Week in, week out

He may have understandably declined the allure of a trip to Vilnius to play in the Davis Cup to concentrate on his singles career, but Andy Murray proved yesterday he is still a team player by staying up to all hours in Los Angeles trying – without much success – to follow his compatriots' crucial tie against Lithuania 6,000 miles away.

A frustrated Murray, who had watched Friday's action on his laptop at courtside while he practised, was up in the wee, sma' hours trying to follow Dan Evans' deciding rubber against Laurynas Grigelis. The Scot, who has been sending good luck messages to the team via his website, said: "4 30 in the morning here trying to watch dan evans match and it won't work!!! No live texts from 5live either! So annoying!"

Not as annoying, though, as the prospect of having to play a relegation play-off in July, the fate that now awaits Murray and the British team after yesterday's loss to Lithuania.

GUTIERREZ'S DIRTY SECRET IS UNMASKED

Newcastle winger Jonas Gutierrez has been literally carrying extra baggage with him during his goal drought since arriving on Tyneside. The winger, who signed from Real Mallorca in 2008, finally broke his duck during Saturday's 6-1 demolition of Barnsley – and then whipped out a Spiderman mask from a location unknown to mark the long-awaited goal.

One can only guess that the persistent Argentine has been carrying the superhero mask on his person in every game since his arrival, and that hopefully the mask was given a thorough wash after each barren game in front of goals. The veracity of mischievous rumours that Kyle Lafferty may have a superhero mask stuffed down his shorts have yet to be determined one way or the other.

THE CROSBY NO SHOW

Reebok in Canada have offered a $10,000 reward, no questions asked, for the return of the stick and gloves Sidney Crosby used to score in overtime in Canada's famous Olympic championship victory over the United States last weekend.

The equipment disappeared after Crosby tossed his stick and ripped off his gloves to celebrate. Hockey Canada says all of the equipment was collected and was being put into the players' bags when it was noticed Crosby's stick and gloves were missing.

Security officers are reviewing video that shows people leaving the rink with sticks. If the gear is returned, Crosby can decide to keep the items or give them to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

AT LEAST WE DON'T STONE OUR REFERESS . . .

If referees in Scotland think they've been getting a hard time recently, then they should take a look at Turkish football and think themselves lucky.

At the weekend, the match between Bursaspor and Diyarbakirspor had to be suspended after irate fans threw stones at the officials.

The game was called off in the 15th minute after a stone hit referee Kemal Yilmaz despite a police barricade. Bursaspor goalkeeper Dimitar Ivankov was also hit by a stone before the game and his team were escorted to the airport in police vehicles under a hail of stones from Diyarbakirspor fans.