■CRICKET
Kiwis admit role in ‘riot’
Two New Zealand cricketers admitted yesterday to sparking what has been described as a riot in the Indian city of Chennai after handing out money to street people. The incident happened following an unauthorized drinking session during the New Zealand A tour of India in August. Neil Broom and Aaron Redmond owned up after the Herald on Sunday newspaper reported that a riot broke out when two players began handing out money. “The intended charity quickly became more popular than the pair had counted on. The crowd grew larger and more unruly and, according to sources, a full-scale riot broke out,” the newspaper said. Although the players were not named in the article, Broom and Redmond later issued a statement admitting liability. “Unfortunately when we decided to leave the night spot we were picked up by police following another poor decision to hand out money to people living on the street, whereupon a crowd developed,” Redmond said.
■TENNIS
Slovak ace turns Aussie
Jarmila Groth will become eligible to play for Australia after she is officially granted citizenship this week, Tennis Australia (TA) said yesterday. The Slovak-born Groth, 22, who is married to Australian tennis professional Sam Groth, will be sworn in during a ceremony in Canberra today, TA said. “It’s a dream come true and I am incredibly excited and proud to become a citizen of this great nation, whose people have welcomed me so warmly and have made me feel at home since the very first time I came here,” said Groth, who gained her residency in 2004. Groth, reached a career-high WTA Tour singles ranking of 57 in July and won last year’s Taipei Ladies Open.
■ATHLETICS
Runners slam PLA soldiers
Chinese army soldiers were accused yesterday of gamesmanship and muscling their way to victory in a Hong Kong charity 100km race. Two People’s Liberation Army (PLA) teams on Friday took part in the Oxfam Trailwalker charity race for first time since setting up garrisons in Hong Kong in 1997. Their four-man teams finished first and second in the race around the New Territories but were accused of using a vast support crew and deliberately holding up rival teams. Fellow competitors told the Sunday Morning Post newspaper the army teams had a support crew of “at least 50 people” and used large numbers of support runners to hold up other teams. Usually, only two or three support runners are used per team to help carry food and drink in the toughest parts of the MacLehose Trail where the race takes place. “Their support runners would keep trying to pass us and then slow down to delay us, while their team ran clear,” Jeremy Ritcey of a rival team told the newspaper. “They jostled us and put us off our stride,” he said. There was no immediate response from the PLA.
■SOCCER
Allardyce to have heart op
Blackburn Rovers manager Sam Allardyce will miss his side’s next three English Premier League matches because he needs heart surgery, the club said on Saturday. The Rovers Web site said Allardyce, 55, would undergo an angioplasty this week to correct a narrowing to a branch of his coronary arteries after recently complaining of chest discomfort. Allardyce was due to miss yesterday’s game against Bolton Wanderers as well as matches against Fulham and Stoke City. Assistant manager Neil McDonald will take charge of the first team in his absence.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and