BASKETBALL
Jason Kidd arrested
NBA veteran point guard Jason Kidd, recently acquired by the New York Knicks, was arrested for suspicion of drunken driving early on Sunday after a one-car crash, New York media outlets reported. The 39-year-old 10-time NBA All-Star was released on his own recognizance, the New York Post reported. Police sergeant Michael Burns of suburban Southampton told the New York Daily News that Kidd was arrested after crashing his Cadillac Escalade into a telephone pole. He was the only person in the car and was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital near his summer home in the Hamptons, the Daily News reported. The Knicks inked Kidd last week to a deal worth about US$3 million a year. It was thought that the Knicks might want Kidd to mentor young point guard Jeremy Lin, if New York opt to keep him. Knicks coach Mike Woodson had indicated last week that the Knicks would match any offer the Asian-American star received as a restricted free agent, but on Saturday, Newsday reported that the three-year, US$25.1 million offer sheet Lin signed with Houston on Saturday had the Knicks re-thinking that plan.
BASKETBALL
Kyrie Irving breaks hand
Reigning NBA rookie of the year Kyrie Irving broke his right hand on Saturday while practicing with the Cleveland Cavaliers’ summer league squad. Irving, the first overall draft pick last year, fractured his hand after slapping a wall at the training facility. Irving was upset because he had just turned the ball over. The 20-year-old was taken to hospital where X-rays revealed the break. Irving is expected to travel back to Cleveland, Ohio, where he will be re-evaluated by team doctors. In 51 games last season, Irving averaged 18.5 points and 5.4 assists and won the league’s Rookie of the Year trophy. He recently took part in scrimmages in Las Vegas against this year’s USA Olympic men’s basketball team. The Cavaliers are hoping he will be ready in time for training camp.
CRICKET
Australia change roster
Australia have rested all-rounder Shane Watson and quick bowler Ben Hilfenhaus and dropped batsman Peter Forrest from their squad to play a three-match one-day series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates starting next month. Watson was injured, while Forrest and Hilfenhaus struggled in the recent 4-0 series loss to England, and none was included in the 15-strong party, although Watson and Hilfenhaus were named in the Twenty20 squad that will play three matches in Dubai. The most surprising inclusion in both squads was little-known 23-year-old all rounder Glenn Maxwell, who has played just 11 first class matches for Victoria since his debut last year.
CYCLING
Bonnen worried about rib
Former world champion Tom Boonen admitted on Sunday he is facing a battle to be fit for the Olympics after breaking a rib in a fall during the Tour of Poland. The Belgian, who skipped the Tour de France to concentrate on his preparations for the Olympics, suffered the injury on the fifth stage of the Polish race on Saturday and underwent a medical check-up on Sunday. The checks underlined a fracture of the sixth rib on the right side of his chest. “There’s nothing more to do than wait and see how the situation will evolve,” Boonen said. “I’m sad because my condition is good and I really don’t want to lose the chance to participate in the Olympics. On Thursday, I will have the answer that I’m waiting for.”
RUGBY LEAGUE
Field charged with murder
Former Australian rugby league player Craig Field, who also had a stint at French club Pia, was charged with murder on Monday over the death of a man outside a pub. Field, 39, and another man are accused of killing a 50-year-old man who died in hospital after allegedly being punched to the ground outside a bar in Kingscliff, about 830km north of Sydney, on Sunday evening. Police allege that an argument inside the Kingscliff Beach Hotel spilled outside to the car park, where the victim was found unconscious. “This event has escalated during the day and into the evening, where it was taken outside to a car park where people were leaving,” police superintendent Stuart Wilkins told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. “Unfortunately, it turned violent, and significantly violent, where we believe at least one king-hit-type punch was given to the male person, the 50-year-old victim, and unfortunately he has sustained grave injuries as a result.” Field played in the National Rugby League in the 1990s. The halfback came out of retirement in late 2002 to play in France for Pia. He was remanded in custody and is due in court on Aug. 21.
RUGBY UNION
Lambie and Steyn ruled out
Springboks Patrick Lambie and Frans Steyn have been ruled out of Saturday’s Super Rugby quarter-final between the Durban-based Sharks and defending champions the Queensland Reds. Flyhalf Lambie aggravated an ankle injury during the Sharks’ 34-14 win over the Cheetahs at the weekend that clinched their place in the playoffs. Steyn has been ruled ineligible for post-season matches because he was signed by the Sharks after the April 1 transfer deadline. Lock Pieter-Steph du Toit also has an ankle injury and he was omitted from the 24-man squad named by the Sharks on Sunday. Lock Steven Sykes and prop Tendai Mtawarira have both been passed fit after missing the match against the Cheetahs.
RUGBY UNION
Mitchell, Turner back in fold
Australia wingers Drew Mitchell and Lachie Turner returned to the international fold yesterday when they were included in the Wallabies’ initial training squad for the inaugural Rugby Championship. Australia open the new competition with a Test against world champions the All Blacks in Sydney on Aug. 18. Coach Robbie Deans named a 27-strong squad for a training camp in Sydney next week, but did not include any players from the Queensland Reds, who are still involved in the Super Rugby playoffs. Mitchell and Turner, one of the quickest backs in international rugby, both missed last month’s Tests against Scotland and Wales through injury. Fullback Kurtley Beale and flanker David Pocock, who is likely to captain Australia in the absence of the injured James Horwill, were also included, despite missing the end of the Super Rugby season with injuries.
SOCCER
Magpies eye Carroll deal
Newcastle United have made an approach to Liverpool to take Andy Carroll back to St James’ Park, British media reported on Sunday. The 23-year-old England striker left the northeast side to join Premier League rivals Liverpool for a British record £35 million (US$54.5 million) in January last year. However, he struggled for goals and Newcastle are now reportedly keen to take Carroll back on a season-long loan ahead of a possible permanent switch. Newcastle’s interest has come following reports that the forward is not part of Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers’ plans.
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