■SOCCER
Silvestre signs for Arsenal
Manchester United’s French defender Mikael Silvestre has signed for Arsenal on a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee, British media reported on Wednesday. Silvestre had spent nine seasons under Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, but his move south to North London means he joins up with manager Arsene Wenger, whose defensive options will have increased with his signature. The United contract of the 31-year-old, who missed a large part of last season with knee ligament damage, was set to expire next season. He had been linked with a move to Bordeaux and Manchester City during the summer but opted to move to the capital city instead. Silvestre is the first player to leave United for Arsenal since Brian Kidd 34 years ago.
■BASEBALL
Instant replay deal signed
Major League Baseball (MLB) umpires and management signed an agreement on Wednesday that will introduce instant replay to help determine calls on the field. The deal was signed by lawyers for the commissioner’s office and the World Umpires Association (WUA) one day after a WUA spokesman went public with complaints over negotiations. “We reached an agreement. Final decision with respect to moving ahead has not been made yet, but we have an agreement with the umpires,” said Rob Manfred, MLB’s executive vice president of labor relations. MLB had already started installing equipment in ballparks, hoping to get the replay system running this month. It would be used for boundary calls, such as determining whether balls cleared fences for home runs and whether potential homers near foul poles were fair.
■CRICKET
Scots to replace Zimbabwe
Scotland will replace Zimbabwe in next year’s World Twenty20 in England, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed on Wednesday. Zimbabwe withdrew from the event last month to avert demands that they be suspended because of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s government. Zimbabwe Cricket confirmed its decision at a meeting with senior ICC officials at the ruling body’s Dubai headquarters. “This allows the ICC the opportunity to plan with certainty the ICC World Twenty20 2009, as well as giving Scotland ... plenty of preparation time ahead of the tournament,” ICC president David Morgan said in a statement on the organization’s Web site after the meeting. Zimbabwe was persuaded by the ICC executive board last month to stay away from next June’s event. An ICC statement said the Zimbabwe board recognised the British government was unlikely to issue visas for the team, having already canceled next year’s bilateral series between England and Zimbabwe.
■CRICKET
Sarwan guides Windies win
Ramnaresh Sarwan hammered an unbeaten 49 to guide the West Indies to a crushing six-wicket victory over Bermuda in the second match of the Canada Cup Tri-Series in King City, Ontario, on Wednesday. Man-of-the-match Sarwan struck five fours and a six in 58 balls as the West Indies totaled 159 for four in reply to Bermuda’s 158-9 at the Maple Leaf Cricket Club. Left-hander Shawn Findlay weighed in with a whirlwind 41 to help the tournament favorites cruise to victory with 18.1 of their 50 overs to spare. The West Indies face hosts Canada today before the two sides meet again in the tournament final on Sunday.
Tainan TSG Hawks slugger Steven Moya, who is leading the CPBL in home runs, has withdrawn from this weekend’s All-Star Game after the unexpected death of his wife. Moya’s wife began feeling severely unwell aboard a plane that landed at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Friday evening. She was rushed to a hospital, but passed away, the Hawks said in a statement yesterday. The franchise is assisting Moya with funeral arrangements and hopes fans who were looking forward to seeing him at the All-Star Game can understand his decision to withdraw. According to Landseed Medical Clinic, whose staff attempted to save Moya’s wife,
Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday homered for the fifth consecutive game, tying a Los Angeles Dodgers franchise record. Yankees star Aaron Judge was the last player to homer in five consecutive games, accomplishing that feat last year. Ohtani, who leads the National League with 37 home runs, homered in the first inning off Minnesota Twins starter Chris Paddack. He hit a slow curveball 134m to center. He carried the bat midway down the first-base line and then did a bat flip. He did not hit a home run later in the game with the Dodgers trailing, but his presence was felt. With two outs
Taiwan’s world No. 6 shuttler Chou Tien-chen yesterday defeated India’s H.S. Prannoy to advance to the quarter-finals of the China Open in Changzhou. It was former world No. 2 Chou’s eighth win in 14 matches against Prannoy, who had earlier this week lamented the age divide between him and up-and-comers, although he is only two years younger than 35-year-old Chou. The Taiwanese, who is seeded sixth at the tournament, rebounded from a close 21-18 loss in game 1 on Court 2 at the Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium. He bounced back to take the next games 21-15, 21-8 and set up a tough quarter-final
The Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday acquired Taiwanese-American outfielder Stuart Fairchild from the Atlanta Braves for cash considerations to fill the roster after All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe was placed back on the injured list. Fairchild was designated for assignment by the Braves on Monday after hitting .216/.273/.333 in 28 games for Atlanta, with most of his work coming as a pinch runner or defensive replacement. He joins Tampa Bay as a versatile fourth outfielder option. To make room for Fairchild on the 40-man roster, the Rays transferred relief pitcher Manuel Rodriguez (forearm strain) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day
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