■ Cricket
Bevan announces retirement
Michael Bevan announced his immediate retirement from first-class cricket yesterday, ending a career that included two World Cup wins with Australia. The 36-year-old Bevan said persistent injuries had prompted him to end his career after scoring 6,912 runs in 232 limited-overs internationals for Australia, including six centuries, at an average of 53.58. Bevan also played 18 tests for Australia, scoring 785 runs at 29.07, and appeared in 237 first-class matches for New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania. He also played for English county sides Kent, Leicestershire, Sussex and Yorkshire and was a useful left-arm spin bowler. He was part of the 1999 and 2003 World Cup-winning sides and had a reputation as one of the best late-innings batsmen in the game, but was dumped from the Australian team in early 2004.
■ Rubgy Union
Toulon hire Tim Lane
Big-spending French second division club Toulon, fresh from hiring ex-All Blacks captain Tana Umaga on a lucrative short-term deal, have hired Australian coach Tim Lane. Lane, who was assistant coach to the Australia team that won the 1999 World Cup, takes over as general manager and backs coach of the side that the now-departed Umaga helped hoist up to third in the competitive second-tier division. Toulon, relegated from the Top-14 division last season, currently stand fourth after going down 26-13 to Mont-de-Marsan at the weekend.
■ Cricket
Moin Khan arrested, bailed
Former Pakistan cricket captain Moin Khan was briefly arrested in the southern city of Karachi after his wife told police that he was drunk and beating her, police said yesterday. Khan, 36, was arrested at his home in the Clifton neighborhood of Karachi, the capital of Sindh Province before dawn on Tuesday. He was later freed on bail, said Azad Khan, an area police chief. Khan yelled at the police officers as they tried to arrest him, Azad said, adding that police produced Khan before a judge, who granted him bail. Khan, a wicketkeeper-batsman, made his international debut against the West Indies in 1990-91, and was with the national team for more than 10 years.
■ Motor Racing
Series returns to Europe
The Champ Car World Series will return to Europe for the first time in five years with races this season in the Netherlands and Belgium. The series, which last raced in Europe in 2003, added races on Sept. 2 at the TT circuit in Assen, Netherlands, and on Sept. 9 at the Zolder circuit in Belgium. It will be the first time that Champ Car has raced in either of those countries. The addition of the two events brings the number of races on this year's Champ Car schedule to 17, marking the most races in the US open-wheel series since 2003.
■ Skiing
Snow airlifted to slopes
Artificial snow has been airlifted by helicopters to the upper reaches of the Olimpia delle Tofane course in preparation for this weekend's World Cup women's alpine ski races. "On Sunday we made 51 flights in two hours," organizing committee president Enrico Valle said. Cortina, like the rest of the Alps, is experiencing its warmest winter in years. Organizers produced artificial snow at the base of the course before transporting it by helicopter to the top portion of the course, which is located beneath jagged mountain peaks. "This snow costs as much as gold, but it's worth it," Valle said.
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
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just
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