The Guardian du lieu suivant : London, Greater London, England • 43

Sport 13 The Guardian Saturday May 1 1 2002 The Guardian Saturday May 1 1 2002 Back Ralf to win this battle of the Schumachers final, may just shade it at 7-4 with Blue Square. Rushden and Diamonds may have been outplayed by Cheltenham in last Monday's Third Division final but the Diamonds have had an excellent season overall and can be backed at 7-1 with Chandler to be next year's Third Division champions. Real Madrid, who had been favourites for the Champions League since the draw for the competition last summer, should clinch the trophy by beating Bayer Lev-erkusen in the final at Hampden Park on Wednesday. Unfortunately 4-7 with Super Soccer is now the top price on offer about an outright Real triumph. A Lev-erkusen victory is quoted at 9-5byLadbrokes.

Cricket Surrey, so impressive in their opening contest in the County Championship, pro Jamie Reid Odds Fellow Michael Schumacher is a prohibitive 1-2 with Sporting Odds to win tomorrow's Austrian grand prix. It seems folly to oppose Ferrari in their present form but, having made money from backing Schumacher so far this season, we can afford to be adventurous. David Coulthard was successful at Zeltweg 12 months ago but, if there is to be an upset this weekend the Williams team seem more likely to provide it. And Ralf Schumacher could be the one to trouble his brother at 7-1 with Sporting Odds which is paying a fifth odds a place on the first three. Renault's Jenson Button looks a good bet to finish in the points again at 5-4 with Sporting Odds.

Football Birmingham City should win tomorrow's First Division play-off final against Norwich at the Millennium Stadium. The Canaries, who knocked out the bitterly disappointing Wolves in the semi-finals, are 21-10 with Hill's. But Birmingham, unsuccessful in the play-offs for the last three years, look a stronger team under Steve Bruce and can finally gain promotion at 11-8 with Stanley. Brentford are 13-8 with Stan James to win today's Second Division play-off final against Stoke City. But the Potters, who pulled off a dramatic upset against Cardiff in the second leg of their semi TEH chamDion Peter Ebrfonrag iTotelThe.long raneeoacli- the British I shows that prancing horse will not be reined in juft yet duced some abject displays in their Benson and Hedges Cup group matches and the holders, tipped to retain the trophy at 5-1, have failed to reach the knockout stage.

Gloucestershire by contrast look as good as ever at the one-day game and, though it grates to tip them at short odds having passed them over at 8-1 last month, Mark Alleyne's men are no the team to beat at 100-30 with Coral. Home advantage can enable Gloucestershire to defeat Worcestershire in the quarter-final on May 21 at 8-13 with Coral. Essex impressed in their group games and look a happier and more united side than 12 months ago. Ronnie Irani's players, cup second favourites at 11-2 with Coral, are capable of winning their quarter-final at home to Yorkshire at 5-6 with Coral. WW sHiAufoiMittiinil an toiasSa Isniru'nnlrame-the.

Buy a Argerrana itary at 24. we our recommerraaaons wiiwgn weninai ana i JenMrButton to finish In jthepilntoln Auaate Barrichelb Alan Henry in Spielberg Yesterday afternoon Bernie Ecclestone rallprt all the. pound Bridgestone tyres are tipped to prove more competitive than the Michelin rubber used by their key rivals BMW Williams and McLaren-Mercedes. richello was celebrating a new deal with Ferrari to stay on until the end of 2004, because 12 months ago the Brazilian finished this race in a furious mood, SnaiA prix team princi With a 60 chance of rain predicted for qualifying, the prospect of a patchy damp track would also play into the hands of the Bridge-: stone runners because the 0E3speai(flip Al RlngAu'-tna Imost every in disbelief, ds that the ch new turn it and into a Jacques ouve, above, is mother iher, left, leGazzetta -rsarypago as' death holograph: on McCabe frail ISiSltliSE? 4MR Japanese company's intermediate tyre is significantly better than the corresponding Michelin. Juan Pablo Montoya's Williams wound up third fastestaheadofKimi Raikkonen's McLaren, and Allan McNish pushed the Toyota into the spotlight with the fifth fastest time ahead of Enrique Bernoldi's Arrows, both these outsiders using light fuel loads.

Off the track Ralf Schumacher deflected attention from Ecclcs tone's meeting by unveiling a dyed blond haircut about which he seemed embarrassed. "It was simply an accident," said the Williams driver, covering his head with a cap. "It's going to be changed Simply the haircutter I don't want to use the word made amistake." One would have been forgiven for concluding from Briatore's wry grin that the team owners had about as much chance of reaching a successful conclusion as Ferrari's rivals have of breaking the Italian team's stranglehold on this year's world championship. 1 nc first free-practice session for tomorrow's Austrian grand prix saw Rubens Barrichello just edge out his team leader Michael Schumacher for fastest time, and though nobody sets much store by ultimate lap times in these sessions, when drivers are experimenting with varying fuel loads, only the timet rpplrlpfiQ iramhlnr -w would bet against Ferrari scoring tneir nnn win in six races so far this season. It was poignant that Bar 1 if naving been ordered to relinquish the lead to Schumacher, which he did very pointedly within sight of the chequered flag.

Yesterday he was keen to avoid ruffling Ferrari's feathers and neatly dodged any speculation as to how he might react if faced with the same circumstances tomorrow: "If we get worried about too many things we are burning energy and it is not worth it" Nor did the sight of Michael Schumacher spin-, pals together in the paddock at the Al-Rine to trv to broker a deal which would rein intlm spiralling cost's of this mgn-tecn sport. When the meeting ffnnllv broke up after more than two hours it was clear that they had agreed to say noth ing specific about their deliberations, only generalised remarks that it had "all been very Renault's team principal Flavio Briatore took an upbeat view. "I think that we've all made some worthwhile progress," said the Italian. "We're all roughly agreed in which direction we are going." uit uirev occasions offer much solace to the opposition, particularly as the Ferraris' latest soft-com Til 3ha.04mito.rj gjmSs9tm.