■ CRICKET
Dilip Sardesai dies
Former India batsman Dilip Sardesai has died at the age of 66 after multiple organ failure, a Bombay Hospital spokesman said on Monday. Sardesai was recently admitted to hospital for a chest infection and had also been suffering from several health problems. He played 30 Tests between 1961 and 1972, collecting five hundreds and nine half-centuries at an average of just under 40. He scored 2,001 runs. Sardesai is best remembered for hitting 642 runs with three hundreds, including a double century, in India's first Test series victory in West Indies in 1970-1971. Later that year he scored 54 and 40 in the Oval Test before leg-spinner Bhagwat Chandrasekhar took six for 38 to spin the visitors to their maiden Test series win in England.
■ SOCCER
Kaka staying: AC Milan
AC Milan's designated administrator Adriano Galliani on Monday poured cold water on rumors that Brazilian star Kaka is heading to Real Madrid. Galliani said he can guarantee that the talented playmaker, widely regarded the world's best player of the moment, will be plying his trade at the San Siro next season. "I guarantee to Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon that on July 23 [when AC Milan regroup for pre-season training] Kaka will be present at Milanello [Milan's training headquarters] to begin preparation with his teammates," Galiani told his club's Web site. "On August 31 in Monaco he, as European champion, will play the final of the European Super Cup against Sevilla and then he will play in the World Club Championships in Japan in December." Real have been chasing Kaka for months.
■ RUGBY UNION
Tardy Lote Tuqiri banned
Australia winger Lote Tuqiri has been suspended for disciplinary reasons and will not play another international match before the World Cup. The Australian Rugby Union announced the two-match ban yesterday, saying Tuqiri had breached "team standards" and would not be selected for Saturday's match against South Africa or the Wallabies' last Tri-Nations match in New Zealand on July 21. Tuqiri was in the starting XV for Saturday's upset win over New Zealand in Melbourne. He failed to attend a team medical appointment and recovery session in Sydney on Monday. A later breath test showed a blood-alcohol reading above team limits. Tuqiri was also fined A$20,000 (US$17,130). The dual rugby league-rugby union international was still under a two-match suspended ban for an off-field incident at Cape Town in July 2005.
■ SOCCER
Portugal outclass Kiwis
Captain Bruno Gama scored twice, once via penalty, and Portugal outclassed New Zealand 2-0 at the U20 World Cup on Monday. The Group C contest was largely one-way traffic for the Europeans, who dominated but squandered several opportunities. The attacking foursome of Gama, Zequinha, Fabio Coentrao and Bruno Pereirinha fluidly switched positions, overwhelming the New Zealand defense. New Zealand, making its U20 World Cup debut, had to be content with scraps of possession, and relied on set plays for scoring chances. It's one first-half opportunity from the run of play nearing halftime was diffused in the penalty area by Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio. Portugal had nearly three times the possession of New Zealand, but managed to put only one shot on target, a free kick by Gama set up when Ian Hogg was called for a hacking foul.
Brice Turang and Pete Crow-Armstrong’s consecutive RBI singles proved to be the difference in the US’ 5-3 win over Canada in a World Baseball Classic (WBC) quarterfinal on Friday night in Houston. The US faces the Dominican Republic, which crushed South Korea 10-0 in seven innings in its quarter-final, in a semifinal Sunday in Miami for a spot in Tuesday’s championship. The Dominican team has won all five games in this WBC by a combined margin of 51-10. It appeared the US squad was headed toward a cozy victory when it built a 5-0 lead by the sixth inning. A first-inning RBI groundout
Wilyer Abreu watched the ball leave the park and tossed his bat high in the air. His Venezuela teammates streamed out of the dugout in celebration. The comeback was on and the win over the reigning World Baseball Classic (WBC) champion Japan was within reach. Japan, their 11-game WBC winning streak on the line, held a 5-4 lead in the sixth inning of Saturday’s thrilling quarter-final matchup when Abreu put his team ahead with the biggest swing of the game: a three-run shot off Hiromi Itoh that sent the loanDepot Park crowd into a passionate roar and helped seize Venezuela’s 8-5
A BREATHLESS BATTLE: France clinched the championship in a vicious back-and-forth match with England, denying Ireland the title by just a few points France won back-to-back Six Nations titles after beating England 48-46 on a last-second penalty-kick by Thomas Ramos in a thriller for the ages on Saturday. England scored their seventh try in the 77th minute and converted for 46-45. If the score held for a few more minutes, Ireland would have been crowned the champion. But France pressed yet again with 14 men, lost possession, regained it, and earned two simultaneous penalties after the fulltime siren. Captain Antoine Dupont debated with referee Nika Amashukeli where the penalty spots were. Ramos, who did not miss a goal-kick all night, finally lined up his seventh
Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions’ outfielder Chen Chieh-hsien, who fractured his left index finger earlier during the World Baseball Classic (WBC), is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks. The Uni-Lions confirmed in a news statement on Friday that Chen had a distal fracture in his left index finger. The diagnosis followed X-ray and CT scans conducted at the Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital earlier that day. According to the club, the injury would require four to six weeks to heal. During this period, Chen must wear a protective splint but is permitted to engage in light, sport-specific training. The team plans to
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