Reuters Sports Schedule at 1400 GMT on Wednesday, April 30
Reuters sports schedule at 1400 GMT on Wednesday: - - - - SOCCER Champions League, Semi-final second leg (1845) Chelsea v Atletico Madrid Captain Terry ready to lead Chelsea against Atletico LONDON - The 2012 winners Chelsea, with captain John Terry fit to play, aim for their third Champions League final while opponents Atletico Madrid bid to reach Europe's showpiece match for the first time since 1974. (SOCCER-CHAMPIONS/CHELSEA (PIX), expect by 2045 GMT/4:45 PM ET, by Mike Collett, 700 words) - - Premier League Premier League title race comes down to the wire LONDON - We will bring you all the news ahead of the English Premier League title run in with interest at both ends of the table as three teams challenge for the title while up to six are fighting it out to avoid the drop into the second tier. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/, expect from 1100 GMT/7:00 AM ET, 400 words) - - - - GOLF Rose and McIlroy headline strong field at Quail Hollow U.S. Open champion Justin Rose, 2010 winner Rory McIlroy and holder Derek Ernst, who won last year's title as a rookie after a sudden-death playoff, are in a strong field for this week's Wells Fargo Championship. We preview the PGA Tour event held annually at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. (GOLF-PGA/ (PREVIEW), expect by 2000 GMT/4 PM ET, 350 words) - - - - HORSE RACING Kentucky Derby post positions to be unveiled The all-important post position draw for Saturday's 140th Kentucky Derby takes place at Churchill Downs. (HORSERACING-KENTUCKY/DRAW, expect by 2200 GMT/6 PM ET, 500 words) - - - - SPORT American sport still navigating murky undercurrent of racism An aging billionaire owner of a National Basketball Association team and a young supporter of a Spanish soccer club have reminded the sporting world that racism knows no borders, both handed lifetime bans for their bigotry. (SPORT-RACISM/, expect by 2000 GMT/4:00 PM ET, by Steve Keating, 800 words) - - - - NBA Rockets fighting to keep season alive The Houston Rockets try to avoid playoff elimination at home versus the Portland Trail Blazers. The San Antonio Spurs host the Dallas Mavericks while the Brooklyn Nets visit the Toronto Raptors in a pair of best-of-seven first-round series tied at 2-2. (NBA-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 450 words) - - - - NHL Two Game Seven playoff showdowns take spotlight The Colorado Avalanche host the Minnesota Wild and the Los Angeles Kings visit the San Jose Sharks in a pair of win-or-go-home Game Seven showdowns. The New York Rangers will try to eliminate the visiting Philadelphia Flyers from the playoffs in the night's other game. (NHL-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 450 words) - - - - BASEBALL Tigers' Scherzer on the mound versus White Sox Reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer takes the mound for the Detroit Tigers against the host Chicago White Sox in one of 15 games on the schedule. (BASEBALL-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 975 words) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (expect by 0001 GMT/8:01 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - RUGBY Wallabies-hopeful Burgess backing blue collar Rebels MELBOURNE - Former Wallabies scrumhalf Luke Burgess has backed the Melbourne Rebels to cast off their reputation as Super Rugby strugglers and go toe-to-toe with the high-flying Sharks this weekend (RUGBY-SUPER/BURGESS (INTERVIEW), moved, by Ian Ransom, 600 words) - - - - TENNIS ATP/WTA: Oeiras Open, Portugal (to May 4) ATP: Munich Open (to May 4) Copy on merit (London Duty editor: Alan Baldwin)
