The Sport Matrix: Tuesday 16 September 2014

Debutants impress as Hull are held

Three debutants were on the scoresheet as Hull City and West Ham played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at the KC Stadiun last night. South American strikers Abel Hernandez and Enner Valencia got things going with two well taken strikes before Mohamed Diame put the hosts in front against his former side. An equaliser wasn’t too far away though, as Diafra Sakho’s effort was diverted into his own goal by Curtis Davies.

Rodgers: This is where we belong

Brendan Rodgers insists Liverpool are not daunted by the challenges the Champions League will bring. The club have been out of the competition for five years but host Ludogorets tonight. “We are not tourists in this competition – we believe it is where we belong,” he said.

Ryder an unlikely hero with the ball

Jesse Ryder claimed career-best bowling figures to keep Essex in the hunt for promotion on the first day of their County Championship game against Leicestershire at Grace Road. The bottom-of-the-table hosts were dismissed for 138, with New Zealand all-rounder Ryder taking 5 for 50.

Flesh-coloured women’s kit ‘unacceptable’

Flesh-coloured kit that makes a Colombian women’s cycling team look naked below the waist has been described as unacceptable by the sport’s governing body.

Photographs of the Bogota Humana team at the Tour of Tuscany show six women in red and yellow kit with flesh-coloured material immediately above and below the waist.

Brian Cookson, the English president of the International Cycling Union, wrote on Twitter: “To the many who have raised the issue of a certain women’s team kit, we are on the case. It is unacceptable by any standards of decency”.

McIlroy misses out on £6m payday

Rory McIlroy missed out on a £6m payday as Billy Horschel won the Tour Championship and FedEx Cup title in Atlanta. Starting the final day with a share of the lead alongside Horschel, McIlroy carded a 71 to close three behind the American. “It’s been a long four weeks,” he said.