■ Australia
Warne may make line-up
Banned legspinner Shane Warne could return to the Australian lineup less than a month after serving a one-year ban for taking a banned diuretic, chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns said yesterday. Warne, 34, completes the ban on Feb. 10, 10 days before Australia is due to tour Sri Lanka for five one-day internationals and three tests. Hohns told Channel Nine television that Warne will not be available for the one-day series starting on Feb. 10, but would be considered for test side that would be picked later for the first test on March 8 in Galle.
■ Golf
Watson voted top player
Tom Watson capped an emotional season Sunday when he was voted Champions Tour player of the year, giving him a sweep of the major awards for the 50-and-older circuit. Watson won two of the five major championships on the Champions Tour, but his year is remembered equally for the support he gave his caddie, Bruce Edwards, who has Lou Gehrig's disease. "As great as Tom's achievements were on the golf course, he outdid himself off it, displaying dedication and compassion for a very good friend who happens to be his caddie," PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said. "He is a shining example of what is truly good about our sport."
■ Soccer
Cup draws Arsenal, Leeds
FA Cup defending champion Arsenal was Sunday drawn to play at Leeds in the third round, one of five all-Premier League ties in the world's oldest knockout competition. Manchester United will travel to Aston Villa. The Red Devils comfortably beat Villa 4-0 at Old Trafford on Saturday. Blackburn will relish returning to Birmingham after winning 4-0 at St. Andrews in the league on Saturday. The 20 Premier League clubs were only entered in the competition after the second round was completed Sunday. The matches will be played on Jan. 3-Jan. 4. The other all-Premier League matchups were Manchester City vs. Leicester and Southampton vs. Newcastle.
■ Cricket
India draws with Australia
India forced a draw yesterday in the rain-hit first cricket test after Australia set the tourists 199 runs to win in 23 overs at the Gabba. Australia, trailing by 86 runs in the first innings, declared on 284 for three with skipper Steve Waugh scoring an unbeaten 56 in his farewell appearance in a test here. Left-arm fast bowler Nathan Bracken dismissed openers Virender Sehwag and Akash Chopra with successive balls as India slid to six runs for two wickets in the second over. But Venkatsai Laxman, who survived the hat-trick delivery, was 24 not out, and Rahul Dravid, 43 not out -- his highest score in Australia in eight innings -- took India to 73 for two in 16 overs.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care