Stage 11 result:

1. Mark Cavendish (GB/Team Columbia) 4 hours 17 minutes 55 seconds
2. Tyler Farrar (US/Garmin) "
3. Yauheni Hutarovich (Bel/FdJ) "
4. Oscar Freire (Spa/Rabobank) "
5. Thor Hushovd (Nor/Cervelo Test Team) "
6. Leonardo Duque (Col/Cofidis) "
7. Gerald Ciolek (Ger/Milram) "
8. Lloyd Mondory (Fra/AG2R) "
9. William Bonnet (Fra/BBox Bouygues Telecom) "
10. Nikolai Trussov (Rus/Katusha ) "

Selected others:

34. Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita/AG2R) "
38. Bradley Wiggins (GB/Garmin) "
43. Alberto Contador (Spa/Astana) "
54. Lance Armstrong (USA/Astana) "
151. Charlie Wegelius (GB/Silence) + 34 seconds
165. David Millar (GB/Garmin) + 1 minute

Overall standings:

1. Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita/AG2R) 43 hours 28 minutes 59 seconds
2. Alberto Contador (Spa/Astana) + 06secs
3. Lance Armstrong (USA/Astana) + 08
4. Levi Leipheimer (USA/Astana) + 39
5. Bradley Wiggins (GB/Garmin) + 46

Selected others:

16. Carlos Sastre (Spa/Cervelo) + 2minutes 52secs
65. David Millar (GB/Garmin) + 28mins 18 secs
81. Charlie Wegelius (GB/Silence) + 36mins 14secs
134. Mark Cavendish (GB/Team Columbia) + 1hour 13mins 54 secs

MAGNERS LEAGUE FIXTURE LIST 2009/10
The draft fixture list was unveiled this week for the 2009/10 Magners League season. The finer details as far as dates, kick off times and TV coverage are concerned have yet to be arranged. This year sees the introduction of play-off semi finals and a grand final for the championship title.

Week beginning Friday 4th September 2009:
Cardiff Blues vs Edinburgh (City Stadium)
Connacht vs Ospreys (Sportsground)
Newport Gwent Dragons vs Ulster (Rodney Parade)
Scarlets vs Leinster (Parc y Scarlets)
(N.B. The reigning champions, Munster, start their title defence by visiting Glasgow Warriors at Firhill).

Week beginning Friday 11th September 2009:
Glasgow Warriors vs Scarlets (Firhill)
Leinster v Newport Gwent Dragons (Royal Dublin Society)
Munster v Cardiff Blues (Venue to be confirmed)
Ospreys v Ulster (Liberty Stadium)

Week beginning Friday 18th September 2009:
Connacht v Cardiff Blues (Sportsground)
Newport Gwent Dragons v Glasgow Warriors (Rodney Parade)
Ospreys v Leinster (Liberty Stadium)
Scarlets v Munster (Parc y Scarlets)

Week beginning Friday 25th September 2009:
Cardiff Blues v Scarlets (City Stadium)
Munster v Newport Gwent Dragons (Venue to be confirmed)
Glasgow Warriors v Ospreys (Firhill)

Week beginning Friday 2nd October 2009:
Cardiff Blues v Glasgow Warriors (City Stadium)
Newport Gwent Dragons v Connacht (Rodney Parade)
Ospreys v Edinburgh (Liberty Stadium)
Ulster v Scarlets (Ravenhill)

Week beginning Friday 23rd October 2009:
Cardiff Blues v Ospreys (City Stadium)
Scarlets v Newport Gwent Dragons (Parc y Scarlets)

Week beginning Friday 30th October 2009:
Connacht v Scarlets (Sportsground)
Edinburgh v Newport Gwent Dragons (Murrayfield)
Leinster vs Cardiff Blues (Royal Dublin Society)
Ospreys v Glasgow Warriors (Liberty Stadium)

Week beginning Friday 4th December 2009:
Cardiff Blues v Connacht (City Stadium)
Newport Gwent Dragons v Leinster (Rodney Parade)
Ospreys v Munster (Liberty Stadium)
Scarlets v Edinburgh (Parc y Scarlets)

Week beginning Boxing Day 2009:
Cardiff Blues v Newport Gwent Dragons (City Stadium)
Scarlets v Ospreys (Parc y Scarlets)

Week beginning New Year's Day 2010:
Newport Gwent Dragons v Scarlets (Rodney Parade)
Ospreys v Cardiff Blues (Liberty Stadium)

Week beginning Friday 8th January 2010:
Connacht v Newport Gwent Dragons (Sportsground)
Edinburgh v Cardiff Blues (Murrayfield)
Munster v Scarlets (Venue to be confirmed)
Ulster v Ospreys (Ravenhill)

Week beginning Friday 19th February 2010:
Glasgow Warriors v Cardiff Blues (Firhill)
Leinster v Scarlets (Royal Dublin Society)
Ospreys v Connacht (Liberty Stadium)
Ulster v Newport Gwent Dragons (Ravenhill)

Week beginning Friday 5th March 2010:
Cardiff Blues v Leinster (City Stadium)
Edinburgh v Ospreys (Murrayfield)
Newport Gwent Dragons v Munster (Rodney Parade)
Scarlets v Ulster (Parc y Scarlets)

Week beginning Friday 26th March 2010:
Cardiff Blues v Ulster (City Stadium)
Edinburgh v Scarlets (Murrayfield)
Newport Gwent Dragons v Ospreys (Rodney Parade)

Week beginning Friday 2nd April 2010:
Glasgow Warriors v Newport Gwent Dragons (Firhill)
Ospreys v Scarlets (Liberty Stadium)
Ulster v Cardiff Blues (Ravenhill)

Week beginning Friday 16th April 2010:
Leinster v Ospreys (Royal Dublin Society)
Newport Gwent Dragons v Edinburgh (Rodney Parade)
Scarlets v Cardiff Blues (Parc y Scarlets)

Week beginning Friday 23rd April 2010:
Munster v Ospreys (Venue to be confirmed)
Newport Gwent Dragons v Cardiff Blues (Rodney Parade)
Scarlets v Connacht (Parc y Scarlets)

Week beginning Friday 7th May 2010:
Cardiff Blues v Munster (City Stadium)
Ospreys v Newport Gwent Dragons (Liberty Stadium)
Scarlets v Glasgow Warriors (Parc y Scarlets)

Week beginning Friday 14th May 2010:
Championship Play-Off Semi Finals

Friday 28th May 2010
Magners League Grand Final

Source: 'Cricinfo' - Andrew Flintoff to retire from test cricket after the Ashes.

Andrew Flintoff is widely expected to retire from test cricket at the end of the ashes summer. He was the pivotal player in the 2005 series, and this will come as a huge shock for England supporters.

The all-rounder has suffered badly with injuries since the last home series versus the Aussies, and has missed more than half of the test matches England have played since the 5th test at the Oval 4 years ago.

Cricinfo believes the Lancastrian will still make himself available for twenty20 cricket and one day internationls so all fans can still expect to see him in the three lions shirt.

Profile:

Full name Andrew Flintoff

Born December 6, 1977, Preston, Lancashire

Current age 31 years 221 days

Major teams England, Chennai Super Kings, ICC World XI, Lancashire

Nickname Freddie

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Right-arm fast

Height 6 ft 4 in

Education Ribbleton Hall High school

TEST MATCH BATTING AVERAGE: 31.69 TEST MATCH BOWLING AVERAGE: 32.51

Written By Gareth Joy

RHYL 0-4 FK PARTIZAN BELGRADE

A miserable night for the Lillywhites as the Serbian league and cup champions dominated on a rain-lashed Belle Vue pitch.

No wonder Belgrade arrived in North Wales as foregone favourites - an eyeopening free kick from Mladen Krstajic on 17 minutes was followed less than a minute later by Cordova Cleo's header from just outside the goalkeeper's box. Lamine Diarra's strike on half time was enough alone to secure the two-leg qualifier, which made Nenad Djordjevic's header on the 69th minute something of a bonus.

FAW technical director Osian Roberts, taking charge for Allan Bickerstaff, had told his players to go all out on their visitors and felt there was 'no point in sitting back and watching'. Clearly, he didn't quite estimate the power of FK enough. Only a display of phenonemal proportion at Stadion Partizana will keep Rhyl in the UEFA Champions League next Tuesday night.

SUBSTITUTES:

Rhyl - Lee Hunt on for Martin Williams, Mark Connolly on for Luke Sherbon
FK Partizan - Marko Jovanovic on for Nemanja Tovic, Milos Bugonovic on for Cleo

Written By Gareth Joy

Just when you thought things were beginning to fall into place for the new season at GAP Connah's Quay, manager Jim Hackett has ended his second spell as manager for the Deesiders after just 32 days. Hackett announced his departure after last night's 3-1 friendly defeat to a Chester City XI at Holywell Town's ground in order to become head coach of the English Schools' Foundation in Hong Kong for at least the next two years.

His first spell at guiding the Nomads came in the 2007/8 season (finishing a paltry 15th), before a takeover by incoming club owners GAP Personnel led to his sacking - a decision which 'shocked and outraged' many supporters (according to the Nomads' official website upon his reappointment). In came Steve O'Shaughnessy who led Quay to 9th before he left the club one season later, accusing the Nomads of a lack of ambition to win a spot in the Super 12. Hackett was back at the club and with the transfer window on the horizon, signed up ten players for this crucial season ahead, including Llandudno striker Chris Boulton - all this before announcing he wouldn't be at the club to see the first ball kicked in the 2009/10 Welsh Premier.

Where do Connah's Quay go now? Well, his replacement has been confirmed as Hackett's assistant during his first stint as boss - Andy Lee, probably one of the most successful managers to lead North West Counties side Congleton Town until a poor run of results led to his sacking two years ago. Back in Hackett's time (when he was managing league games), he oversaw an influx of Bears' players arriving on Deeside including Ben Alston, Tom Baker and Craig Jones, all of whom have committed to the new term ahead.

Lee makes a return visit to Congleton on Saturday 25th (3pm kick off) but in the meantime, his first game in charge will be against Llandyrnog United this Saturday (the venue is yet to be confirmed).