HARRINGTON SLIP SLIDES AWAY OVER CLOSING HOLES Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh set up a showdown at the Wachovia Championship after moving into a joint lead at Charlotte in the early hours of yesterday morning. The pair moved ahead with Arron Oberholser after the second round at Quail Hollow, one shot ahead of Jason Bohn and Ted Purdy.

However, Padraig Harrington fell three shots behind after a dreadful finish. Woods, in his first event since the Masters more than three weeks ago, was nowhere near his best, but again showed he can contend without being on top form. He joined Singh (71) and Oberholser (69) at six-under 138, but for a while it looked like Harrington would end the day in front. The first-round leader made a poor start, three bogeys in the first four holes, but he fought back nicely with four consecutive birdies starting at the 10th, only to throw it all away at the end. He fell back into tie for the lead with a bogey at the tough par-three 17th, but much worse followed at the par-four 18th where he made a disastrous triple bogey to shoot 75 and fall three shots behind.

DABO PRESSES CHARGES AGAINST BARTON AFTER TRAINING ATTACK Manchester City star Ousmane Dabo has reported teammate Joey Barton to police after he allegedly attacked him during a training session, it was con"rmed yesterday. The 30-year-old France international required hospital treatment for injuries to his eye, nose and lip following the incident earlier this week. It is understood that Dabo has asked police to press charges against the player and a spokeswoman for Greater Manchester Police con"rmed that the incident had been reported to them, saying: "Greater Manchester Police has received a report from a 30-year-old man that he was assaulted. Inquiries are ongoing." Barton's training ground bust-up is the latest in a catalogue of controversial incidents.

WEATHER DRIVES McLARDY CLOSER TO ITALIAN VICTORY South African Andrew McLardy's hopes of a first European Tour title were given a huge boost yesterday just before he completed a brilliant inward 30 at the Italian Open in Milan. As the 33-year-old Zimbabwe-born player set the clubhouse target of 130, 14 under par, officials decided to cut the event to 54 holes because today's weather forecast was just too bad to risk going for four rounds.

Nearly nine hours were lost to rain on Friday and there was a further 90-minute delay yesterday morning. Many of the 156-strong field had still to start their second rounds when the decision was taken. However, the rather bizarre part of the announcement was that the leaders will not go out in the third round until lunchtime today, just before the likeliest time for the thunderstorms to arrive.

McLardy's second successive 65 did not look likely when he stood only seven under after eight holes, but he then birdied six of the next seven holes and added another on the last.

He was one ahead of big-hitting Spaniard Alvaro Quiros . . . he finished a 67 with a drive and eight-iron to seven feet for eagle on the 513-yard ninth . . . and Austrian Markus Brier.

CLASSY GLOUCESTER EASE THEIR WAY TO PREMIERSHIP FINAL Gloucester smashed Saracens 50-9 at sun-baked Kingsholm to move within one victory of their first Guinness Premiership title. The west country giants cruised into Saturday's Twickenham final against Leicester or Bristol by scoring seven unanswered tries and claiming their biggest victory of the season. Having finished top after the 22-game regular league season, Gloucester underlined their championship credentials through touchdowns from Peter Richards, Luke Narraway, Anthony Allen, Andy Hazell, Mark Foster and Christian Califano. The home side also claimed a penalty try, while full-back Willie Walker kicked 15 points.

BEARS CONTINUE QUICK START WITH DERBY DEMOLITION Resurgent Warwickshire took only 98 minutes to complete their second win of the season in the LV County Championship First Division at New Road. Worcestershire subsided to defeat by an innings and 113 runs after losing overnight pair Ben Smith and Graeme Hick in the second and third overs on the final day. The pace and swing combination of Dale Steyn (five for 49) and Naqqash Tahir (three for 31) was too much for the home side for the second time in the match as the Bears impressively followed up last week's innings victory over champions Sussex. South African Steyn is with the county for the first half of the summer and proved his worth as a genuine strike bowler with the eighth five-wicket return of his firstclass career. Worcestershire folded for 209 and only narrowly avoided their heaviest defeat in more than 100 years of New Road meetings with their neighbours. The margin fairly reflected their limp performance in a second successive home defeat on their return to Division One after being promoted last season.

KEANE RELISHING PROSPECT OF MANAGING WITH BIG GUNS Sunderland manager Roy Keane admits he cannot wait to pitch himself into battle with the best managers in the country next season.

"The reason I became a manager was I want to be a top manager, and if you are going to do that you have got to be challenging yourself against the top managers out there, " Keane said yesterday.

"I am looking forward to coming up against all the managers in the Premiership, it should be exciting. I have enjoyed my experience in the Championship. The other managers have been different class and there are a lot of good footballing people in the Championship.

"But ultimately, Sunderland belong in the Premiership . . . that's where we are and that's where we want to stay."

PRIAULX CAUTIOUS AS TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP RESUMES Andy Priaulx believes there will be no BMW whitewash as the World Touring Car Championship finally hits the road again today. Priaulx and fellow BMW drivers Jorg Muller and Augusto Farfus Jnr swept the board in the opening two races of the new season in Curitiba, Brazil, two months ago.

However, given their success in Brazil, the trio will each carry a 35kg weight handicap into the two races at the Circuit Park in Zandvoort, Holland.

"Even 10 kilos can make a lot of difference, and there were times last year when I carried up to 80 kilos. It can feel like you are towing a caravan, " said Priaulx. "It will always be close right through to the end of the year."