CRICKET
South Africa add De Lange
South Africa have added paceman Marchant de Lange to their squad for five one-day internationals (ODI) against England, Cricket South Africa said. “Marchant gives us more options with our fast bowlers, because there is no [Dale] Steyn, no [Vernon] Philander, no Kyle Abbott,” coach Russell Domingo told reporters on Sunday. “We need to manage the workloads of [Morne] Morkel and [Kagiso] Rabada, who have played a lot. We need to broaden our fast bowling base for this series.” Steyn missed most of the Test series, which England won 2-1, with a shoulder injury, while Philander has not played since the early stages of the tour to India in November last year when he tore ankle ligaments. A hamstring strain meant Abbott was unable to bowl during the final Test against England in Pretoria.
CRICKET
Finch vows T20 readiness
Australia captain Aaron Finch yesterday predicted he would be fit for next month’s ICC World Twenty20 competition, after officials said a hamstring injury would not require surgery. The 29-year-old hurt his left leg running between wickets during a match against India on Friday last week, eventually limping off the field after being run out. Finch is set to miss the one-day series in New Zealand, which begins tomorrow, but Kountouris said it was not a recurrence of an old hamstring injury that needed surgery last year. “We are aiming to have Aaron fit for the ICC World T20 in India, but will have a better idea about his fitness for that tournament in the coming weeks once we see how he responds to treatment and a rehabilitation program,” he said. However, the top-order batsman had little doubt, saying on Twitter: “I’ll be in.”
GOLF
Song edges Jordan Spieth
Jordan Spieth yesterday finished runner-up at the Singapore Open after South Korea’s Song Young-han held his nerve to beat the fast-finishing world No. 1 by a single stroke. Among 13 players back at Sentosa Golf Club at the break of dawn after Sunday’s final round was suspended because of a thunderstorm, Spieth sank a five-foot birdie putt on the last hole, where he had marked his ball overnight, completing a final round of five-under 66 to finish at 11-under 273. Song, resuming on 12-under and playing two groups behind Spieth, drained a 12-foot par putt on the 16th, then made par at the last two holes to win the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour event. China’s Liang Wen-chong, who completed his round on Sunday, finished outright third at 10-under.
SOCCER
Guinea advance to semis
African Nations Championship debutants Guinea on Sunday overcame favorites Zambia 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out to reach the semi-finals in Rwanda. The game ended 0-0 in regulation and extra time before Guinea goalkeeper Abdul Aziz Keita scored the decisive penalty kick, sending his team to a semi-final tomorrow against the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Former champions Tunisia squandered a first-half lead to lose 2-1 to Mali, who are to face Ivory Coast in the other semi-final. Tunisia went into the match buoyed by their 5-0 demolition of Niger in the group phase, and they looked to be cruising to another victory when Mohammed Ali Moncer headed them in front after 14 minutes. However, Mali struck back with two second-half goals through Aliou Dieng and Abdoulaye Diarra.
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