Reuters Sports Schedule at 0600 GMT on Thursday, June 29

June 29 (Reuters) - Reuters sports schedule at 0600 GMT on Thursday: SOCCER Confederations Cup Germany face Mexico for spot in final SOCHI - World Cup holders Germany face CONCACAF champions Mexico in the semi-final after both teams came through the group stage unbeaten. (SOCCER-CONFEDERATIONS-GER-MEX/ (TV), expect by 2000 GMT/4 PM ET, 400 words) We will bring you all the latest news from the World Cup warm-up event in Russia as the teams prepare for the semi-finals. (SOCCER-CONFEDERATIONS/) European club news We will bring all the latest transfer news from around Europe as teams improve their squads for next season. (SOCCER-COUNTRY-TEAM/, expect throughout) TENNIS Wimbledon Laver says turning pro made him twice as good LONDON - It cost him five years of grand slam silverware, but Australian great Rod Laver says the decision to turn professional made him twice the player he was as an amateur. (TENNIS-WIMBLEDON/LAVER (INTERVIEW, PIX), moved, by Martyn Herman, 500 words) Pliskova will be armed and dangerous at Wimbledon LONDON - Karolina Pliskova has never got past the second round at Wimbledon in five main-draw appearances, but after a year to remember, the towering Czech looks armed and ready for an assault on the title. (TENNIS-WIMBLEDON/PLISKOVA (PIX), moved, by Toby Davis, 565 words) Male coaches continue to dominate women's game LONDON - Tennis has sought to lead the way on the equality front over the past 20 years by giving men and women the same prize money and billing in big tournaments - but a glance at the players' boxes tells a different story, with male coaches reigning supreme. (TENNIS-WIMBLEDON/WOMEN-COACHES (PIX), moved, by Pravin Char, 400 words) Aegon International Djokovic and Ostapenko in action EASTBOURNE - World number four Novak Djokovic takes on American Donald Young while French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko will face home favourite Johanna Konta in the Wimbledon warm-up tournament. (TENNIS-EASTBOURNE/, expect by 1600 GMT/12 PM ET, 300 words) RUGBY Gatland hands captain Warburton start for second test WELLINGTON - British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland has handed captain Sam Warburton a start in one of three changes to the side beaten 30-15 last weekend for Saturday's second test against New Zealand. (RUGBY-UNION-LIONS/, moved with updates to follow, by Greg Stutchbury, 400 words) CYCLING Riding into a storm? Team Sky hope not DUSSELDORF - It is fair to say that Team Sky boss Dave Brailsford will be happy to talk strategy, gear ratios and Chris Froome's form for as long as anyone is listening over the next few weeks. (CYCLING-FRANCE/SKY (PIX), by Martyn Herman, 620 words) Anything is possible, says French hope Bardet DUESSELDORF - The Tour de France has not had a home champion since 1985, but after Romain Bardet's second-placed finish last year there are high hopes that the wine-loving 26-year-old could be sipping champagne on the Champs Elysees in three weeks' time. (CYCLING-FRANCE/BARDET (INTERVIEW, PIX), moved, by Julien Pretot, 540 words) GOLF PGA Tour: Quicken Loans National (to 2) Fowler tries to move on from U.S. Open letdown World number nine Rickie Fowler, in his first tournament since letting an opportunity at the U.S. Open slip away, headlines a field at TPC Potomac that also includes Justin Thomas and Patrick Reed. (GOLF-QUICKENLOANS/, expect by 0045 GMT/8:45 PM ET, 400 words) Women’s PGA Championship (to 2) OLYMPIA FIELDS, Illinois - New world number one Ryu So-yeon of South Korea headlines one of the strongest fields of 2017 for the Women’s PGA Championship, the second major of the year, outside Chicago where all 100 of the top players on the LPGA Tour money list are teeing it up. (GOLF-WOMEN-PGACHAMP/, expect by 2100 GMT/5 PM ET, by Andrew Both, 400 words) CRICKET Australia braces for turmoil as boycott looms MELBOURNE - Bitter negotiations over pay appear set to remain unresolved by a Friday deadline, leaving more than 200 of Australia's cricketers unemployed and potentially scuppering upcoming series against Bangladesh and England. (CRICKET-AUSTRALIA/PAY, expect by 0800 GMT/4 AM ET, by Ian Ransom, 600 words) BASEBALL Price leads Red Sox into clash with Twins Former Cy Young Award winner David Price gets the call for the Boston Red Sox against the visiting Minnesota Twins while Clayton Kershaw leads the Los Angeles Dodgers into a battle with the host Los Angeles Angels in two of the 13 games on the Major League Baseball schedule. (BASEBALL-MLB-HIGHLIGHTS/, expect by 0530 GMT/1:30 AM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 800 words) NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (expect by 0000 GMT/8 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 500 words) (Asia Desk Editor: Peter Rutherford)