Sport Digest, November 11, 2012

Pedrosa snatches pole position in record time

Dani Pedrosa of Spain won pole position at the Valencia Grand Prix yesterday, setting a track record for qualifying with a fastest lap of one minute and 30.844 seconds. Pedrosa steered his Honda around the four-kilometre Comunitat Valenciana circuit with a last flying lap to claim his 24th career pole in MotoGP. Recently crowned world champion Jorge Lorenzo will start today's race from second place, with retiring two-time world champion Casey Stoner in third. Pedrosa said: "We are happy with the pole and the record. Maybe it will rain tomorrow, so I will try to do my best and have a good race." AP

Hansen wary of 'combative' Scotland

New Zealand coach Steve Hansen is looking forward to seeing how his much-changed side fare against Scotland at Murrayfield today after "letting themselves down" last time out. The world champions begin their European tour undefeated in 17 matches but their hopes of breaking rugby union's 18-game record for consecutive test victories were scuppered by an 18-18 draw with Australia last month. Scotland have never beaten New Zealand, losing 26 out of 28 tests with two draws -- the last back in 1983. But Hansen, who had made 10 changes to the All Blacks XV who kicked-off against the Wallabies, said he expected Scotland to be "very combative". "There have been a couple of games where we let ourselves down, one not so long ago," Hansen said. "But, when we're on the job, we've got a lot of talent and we're capable of winning games." AFP

Southern ease their relegation worries

District team Southern scored an important, 2-1 victory against fellow strugglers Sunray Cave Sun Hei in the RedMR First Division at Aberdeen Sports Ground yesterday. The result eased their relegation pressure, moving them six points clear of cellar-dwellers Sun Hei. Landon Ling and Ip Chung-long scored in each half before Leung Tsz-chun hit a consolation for Sun Hei with two minutes left. Elsewhere, Yokohama came from behind to beat home side Sun Pegasus 2-1 at Yuen Long Stadium. Thiago Constancia put Pegasus ahead, but Japanese expatriate Tsuyoshi Yoshitake found the target twice. Kitchee lost 3-2 to Shanghai Tellace in the Interclub Championship second leg, for a 7-2 aggregate thrashing. Chan Kin-wa

Del Potro stuns Federer to book semi-final spot

Juan Martin del Potro beat Roger Federer 7-6, 4-6, 6-3 to reach the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour Finals in London yesterday. The Argentine guaranteed himself one of the top two places in group B with a 2-1 record, the same as defending champion Federer, who had already sealed a semi-final spot after winning his opening two round-robin matches at the season-ending tennis tournament. Reuters