01/03/2014 Saturday Sportsday

Welcome to the BBC Sport Centre, I'm Karthi Gnanasegaram. In the next

fifteen minutes we'll have the latest sport news, previews and

interviews ahead of a busy weekend. This is Saturday Sportsday. Here's

what's coming up on the programme. Former Essex bowler Mervyn Westfield

went to prison for spot-fixing. We've been given exclusive access to

Westfield as he takes on a new role educating young cricketers.

A week today, the action at the Paralympics gets underway in Sochi.

We need to one of Great Britain's medal prospects, Jade Etherington.

And the number of women playing rugby league has almost doubled in

the last four years. We are at one club leading the way. That is all to

come, but first, the headlines. Andy Murray has this morning lost his

semifinal in Acapulco to the 22-year-old Bulgarian, Rigger

Dimitrov. He was attempting to reach his first final since Wimbledon but

was defeated in a third set tie-break at the Mexico open.

Ronnie O'Sullivan will play Barry Hawkins in the last four of the

Wales open after beating John Higgins 5-1. Ding Junhui faces Joe

Perry in the other semifinal. And Rory McIlroy has a one-shot lead in

the Honda classic in Florida. He shot a second round of 66, building

on his opening round of 63. But we'll start with reaction to

England's first One Day International against West Indies in

Antigua. It was England's first competitive match since their Ashes

humiliation in Australia and although they were beaten by West

Indies by 15 runs there were some positives to take from their

performance. The West Indies were 260 946. In reply, Michael Lunn

scored a century on his debut but England fell short, making 254 46.

Graeme Swann has joined the test match special team and here is his

take on that game. The first international ends in defeat for

England after a major West Indies comeback. England will feel very

disappointed with the way that today has gone. They had all the balls in

their court. The West Indies at 40 four four managed to claw it back to

206 to nine. The England guys, Michael Lum started magnificently.

96 for the first wicket. But from then on, things fell apart. As has

happened so often, they could not get over the line. Some magnificent

bowling near the end, and the West Indies team was exceptional. 1-0 to

the West Indies but all to play for on Sunday. As Graeme Swann just

mentioned the second One Day International is tomorrow,

commentary on 5live Sports Extra and BBC Radio 4 Longwave. Now we're

staying with cricket. Mervyn Westfield was sent to prison after

agreeing to take part in a spot fixing plan arranged by his then

Essex team-mate Danesh Kaneria. Westfield has described his time in

jail as "hell" but is now trying to help young cricketers avoid the same

temptations. Joe Wilson was given exclusive access as Westfield began

his new role with the cricket's club season about to start.

If you get any approach from anyone, anything, tell someone

straightaway, even if it is your best friend, your coach or captain.

At the end of the day, you do not want to be in the same situation as

me. For these new professionals, this could be the most important

lesson of their lives. Brought to a classroom in Edgbaston to listen to

Mervyn Westfield, the cricketer who took ?6,000 to bowl badly and served

two months in Belmarsh prison. Seeing daylight for ten minutes a

day. A severe punishment. What it used to make him into an example? A

lot of people say that to me. I've probably was. But at the end of the

day, I did what I did and it was a massive mistake. They look to target

vulnerable people. I'm want to talk to younger players and make sure

they do not go through what I'd go through. Even the people I used to

go out with, they have distanced themselves from me because they do

not want to be in my position. I was in awe of his story. Trying to think

of what he went through, I'm edging it is traumatic. You do not think

about those things. -- I imagine. You do not think it could happen to

you. There are pitfalls, and distractions. There are things which

can catch you out. The more that the lads in this room, in their teens

and 20s, are made aware of that, it can only help. It brief glimpse of

the sun is a reminder that cricket will be resuming here in April.

Mervyn Westfield is still banned from playing professional cricket.

But in April they will be allowed to play club cricket again, on the

Essex coast line. Humble, but it is a start. I do not want anyone to go

through what I went through. It is like hell. When Mervyn Westfield

speaks to cricketers, he does not ask for simply. He now seeks

acceptance. After Team GB's record equalling

tally of f four medals at the winter olympics in Sochi, a week today

Britain's Paralympians begin their campaign for honours in Russia. They

only receive a fraction of the funding their able-bodied

counterparts are given by UK Sport but leading visually impaired skier

Jade Etherington hopes that can change. She is bidding to win Great

Britain their first-ever Winter Paralympic goal medal. Nick Hope has

been to Austria to meet her and guide Caroline Powell.

Downhill can be dangerous. Just ask the Olympians who struggled in

Sochi. Imagine skiing when you cannot see where you're going. It is

like for Jade Etherington, who has caught,. I am in visually impaired,

with less than 5% vision. Cannot really go anywhere, to the shops or

anything, to cross the road on my own. Ayes have it guide who stands

in front of me. And then we communicate via radio. You need to

know how to communicate. If I was stressed, Caroline knows. We know

how to perk each other up. Caroline has great energy on the hill and I

need that. It works really well. So you are a fellow competitor,

psychologist and friends? All in one! She has got the whole package.

A guide is crucial but support for one has been in short supply.

Disabled athletes have less than 6% of the funding that able-bodied

counterparts receive. Etherington could have missed the Paralympics if

it was not for a bronze medal at the world Championships last year which

unlocked some financial help. I would not have been able to carry on

racing. I've needed to get that result. It is so expensive, the

travel, the accommodation, the skis. And you have a guide so the costs

are doubled. It is difficult because UK sport does not cover the cost.

She hopes that the medal haul at the Sochi Olympics will boost Team GB's

funding prospects and those of disability winter sports. There will

be more attention drawn to the sport and how good it is. And that can be

successful, even though we are from a country that does not have as many

mountains! Great Britain has never won a Winter Paralympic goal medal.

The closest they came was in 2006 when the wheelchair curlers were

literally centimetres from success. Telly Gallagher, a rival of

Etherington's, was fourth four years ago. What would success in Sochi

mean? I would never forget it, for the rest of my life. Hopefully it

would influence the next generation of skiers and people to come out and

enjoy the sport as much as I do. The Formula one season starts in two

weeks. Today is the third day of the final preseason testing. And it has

been another difficult one for Red Bull, despite seeing improvements in

their car yesterday they have broken down twice this morning, and have

failed to complete a single lap. But the boss believes they will be able

to solve the issues before the season starts. I'm confident that we

will overcome them but the question is when and how quickly. We're

trying to go to Melbourne in as good shape as we can. We have probably

only covered about a third of the mileage of some of the other teams,

so we are on the back foot. But we are pushing and pushing hard. We

want to catch up the ground as quickly as we can. And we have a

great team and great strength and depth. Everybody is full of

motivation to turn up in Melbourne and put on a good show. If you

remember 2012, we did not have a great car at the beginning of the

year. Sebastien had that experience now. He has had tough years years

where has dominated. He has won in the inferior cars. You only have to

look at the Herbert Ring last year. He was not in the quickest car on

that day but he still managed to win the race. With his experience now, I

think he is relishing the challenge. In the build-up to International

women's next Saturday, we will be meeting sportswomen who are at the

top of their game, sometimes in sports where being female is not

very common. -- International Women's Day. Sometimes they will be

from sportswear women are not particularly common. Rugby League is

a sport that certainly falls into that category. But since 2009 the

number of women participating has increased by almost 90%. Jenny

Culshaw has been to St Helens find out why.

Welcome to a rugby league club where the girls have been converted. I

have three coaches working with the under 12 sand under 14 is. Ian was

one of a small group of volunteers who helped in this section get

started. Not only is it now well-established, it is thriving. On

that morning, I came with my daughter and were eight of us. Now

there are 45 girls playing rugby league, training on a Saturday

morning or a Wednesday. There is a structured league. The growth in the

numbers of girls here reflects what has happened in the women's game

across the country. In 2009, 377 players were registered. Last year,

that number went up to 708. Most importantly it is down to the

volunteers. We have a good group of people who go out and make stuff

like this happen. It is not one size fits all. It is not just about the

rugby, it is about creating a good environment for everyone involved.

But the competitive side of the game is not forgotten. We like the effort

and commitment and that is something, that is all you need

really at this age. You can build on it. Today, two England players have

come to talk to the girls, the idea being to mentors and inspire. And

perhaps even find new team-mates. The talent is amazing and the skill

level is just out of this world. They are good enough to be playing

in the open age right now. But nurturing talent takes more

encouragement and money. The attitude to girls pulling on a rugby

league shirt can be different to boys doing so. It is difficult to

get a sponsor. If they are going to put money into Robbie league, it

will go into a boys team before a girls team, so we are bottom of the

pecking order. The girls here are used to the challenges and the mixed

reactions that involving themselves in the sport can bring. When you say

you are playing rugby league, people look at you like, what? Do not see

why girls cannot play rugby. Why not? There's no doubt it can be a

rough game of the girls of Saint Helens know what they are doing. And

they love their sport. Great Britain's cycling team has

become one of the country's biggest sporting success stories and they

are going for more medals in column B. You can follow the action here on

the BBC. Jonathan Edwards has highlights on BBC One from 13:15pm.

This week, Britain's track cyclists are in action in Colombia. There's

already been two goal medals for Joe Rasul. I will be back at 1:15pm with

all the high lists. -- highlights. Final score will be on BBC Two from

245 this afternoon with previews and goals from the first half of

today's games. Then it is on BBC One from 4pm. That is just about it from

Sportsday. But don't forget, all of the information on today's programme

and more is on the BBC sport website. And in the Championship,

Leeds have a 1-0 lead over QPR. Join me, Karthi Gnanasegaram, for a full

round up of all of today's action on Sportsday at 6.30pm and 7.30pm on

the BBC News Channel. Good afternoon.