The Week in Review: Sport

AN exquisite pass in Santander by Nigel Clough augured well for Graham Taylor's new-look side, but David White's ensuing miss in England's first attack proved a more accurate guide as, after 90 minutes against Spain, it was Sweden all over again: defeat without honour.

Worse for Scotland, whose 3-1 beating in Switzerland cost two World Cup qualifying points and a suspension for their captain, Richard Gough, sent off for deliberate handball. Wales and Ireland north and south brightened the outlook for the British Isles with handsome home wins over the Faroes, Albania and Latvia.

England's cricket selectors were predictably pilloried for omitting David Gower from the squad to tour India in the winter. Gower, The Autobiography, will doubtless carry an extra chapter in the next edition. Gower was omitted on grounds of age, while the young delinquents, Mike Gatting and John Emburey, were welcomed back.

Leicestershire were defeated by Northamptonshire in a one-sided NatWest final last Saturday, the day that saw Daley Thompson's world decathlon record fall to Dan O'Brien of America. On Sunday Algeria's Nourredine Morceli broke Said Aouita's 1500m mark.

In the US Open tennis, all- American Ivan Lendl reversed his recent decline to overcome Boris Becker, while Steffi Graf was outdone by Arantxa Sanchez Vicario. In South Africa, Wayne Rainey retained his world 500cc motor cycling championship.