FOOTBALL
Frazier new Vikings coach
The Minnesota Vikings have reached an agreement with Leslie Frazier to be their next coach. The Vikings announced on Monday they’re removing the interim tag from Frazier’s title. Frazier took over on Nov. 22 when Brad Childress was fired and the Vikings went 3-3 under him. The defensive coordinator under Childress and a former cornerback for the Chicago Bears, Frazier had a clear command of the locker room as he guided the Vikings through the end of a disappointing, dramatic season. Players have pushed for him to get the job on a permanent basis. Frazier is the eighth coach in the franchise’s 50-year history. Vikings owner Zygi Wilf touted Frazier’s “vast knowledge of the game” and the “great respect” the organization has for the 51-year-old.
SKIING
Heikkinen wins fourth stage
Matti Heikkinen of Finland won the fourth stage of the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany, while Anna Haag of Sweden took victory in the women’s race, but the overall event standings did not change. Heikkinen claimed the best time on the second portion of the 20km mixed classic and free pursuit to win in a total time of 49 minutes, 20.1 seconds on Monday. Overall Tour de Ski leader Dario Cologna of Switzerland finished second, a second back from Heikkinen, to extend his advantage to 1 hour, 37 minutes, 51.0 seconds. In the women’s standings, Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland finished fifth to remain in front overall with a time of 1 hour, 1 minute, 52.3 seconds.
CRICKET
Pakistan draw warm-up
Pakistan’s pre-Test warm-up match against a New Zealand XI at Whangarei’s Cobham Oval ended in a tame draw with both sides agreeing to a truce midway through the third and final day yesterday. The New Zealand XI, in reality a shadow Test team, were 111 for four when stumps were pulled, an overall lead of 208. After the hosts posted 384 in their first innings, Pakistan recovered from a woeful start, when they were 39 for four, to be all out for 287. Skipper Misbah ul-Haq, who did not play in the recent Twenty20 series, earned valuable time in the middle with an unbeaten 126 in nearly six hours at the crease. The next best score for Pakistan was 35 by wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal. Seam bowler Umar Gul, who took three wickets in the first innings, continued his good form in the second with the dismissals of Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson in the space of three balls, to end with two for 19. The first Test in the two-Test series between New Zealand and Pakistan starts in Hamilton tomorrow.
BASEBALL
Simon surrenders to police
Baltimore Orioles reliever Alfredo Simon has surrendered to Dominican police for questioning about a fatal shooting on New Year’s Eve. The Dominican pitcher arrived at national police headquarters on Monday. He was accompanied by his mother and lawyer, who gave detectives Simon’s gun as part of the investigation into the killing of a 25-year-old man. Police spokesman Maximo Baez says the 29-year-old player told detectives he fired twice into the air during a celebration in the northeast coastal town of Luperon. Simon is the main suspect in the fatal shooting. The dead man’s teenage brother was shot in the right arm and is hospitalized in the city of Santiago.
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
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