who has won the title on three occasions since 1998, was in superb form against the Welshman John Price yesterday, cruising home to win 10-6, 10-1.

lThe U25 women's international trial will take place at the Aberdeen club tomorrow from noon to 4pm, and there will be at least three changes to last year's 16-player line-up.

Out of the team who finished second behind England at Bristol in January are East Lothian's Lauren and Leanne Baillie and Auchinleck's Carol Gemmel, who is beyond the age limit.

Ardrossan's Michelle Cooper and Mandy O'Donnell from Bainfield are missing from the trial. However, both are representing Scotland at the U18 Commonwealth Games in Bendigo and have a Commonwealth pre-event gathering but are expected to be named in the team proper.

Basketball

Steve Swanson, the Scottish Rocks coach, criticised his summer recruit, Nicky Bradford, after the American demanded his release from the Braehead outfit yesterday, writes Mark Woods.

The forward, who only joined the club six weeks ago, revealed he had accepted an offer to join the Icelandic side Keflavik and after a series of indifferent performances, the Rocks chief decided to let the disgruntled import walk away. ''It was a bit of a surprise,'' he said. ''I don't think he got it going here as well as he thought he would because he had high expectations. So he asked if he could leave and I felt it was best that I let him.''

Swanson moved to fill the void by signing the American-born Bryant Feggins in time to make his debut in tonight's trip to BBL champions Brighton Bears. The injury-prone forward, who has a Swedish passport, has spent time in Spain, New Zealand and Finland and has been passed fit to resume his career after a week's trial.

In the Scottish League, Grampian Flyers will go for a second win when they host Boroughmuir this afternoon while unbeaten Edinburgh Kings will look to keep up the pressure on leaders Falkirk when they host East Lothian tomorrow.

Boxing

Ricky Hatton will be an interested observer when the world's top two light-welterweights square off for the IBF title in Phoenix tonight, writes Mark Staniforth.

Hatton is next in line for a shot at either Kostya Tszyu or Sharmba Mitchell in the new year, politics permitting. Tszyu has not fought since his win over Jesse James Leija in January last year with shoulder injuries twice postponing his rematch with Mitchell. The pair clashed previously in February 2001 when Mitchell retired in round seven with an injured knee.

Hatton and his promoter Frank Warren are presumably hoping for a Tszyu victory to make their lives a little easier. They have already failed once to make a match with Mitchell after the American appeared on a Hatton undercard earlier this year.

Cycling

Kate Cullen made a solid start to her Great Britain career when she finished in 11th place in the 20 kilometre points race at the UCI World Cup in Moscow yesterday, writes Colin Renton. The event, which was run as a straight final because of the low entry, was won by the Ukrainian Lyudmyla Vypyraylo.

Cullen's GB colleague, Jacqui Marshall, finished one place ahead of the 27-year-old Scot, who will be also contest the scratch and keirin events.

Anglo Ross Edgar, the Newmarket-born rider who won Commonwealth Games bronze in the team sprint alongside Craig MacLean and Chris Hoy in Manchester two years ago, underlined his potential when he finished fifth behind Sergei Ruban of Russia in the keirin. The 21-year-old, who qualifies for Scotland through a father from Kilwinning, will be back in action in today's sprint.

Rob Hayles won the first British medal of the weekend when he clocked 4min 28.204sec to take silver in the individual pursuit behind the Ukranian Volodymyr Dyuda, who recorded a time of 4:26.473. The Sydney gold medallist Jason Queally won the kilometre time trial.

Golf

Euan Little cemented his place at the head of the field after the third round of the European Tour qualifying school stage two at Emporda near Girona in Spain yesterday, writes Nick Rodger.

The 28-year-old Scot, a two-time winner on the European Challenge Tour, carded a three-under-par 68 for a 16-under aggregate of 197 for a share of the lead going into today's final round. East Renfrewshire's David Orr stayed on course to qualify for next week's final with a 70 for 208 while the former Scottish Amateur champion and Walker Cup player Graham Rankin occupies the 29th and final qualifying spot on 209 with a round to go.

West Kilbride's Graham Fox, who was lying comfortably in the top ten at the start of the day, tumbled out of the qualifying zone after a damaging 75 left the former Scottish internationalist on 210. The Montrose amateur Graeme Brown also fell out of the top 29 with a 72 while Graham Gordon, the 2003 Scottish Amateur champion, is three shots outside the cut-off mark on 212 after a 71.

At the El Bosque Country Club near Valencia, Edinburgh's David Patrick continued his steady progress with a two-under 70 for a seven-under 209 and a share of 14th place, five behind joint leaders Matthew Woods and Marcus Higley. Murray Urqhuart and former Walker Cup player Marc Warren are well off the qualifying pace on 217.

Aberdeen's Greig Hutcheon slipped to a two-over 74 at the nearby Golf Oliva Nova club and although he shares seventh place in the clubhouse on 213, the former Scottish PGA champion could slip out of the qualifying places after half the field failed to complete their third rounds because of bad weather.

lStephen Gallacher, the 30-year-old Scot, has been named European Tour Golfer of the Month for October following his maiden European Tour victory in the dunhill links championship, writes Douglas Lowe. Other players considered included Ernie Els of South Africa, who made HSBC World Matchplay Championship history when he became the first player to win the event six times and Sergio Garcia of Spain, who won his fifth European Tour title in the Mallorca Classic.

Hockey

The Tayside challenge for the men's league title is faltering after last weekend's defeats of both Dundee Wanderers and Menzieshill, writes Mike Stanger. So Wanderers must take something from today's home fixture against second-placed Pro-Life Kelburne, who have been plagued by inconsistency. Against bottom side MIM at Bellahouston last week, Kelburne struggled to a 2-1 half-time lead, then crashed in seven goals in the second period.

The Grange bandwagon under coach Mike Gilbert is picking up points in consistent, if unspectacular, fashion. After their single-goal victory over Edinburgh University midweek, Grange leapfrogged Kelburne to the top of the table and look likely to stay there as today they play Menzieshill, who have lost their last three fixtures.

In the women's competition, the question is: after that defeat by a very average Grange side last Saturday, can En-Croute Western recover their confidence sufficiently to put pressure on Bonagrass Grove on Tayside?

A week ago, Western looked set to challenge their unbeaten rivals. But the pendulum has swung strongly in favour of Grove, who have a superior goal difference and a game in hand against Grange. Only the return of the international striker Sam Judge gives any cause for Western optimism.

Rowing

This weekend's action takes place on the water in London today and off the water at Strathclyde Park tomorrow, writes Mike Haggerty. Four Scottish clubs - Aberdeen University, Clyde, Dundee University and Edinburgh University - are among the 500-plus flotilla taking part in this morning's Fuller's Head of the River Fours, held over the four-and-a-quarter-mile University Boat Race stretch of the Thames between Putney and Mortlake.

At home, the Scottish Amateur Rowing Association stages its annual general meeting of clubs tomorrow, within the national Rowing Academy at Strathclyde Park.

Sailing

Four Britons take on solo sailing's biggest and toughest challenge, the Vendee Globe, which starts tomorrow from Les Sables d'Olonne in France, writes Andi Robertson.

The race has grown since the 2001 edition which, although won by Michel Desjoyeux, made Ellen MacArthur a household name when she finished second less than 24 hours behind the Frenchman. Widely tipped for a first British win in the 26,000-mile race is the former Berkshire fireman Mike Golding, whose rig collapsed less than 24 hours into the 2001 race.

Nick Moloney, the Cowes-based Australian who sails for MacArthur's Offshore Challenges team, races MacArthur's former Kingfisher, while Plymouth's Conrad Humphreys races on Hellomoto and Gosport-based Alex Thomson competes on Hugo Boss.

Shinty

Lochaber, the club of the year, will seal a place in the Premier League today if they can see off Glenorchy at Taynuilt in the game of the day, writes Kenneth Stephen.

Angus Morrison's outfit, who famously knocked Kingussie out of the Camanachd Cup this season and also made the Balliemore final, could cap a superb campaign with the National League championship.

Lochaber are likely to be back at full strength while Glenorchy still harbour an outside chance of pipping them to the flag, despite being seven points adrift with a game in hand.

At the other end of the table, both Oban Celtic and Bute are in action in matches which could decide who drops from the National League. Celtic have to win against Glasgow Mid-Argyll at Mossfield and hope Bute drop points away to Glenurquhart.

Squash

Defeats for the world No.1 Lee Beachill and the former world champion Cassie Jackman ended home interest at yesterday's semi-final stage of the Harris British Open Championships in Nottingham, writes Elspeth Burnside.

Beachill lost a thrilling encounter to the defending champion David Palmer, from Australia, going down 11-8, 6-11, 10-12, 11-4, 11-9 after leading 5-2 in the decider. Jackman, last year's beaten finalist and still seeking a first British Open title, failed to make it through to her third final when she lost to Natalie Grainger, the American winning 9-1, 9-6, 1-9, 9-3.