Print

Mail

wiki links

Sports Briefs

■ CRICKET
Ponting applauds Watson
Captain Ricky Ponting believes all-rounder Shane Watson could replace retired opening batsman Justin Langer in Australia's Test side. Phil Jaques and Chris Rogers are widely considered to be the most likely candidates to step in for Langer but Watson, a key figure in Australia's one-day team, may also come into consideration. "We've got some excellent competition for quite a few spots in the side," Ponting told reporters at a training camp in Queensland yesterday. "The opening batting is probably the one that has been the most spoken about over the past few months." Watson usually competes with Andrew Symonds for the all-rounder's spot in the Test team but both could play if the former moved to the top of the order.

■ CRICKET
Ashraful confident
Bangladesh skipper Mohammad Ashraful is confident his team can reach the second round of the Twenty20 World Cup, emulating their performance in the one-day version of the tournament earlier this year. Bangladesh face hosts South Africa and West Indies in the group stage of the 12-team championship to be played from Sept. 11 to Sept. 24. "We've done it once," he said yesterday. "Naturally we are confident that we can do it again." In March, Bangladesh stunned India in the group phase of the World Cup in the Caribbean to reach the Super Eights round, where they also beat South Africa. "We need to win just one game to go into the next stage and I think it is very much possible," said Ashraful, whose aggressive batting style is ideal for the shortest version of the sport.

■ RUGBY
Kevin Tkachuk out of Cup
Prop Kevin Tkachuk will miss the Rugby World Cup after breaking his leg in Canada's last buildup game. He was replaced on Monday by Canada's youngest ever international, flyhalf Nathan Hirayama. Tkachuk had scored a try and was barreling toward another when someone landed on the back of his leg in Saturday's 40-10 win over the Newfoundland Rock. Tests revealed the Glasgow Warriors player broke a bone in his fibula and will be on crutches for up to five weeks. Tkachuk, capped 42 times since 2000 including the 2003 World Cup, said missing the tournament in France hadn't hit him yet.

■ SOCCER
Solskjaer set to retire
Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who scored the winning goal in the 1999 Champions League final, is reportedly set to retire because of persistent knee problems. The 34-year-old Solskjaer, who played almost half his games as a substitute during 11 years at United, has struggled with injury for four years and is quitting after several short-lived comebacks. British papers reported that Solskjaer, who has not played since last season's FA Cup final defeat to Chelsea, would announce his retirement yesterday.

■ AUTO RACING
Owner pleads guilty
A NASCAR team owner pleaded guilty in Los Angeles, California, on Monday to defrauding the US government of more than US$34 million in taxes. Gene Haas, the 54-year-old owner of Haas Automation and NASCAR's Haas CNC Racing, agreed to pay a fine, back taxes and interest totaling more than US$70 million, the US Attorney's office said. Haas pleaded guilty to a felony charge for launching a plan to list bogus expenses that could be written off as business costs and save Haas Automation millions in taxes. Haas was scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 5. Prosecutors recommended he serve two years in federal prison and six months probation.

■ GOLF
US Cup team finalized
The US finalized its 10-man team for the Walker Cup by adding Rickie Fowler and Kyle Stanley, leaving out British Amateur champion Drew Weaver and US Amateur finalist Michael Thompson. The US will try to retain the cup from Sept. 8 to Sept. 9 at Royal Country Down in Northern Ireland against an amateur team from Britain and Ireland, which has not lost at home since 1991. The other US members chosen are US Amateur and US Amateur Public Links winner Colt Knost, US college champion Jamie Lovemark, Billy Horschel, Dustin Johnson, Chris Kirk, Jonathan Moore, Webb Simpson and Tripp Kuehne.

■ SOCCER
FC Dallas signs Denilson
For Major League Soccer's (MLS) FC Dallas, signing Brazilian star Denilson is the equivalent of bringing in David Beckham. With the 30-year-old attacking midfielder's introduction on Monday, the club's owner said it was the biggest addition in team history and among the most important in the 12 years of the league. "I think in the context of the MLS, only the signing of Beckham is bigger," said Clark Hunt, chairman of Hunt Sports Group, which owns FC Dallas. Denilson, who played last year for al-Nasr in Saudi Arabia, said that the growing popularity of the MLS helped lure him to North America.

■ HOCKEY
Swedish team signs Belfour
Former NHL goaltender Ed Belfour has signed a contract with Swedish second-division club Leksand. Belfour, 42, will join the team at the start of the season in October, Leksand said on its Web site. "I see it as an honor to play on a classic club like Leksand," Belfour said, adding he was lured to Sweden by "the adventure and the challenge." Belfour became a free agent last month after spending last season with the Florida Panthers. He previously played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars.

■ BOXING
Mob-fighting trainer dies
Jack Leonard, a boxing trainer who was attacked after refusing to turn a champion fighter's contract over to the mob, has died. He was 89. Leonard died from heart failure on Saturday, officials at the Brandywine Health Care Center in Winterhaven, Florida, said on Monday. He boxed as an amateur at 14 and turned professional as a welterweight. He later became a trainer, coach and promoter. Among his boxers was welterweight Don Jordan, who became a world champion in the 1950s. Organized crime figures tried to force Leonard to turn over his contract with Jordan, but he refused and was later attacked at home.


This story has been viewed 733 times.