CRICKET
Dhawan reported for action
India’s Shikhar Dhawan has been reported for a suspect bowling action and is to undergo tests within 14 days, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said yesterday. Dhawan, 30, an opening batsman who rarely bowls, was reported after India’s fourth Test against South Africa in New Delhi on Monday when the defiant tourists were attempting to salvage a draw. As South Africa stonewalled the India bowlers on the final day, frustrated India captain Virat Kohli brought on Dhawan, who bowled just three overs for nine runs. India eventually won the match by 337 runs and sealed the four-Test series 3-0. “Dhawan’s bowling action will now be scrutinized further under the ICC process relating to suspected illegal bowling actions,” the ICC said in a statement. Dhawan, who bowls off-spin, is to be allowed to play on until the results of the tests are declared, the sport’s governing body said. Dhawan has made 1,308 runs in 19 Tests, but has never taken a wicket from the nine overs he has bowled in those matches.
CRICKET
Philander to miss two Tests
South Africa paceman Vernon Philander is to miss the first two Tests against England because of injury, team officials said on Tuesday as the squad returned from their 3-0 hiding in India. Philander suffered a freak injury in a warm-up game of soccer before the second Test in Bangalore, going over on his left ankle and tearing ligaments. Hosts South Africa are hoping fellow fast bowler Dale Steyn is fit for their first Test against England in Durban that starts on Dec. 26. Steyn suffered a groin strain midway through the second Test in India and did not bowl again in the series. “We are all optimistic the bowlers will get their confidence back and the batters will do the job against England,” South Africa captain Hashim Amla said.
CRICKET
New IPL cities selected
India’s western cities of Pune and Rajkot are to provide the franchises to fill in for the suspended Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) over the next two years. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said the new teams are to be temporary replacements after the Super Kings and Royals were suspended this year by an Indian Supreme Court-appointed committee over corruption and spot-fixing. New Rising Consortium-owned Pune and mobile phone manufacturer Intex-owned Rajkot were selected in a reverse-bidding process in which bidders were asked to discount their annual revenue share of US$6 million. New Rising gave up that revenue entirely and also committed to pay US$2.4 million per year to the BCCI. Intex are to pay US$1.5 million per year.
SOCCER
FIFA, Alibaba E-Auto ink deal
FIFA has signed an eight-year partnership deal with Alibaba E-Auto for the Club World Cup, reflecting China’s vast marketing potential. FIFA marketing director Thierry Weil yesterday announced the deal with the car manufacturing brand of Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group, the world’s largest online and mobile commerce company. Alibaba E-Auto branding are to have a strong presence at both stadiums for this year’s tournament, which is being held in Japan from today through Dec. 20. The Club World Cup features the top clubs from FIFA’s six continental confederations. European champions Barcelona and Copa Libertadores winners River Plate are the favorites to reach the final.
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
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
Taiwanese gymnast Lee Chih-kai failed to secure an Olympic berth in the pommel horse following a second-place finish at the last qualifier in Doha on Friday, a performance that Lee and his coach called “unconvincing.” The Tokyo Olympics silver medalist finished runner-up in the final after scoring 6.6 for degree of difficulty and 8.800 for execution for a combined score of 15.400. That was just 0.100 short of Jordan’s Ahmad Abu Al Soud, who had qualified for the event in Paris before the Apparatus World Cup series in Qatar’s capital. After missing the final rounds in the first two of four qualifier