READING hockey keeper Amy Tennant's dream of taking part in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo has been given a tremendous boost.

She is one of only two goalies – the other is World No. 1 Maddie Hinch – in Great Britain's party which left for Japan this week to get a taste of the climate and conditions which are expected to be the most extreme for an Olympics in recent memory.

A GB spokesman said: "This trip is an important step for the squad to become as accustomed as possible to the heat, humidity and culture in the Far East. Our women do not play many fixtures in that part of the world and this will be a perfect opportunity almost exactly one year before the 2020 games take place."

They will play six games starting this weekend.

LONDON Irish Rugby Club have teamed up with health chiefs to launch a major video campaign aimed at cutting baby deaths.

Six players worked with NHS child safety staff from Berkshire on the video which was shot at Madejski Stadium.

Called Lift the Baby, the video is aimed at promoting safer sleeping in younger babies. The move follows figures showing more than 130 babies die in the UK every year in hazardous sleeping circumstances, for example, where a parent or carer falls asleep whilst holding the baby, unwittingly placing the child at risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

A special website has been developed in partnership with the Lullaby Trust and features a link to the video.

MATT Rowe, who is on the teaching staff at Crosfields School in Reading and plays for Henley, has seen his cricket season cut short by the Cornwall county club in controversial circumstances.

He skippered them in a Trophy game against Berkshire a week ago last Sunday, but wasn't involved in this week's Championship match with Wiltshire – two games that Cornwall lost.

A statement issued by Cornwall explained his absence as the consequence of “the failure of trust between himself and the selection committee” and say he will not be considered for selection for the rest of the season."