■BASEBALL
Wang may pitch in August
Taiwanese pitcher Wang Chien-ming may return to the Major Leagues in early August if his recovery from shoulder surgery continues to proceed smoothly, executives from the Washington Nationals said on Monday. During a meeting with Jason Yuan, Taiwan’s representative to the US, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo told the media that it was hard to pinpoint an exact date for Wang’s return, but he hoped it would be by early August. Rizzo acknowledged that the surgery to repair a torn shoulder capsule has kept other players out for at least 18 months, so Wang’s long recovery period has not been unusual. However, Wang has started to throw from the mound and Wang could start throwing at batting practice in the next few days. If that goes well, he could eventually be inserted into the Nationals’ five-man starting rotation, Rizzo said. Nationals president Stan Kasten stressed, however, that the most important issue now is whether Wang can make a full recovery. He said the club would not use the 30-year-old until his shoulder had completely healed because it does not see Wang as a stopgap but as somebody who can pitch long-term.
■CRICKET
Aussies pick first Muslim
Batsman Usman Khawaja became the first Muslim named in an Australian Test squad yesterday as selectors announced a 14-strong party for the two-match series against Pakistan, the country of his birth. Left-handed Khawaja, 23, admitted feeling “shocked” after being brought in for next month’s Tests in England, which were moved from Pakistan over security problems. “I was a bit shocked, I had a feeling I was close but that could mean absolutely nothing,” he said. “The feeling didn’t really sink in straight away but I’ve told my family and they’re really excited.” Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said Khawaja had earned his place after strong performances for New South Wales, scoring 698 runs including three centuries last season. Fast bowler Ben Hilfenhaus returns after missing the March tour of New Zealand with knee tendonitis. Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin was also tentatively included despite fitness doubts over an elbow tendon problem.
■SOCCER
Wolves sign Stephen Hunt
Ireland midfielder Stephen Hunt has joined Wolverhampton Wanderers from Hull City for an undisclosed fee, the Premier League club confirmed on Monday. The 28-year-old has signed a three-year deal with the Molineux club who said they had also made a bid for him in January. “It’s been a long time coming in terms of all the speculation,” Hunt told the club Web site. “Now it’s done and I’m just looking forward to getting going and working with the manager and the players.” Hunt, who has 22 caps, is the second player to leave relegated Hull for Wolves after Steven Mouyokolo joined last week.
■CRICKET
Afridi blasts Pakistan to win
Shahid Afridi hit 124 off 60 balls to lead Pakistan to their highest one-day international score of 385 and a 139-run victory over Bangladesh in the Asia Cup at Dambulla on Monday. Afridi stole the show, flaying the hapless Bangladesh bowlers all over the park for 17 fours and four sixes. An opening stand of 81 off 75 balls between Imran Farhat and Shahzaib Hasan gave Pakistan a flying start. Umar Akmal also joined the run spree with a fifty. Bangladesh made 246 for five in reply with Imrul Kayes scoring 66 and Junaid Siddique just missing out on a century when he was dismissed for 97 by Shoaib Akhtar.
■NORTH KOREA
North Koreans see rout live
North Korea made good on its promise to carry the World Cup clash with Portugal live, but a hail of goals from the European side left the commentator speechless, South Korean media reported yesterday. The communist state’s Korean Central TV had aired recorded footage of the team’s first group match against Brazil. The North, making their first World Cup appearance for 44 years and ranked lowest among the finalists, put up a dogged defense against the five-time champions from South America before going down 1-2. Apparently encouraged, the station aired Monday evening’s game in real time — reportedly the first-ever live World Cup broadcast in the soccer-mad nation. A commentator expressed disappointment when Portugal scored their first goal 29 minutes into the first half, according to South Korean media that monitored the broadcast. The North Koreans should have been more alive to the forward threat posed by Cristiano Ronaldo’s team, he said. “If we play our own style of game, we will be able to score.” Those hopes were soon to be shattered. Portugal added an avalanche of six goals in the second half to knock the scoreless North out of the tournament. The broadcast ended immediately after the final whistle.
■MEXICO
Aguirre revels in harmony
Mexico coach Javier Aguirre knows all about the sort of player unrest currently afflicting the France World Cup squad, but said he is lucky to be blessed with a harmonious team. Aguirre revealed on Monday, a day after the French team refused to train after a dispute, how he had fallen out with former Portuguese international Maniche during the 2007-2008 season at La Liga club Atletico Madrid because of a “major difference.” Now, however, he is enjoying a good vibe in his Mexican camp ahead of their top-of-the-table Group A clash with Uruguay yesterday. “Things are going well and we have a great atmosphere,” the former Mexico international told a press conference on Monday as the sun poured into a bright white tent just outside the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg. “The players are all very calm and confident,” he added. Aguirre dismissed suggestions of a pre-match agreement to guarantee both Latin American countries reach the knockout stages. “I had never heard those rumors about an implicit pact. Let’s hope football will win, that it will be a robust game,” he said.
■ENGLAND
Ferguson phones Rooney
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed he has been so concerned by Wayne Rooney’s poor World Cup form that he broke off from his summer holiday to call his star striker. The Scot fears the weight of expectation on the 24-year-old’s shoulders may have contributed to lackluster displays in England’s draws with the US and Algeria in their opening matches in South Africa. “I spoke to Wayne last week and I just said: ‘Relax and enjoy it,’” Ferguson said. “I just sensed there was a tension in and around the [England] camp from what I was hearing. I didn’t watch the Algeria game, but I just get a feeling that the expectation is affecting the England team. Ferguson said he was not surprised by the under-performance of England and France in the tournament so far. “The season we have in Europe, particularly in England, is tough,” the Scot said. “It’s a real task to ask players to perform at the best level they can after a season in England.”
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was
RALLY: It was only the second time the Taiwanese has partnered with Kudermetova, and the match seemed tight until they won seven points in a row to take the last set 10-2 Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching and Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova on Sunday won the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix women’s doubles final in Stuttgart, Germany. The pair defeated Norway’s Ulrikke Eikeri and Estonia’s Ingrid Neel 4-6, 6-3, 10-2 in a tightly contested match at the WTA 500 tournament. Chan and Kudermetova fell 4-6 in the first set after having their serve broken three times, although they played increasingly well. They fought back in the second set and managed to break their opponents’ serve in the eighth game to triumph 6-3. In the tiebreaker, Chan and Kudermetova took a 3-0 lead before their opponents clawed back two points, but