ON THIS DAY
1949: Snooker player Alex Higgins was born. The Irishman was world champion in 1972 and 1982 but his career was overshadowed by controversy, including head-butting a referee at the UK Championship in 1986. A heavy drinker and smoker, Higgins was plagued by ill health for many years and died in July 2010 at the age of 61.
2001: Henrik Larsson scored a hat-trick as Celtic beat Kilmarnock 3-0 in the CIS Insurance Cup final despite having Chris Sutton sent off.
2003: Liverpool striker El Hadji Diouf escaped with a two-match ban after spitting at Celtic spectators. He later faced legal action.
2005: Sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou were cleared by the Greek Athletics Federation of deliberately missing drug tests on the eve of the 2004 Olympic Games.
2006: France's 21-16 win over Wales at the Millennium Stadium proved enough for Les Bleus to win the RBS 6 Nations title.
2007: Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer - a former England batsman - died after being found unconscious in his hotel room at the Cricket World Cup.
2008: Darrell Hair was reinstated as a Test umpire by the ICC, nearly two years after he officiated in the infamous Test between England and Pakistan at The Oval.
2012: With Fabrice Muamba in intensive care after suffering cardiac arrest in Bolton's game with Tottenham at White Hart Lane, their upcoming match at Aston Villa was postponed.
BIRTHDAYS
Ron Atkinson (soccer) - former Manchester United and Aston Villa manager, born 1939.
David Lloyd (cricket) - former England and Lancashire batsman and coach, now a commentator, born 1947.
Pat Eddery (racing) - former top flat racing jockey, born 1952.
Paul Elliott (soccer) - former Celtic, Chelsea and Aston Villa defender, born 1964.
Temuri Ketsbaia (soccer) - former Georgia international who played for Newcastle and Dundee, born 1968.
Shaun Udal (cricket) - former England, Hampshire and Middlesex off-spinner, born 1969.
Danny Murphy (soccer) - former England, Liverpool and Fulham midfielder, born 1977.
Willy Sagnol (soccer) - former France and Bayern Munich defender, born 1977.
Fabian Cancellara (cycling) - former world and Olympic time-trial champion from Switzerland, born 1981.
Timo Glock (motor racing) - former F1 driver, now racing in DTM, born 1982.
QUICK QUIZ BLITZ
(answers at bottom)
1. Newcastle, Manchester United, Blackburn, Fulham, Manchester City, Portsmouth, Birmingham City and Sunderland is the Premier League career path of which striker?
2. Rising tennis star Alexander Zverev is from which country?
3. The Stanley Cup is the end-of-season play-off tournament of which competition?
4. Who is the current Donegal hurling manager?
5. What was the year when Mayo last won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship?
SPORT ON TV
Today
GAA: Seo Spoirt - Dara O Cinneide presents a look ahead to the weekend's Six Nations and National Hurling League TG4 2030
SOCCER: Championship, Middlesbrough v Hull - Sky Sports 2 1900; Scottish Championship, Falkirk v Rangers - BT Sport 1 1915; Ligue 1, Marseille v Rennes - Setanta Sports Ireland 1915; MLS, TBC - Sky Sports 2305; Hyundia A League, Melbourne City v Brisbane Roar - BT Sport 1 0830
CRICKET: World Twenty20, Australia v New Zealand - Sky Sports 2 0900; World Twenty20, South Africa v England - Sky Sports 2 1300.
TENNIS: ATP Masters Tennis, Indian Wells - Sky Sports 5 1900; WTA Indian Wells - BT Sport 1 0200 (Saturday).
GOLF: European Tour, Indian Open - Sky Sports 4 0700; PGA Tour, Arnold Palmer Invitational - Sky Sports 4 1800.
RUGBY UNION: Aviva Premiership, Bath v Newcastle - BT Sport 2 1900; PRO12, Glasgow Warriors v Leinster - Sky Sports 3 1900; Super Rugby, Hurricanes v Force, Waratahs v Highlanders, Bulls v Sharks - Sky Sports 3 0630.
RUGBY LEAGUE: Super League, Leeds Rhinos v St Helens - Sky Sports 2 1930.
ATHLETICS: World Indoor Championships - BBC 2 0030 (Saturday) & Eurosport 2 1730.
MOTORSPORT: Formula One, Australian Grand Prix practice - Sky Sports F1 0245 (Saturday).
HORSE RACING: Cheltenham Festival - Channel 4 1235.
BASKETBALL: NBA, Dallas Mavericks v Golden State Warriors - BT Sport 2 0030 (Saturday).
TOMORROW
SOCCER: Premier League, Everton v Arsenal - BT Sport 1 1200; Premier League, Swansea City v Aston Villa - Sky Sports 1 1700; Scottish Premiership, Kilmarnock v Celtic - Sky Sports 3 1200; Championship, Derby v Nottingham Forest - Sky Sports 1 & 5 1200; Primera Division, Real Sociedad v Las Palmas - Sky Sports 5 1710; Primera Division, Deportivo La Coruna v Levante - Sky Sports 5 1925; Primera Division, Real Betis v Malaga Sky Sports 5 2130; Serie A, Empoli v Palermo - BT Sport 1 1715; Ligue 1, TBC - BT Sport 1 1900; Hyundai A League, Central Coast Mariners v Sydney FC - BT Sport 2 0615; Hyundai A League, Western Sydney Wanderers v Adelaide United - BT Sport 2 0830, Hyundai A League, Wellington Phoenix v Perth Glory - BT Sport 1 0400 (Sunday).
CRICKET: World Twenty20, India v Pakistan - Sky Sports 2 1330; Women's World Twenty20, India v Pakistan - Sky Sports 2 0955.
TENNIS: ATP Masters Tennis, Indian Wells - Sky Sports 3 1800.
GOLF: European Tour, Indian Open - Sky Sports 4 0700; PGA Tour, Arnold Palmer Invitational - Sky Sports 4 1630.
RUGBY UNION: Six Nations, France v England - BBC One 1920 and RTE 2 1930; Six Nations, Ireland v Scotland - ITV 1630 and RTE 2 1640; Six Nations, Wales v Italy BBC One 1400 and RTE 2 1400
ATHLETICS: World Indoor Championships - BBC 2 0000 (Sunday) & Eurosport 1 1800 & 2345.
MOTORSPORT: Formula One, Australian Grand Prix qualifying - Sky Sports F1 0600; Formula One, Australian Grand Prix - Sky Sports F1 0430.
CYCLING: Milan-San Remo - Eurosport 1 1345.
BASKETBALL: NBA, Charlotte Hornets v Denver Nuggets - BT Sport 1 2200.
Answers: 1. Andy Cole. 2. Germany. 3. NHL. 4 Ardal McDermott. 5. 1951
