Sports Briefs

■ Cricket

England win toss

For the first time in the series, England won the toss in the final limited-overs international against Pakistan yesterday and decided to field first. Leading the series 2-1, Pakistan made two changes from the lineup that lost by eight wickets at Trent Bridge on Friday. Imran Farhat, who made 91 in the final Test at The Oval, replaced Shoaib Malik and allrounder Rao Iftikhar Anjum came in for paceman Shoaib Akhtar for his 19th one-day appearance. England was unchanged for the game at Edgbaston, which meant still no place for opener Marcus Trescothick, who was dropped for the game at Nottingham.

■ Boxing

John retains WBA title

Indonesian boxer Yohannes Christian John retained his World Boxing Association featherweight title when he defeated Renan Acosta of Panama in a title bout on Saturday. John, who will turn 27 on Thursday, slightly dominated the 12-round fight before home spectators at Jakarta's Sumatri Brojonegoro Stadium, and won a unanimous decision to hold the title he grabbed from Colombian Oscar Leon in December 2003. All three ring judges scored the fight 119-108, 120-109 and 120-107 in favor of John, who praised his three-year-younger opponent as a tough fighter.

■ Irl

Sam Hornish Jr on pole

Sam Hornish Jr won the pole on Saturday for the PEAK Antifreeze Indy 300, which will decide one of the closest IRL series championship races. A two-time series champion, Hornish earned his fourth pole this season and the 10th of his career with a lap of 25.4134 seconds on the 2.4km Chicagoland Speedway oval. Scott Dixon (25.4996) will start alongside Hornish, with defending points champion Dan Wheldon (25.5239) and standings leader Helio Castroneves (25.5794) in the third and fourth positions for the season's final event. Castroneves, seeking his first IRL championship, has 431 points -- one more than Marlboro Team Penske teammate Hornish. Target Chip Ganassi drivers Wheldon and Dixon, the 2003 series champion, trail by 19 and 21 points.