Sports briefs

■ CRICKET
Player kills spectator
A teenage spectator was bludgeoned to death by a cricketer during a local match near Kolkata, India, police and witnesses said on Saturday. Rabinath Ash, 17, was battered to death with a stump when he tried to shield his younger brother from attack on Friday at a cricket ground in a suburb of Kolkata, they said. "A scuffle broke when the batting side on the verge of winning the match insisted on carrying on with the game despite fading daylight," police inspector general Raj Kanojia said. "The opponents started beating Somnath, the victim's younger brother, who was batting and had totalled a good score," he said. During the quarrel, fielder Ram Patra allegedly picked up a stump and hit Ash on the head, which led to his death, the officer said. Ash was at the ground as a spectator, witnesses said. Kanojia said the 19 year-old alleged killer had been arrested.

■ RUGBY LEAGUE
Warriors down Cowboys
Manly Sea Eagles and Melbourne Storm are the only unbeaten teams remaining in Australia's National Rugby League (NRL) after North Queensland Cowboys suffered their first loss to the New Zealand Warriors in Auckland yesterday. The Warriors bounced back from back-to-back losses to down the Cowboys 34-14 and leave the Sea Eagles and Storm joint leaders of the NRL after five rounds. Manly battled back to overcome Canterbury Bulldogs 14-12 and the Storm were too strong for St George Illawarra, winning 24-10 on Saturday.

■ ATHLETICS
Kinyanujui wins in Nagano
Nephat Kinyanujui left it late to defend his men's title while Russia's Alevtina Ivanova won the women's race at the Nagano Olympic memorial marathon yesterday. The 29-year-old Kenyan, who set his personal best in Nagano last year, edged past Georgiy Andreyev of Russia in the last 200m to cross the finishing line in two hours 13 minutes and 32 seconds. Andreyev, among the leaders from the outset, was so close behind the Kenyan that he clocked the same time. Norio Kamijo was third in 2:13:37. Sydney Olympic silver medalist Lidia Simon of Romania led the four-women group until around halfway, when a one-on-one duel developed between Ivanova and Dire Tune of Ethiopia.

■ ATHLETICS
Dubai race set for big prize
The Dubai Marathon could pay out as much as US$3 million in prize money next year. The organizers increased the purse in the race to US$1 million, and will give an additional US$1 million for a men's or women's world record. The winners of each race will earn US$250,000. About 650 runners participated in this year's Dubai Marathon, which took place on Jan. 12. William Rotich of Kenya won the men's race and Askale Magarsa of Ethiopia set a course record to win the women's race. Next year's marathon will be held on Jan. 18.

■ RUGBY UNION
Tindall to miss tour
England center Mike Tindall will miss the two-test tour of South Africa next month after breaking his right leg in a club game. Tindall was to have pins inserted in his lower leg later on Saturday, Britain's Press Association said. The Gloucester center was hurt in his side's 19-12 loss to Newcastle in the Premiership on Friday after colliding with opposing flyhalf Toby Flood. The injury will keep Tindall sidelined for 12 weeks. England play South Africa on May 26 in Bloemfontein and on June 2 in Pretoria.