Reuters Sports Schedule at 1400 GMT Wednesday, July 8

Reuters sports schedule at 1400 GMT on Wednesday: - - - - TENNIS Wimbledon (to 12) Djokovic leads top four seeds in quarter-final action LONDON - The world's leading quartet -- Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka -- are in last-eight action with holder Djokovic facing the toughest task against ninth-seeded U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic. (TENNIS-WIMBLEDON/ (PIX), expect throughout, by Pritha Sarkar, Martyn Herman, Mitch Phillips and Ken Ferris, 400 words) - - - - CYCLING Tour de France (to 26) Sprinters take centre stage on the Tour AMIENS, France - Sprinters take centre stage as the fifth stage of the Tour de France takes the peloton on a 189.5-km ride from Arras to Amiens (CYCLING-TOUR/ (PIX), by 1530 GMT/11:30 AM ET, by Julien Pretot, 500 words) - - - - CRICKET England v Australia, first test (to 12) Australia on top as England lose three wickets before lunch CARDIFF - Australia made the most of overcast conditions to leave England with that familiar sinking feeling on the first morning of the first Ashes test on Wednesday. (CRICKET-ASHES/ (PIX), expect throughout, by Justin Palmer, 400 words) - - - - SOCCER FIFA investigation CONCACAF splits with sports marketing firm MIAMI - CONCACAF, the regional body that controls soccer in the Caribbean, North America and Central America, announced Tuesday it has parted with the U.S. division of a Brazilian sports marketing firm that federal prosecutors have indicted on corruption charges. (SOCCER-FIFA/CONCACAF, moved, by Zachary Fagenson, 350 words) - - CONCACAF Gold Cup (to 26) Dempsey strikes twice as U.S. open Gold Cup defence with win Clint Dempsey's strength in the air helped him to two goals as the reigning champion United States opened their CONCACAF Gold Cup campaign with a 2-1 victory over Honduras. (SOCCER-CONCACAF/GOLD, moved, 250 words) - - Champions League first qualifying round, second leg (to 8) Copy on merit - - - - GOLF U.S. Women's Open (to 12) Wie hopes to find form for title defense LANCASTER, Pennsylvania - Michelle Wie, struggling this season with illness, injury and swing changes, hopes to click into form for her defense of the U.S. Women's Open starting on Thursday at Lancaster Country Club. (GOLF-OPEN/WOMEN, expect by 2000 GMT/4 PM ET, by Larry Fine, 350 words) - - - - SOCCER CONCACAF Gold Cup (to 26), Costa Rica, Jamaica kick off Group B action Group B action of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which determines the regional champion for North America, Central American and the Caribbean, gets underway with Costa Rica versus Jamaica followed by Canada and El Salvador in Carson , California. (SOCCER-CONCACAF/GOLD, expect by 0530 GMT/1:30 AM ET, 350 words) - - - - GAMES Pan American Games (to 26) Toronto gets set to open Pan American Games TORONTO - We look ahead to the July 10-26 Pan American Games in Toronto with an eight-part package consisting of an overall preview, separate looks at each of the U.S., Canadian and Brazilian teams, the swimming competitions, athletics, 10 athletes to watch and a brief look at each of the sports being contested. (GAMES-PANAM/ (PREVIEW), expect by 1900 GMT/3PM ET, by Steve Keating, 650 words) SEE ALSO: (GAMES-PANAM/USA, expect by 1600 GMT/12PM ET, by Larry Fine, 580 words) (GAMES-PANAM/CANADA, expect by 1600 GMT/12PM ET, by Frank Pingue, 550 words) (GAMES-PANAM/BRAZIL, expect by 1600 GMT/12PM ET, by Andrew Downie, 400 words) (GAMES-PANAM/ATHLETICS, expect by 1600 GMT/12PM ET, by Gene Cherry, 600 words) (GAMES-PANAM/SWIMMING, expect by 1600 GMT/12PM ET, by Andrew Both, 450 words) (GAMES-PANAM/10TOWATCH, expect by 1600 GMT/12PM ET, 500 words) (GAMES-PANAM/SPORTS, expect by 1600 GMT/12PM ET, 2,900 words) - - - - BASEBALL Royals try to pad lead in AL Central The reigning American League champion Kansas City Royals try to pad their lead atop the Central division when they send right-hander Jeremy Guthrie to the mound versus the visiting Tampa Bay Rays in one of the 15 games on the Major League Baseball schedule. (BASEBALL-HIGHLIGHTS/, expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, 800 words) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (expect by 0000 GMT/8:00 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - RUGBY Samoa v New Zealand, Apia Carter boots rusty All Blacks past Samoa in Apia Daniel Carter's left boot underlined why the flyhalf will be so valuable at this year's World Cup when he slotted 20 points to give the All Blacks a tense 25-16 victory over Samoa in their first visit to Apia. (RUGBY UNION-SAMOA/, moved, 500 words) - - Boks spring centre surprise as De Villiers makes return CAPE TOWN - South Africa will award a first cap to utility back Jesse Kriel at outside centre in a surprise positional switch for the exhibition game against a World XV in Cape Town on Saturday. (RUGBY-SAFRICA/, moved, by Nick Said, 300 words) - - - - (Europe Desk Editor: Ken Ferris)