Sporting Digest: Badminton

STEVE BUTLER, who beat the 1992 champion, China's Liu Jun, at this year's All-England Championships, has jumped 12 places to No 20 in the world rankings, announced yesterday. The England No 4 now plans to delay his retirement until after the Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada, in August - providing he is selected.

LEADING WORLD RANKINGS: MEN: 1 J Suprianto (Indon); 2 A Wiranata (Indon); 3 H Arbi (Indon); 4 H Susanto (Indon); 5 P-E Hoyer- Larson (Den); 6 A Budi Kusuma (Indon); 7 T Stuer-Lauridsen (Den); 8 J Olsson (Swe); 9 F Permadi (Aus); 10 Kok Keong Foo (Malay). WOMEN: 1 S Susanti (Indon); 2 Ye Zhaoying (Ch); 3 Soo Hyun Bang (S Kor); 4 C Martin (Den); 5 Han Jingna (Ch); 6 Ji Hyun Kim (S Kor); 7 Liu Yuhong (Ch); 8 Lim Xiaoqing (Swe); 9 Kyung Min Ra (S Kor); 10 P Nedergard Jensen (Den).