CRICKET
Australia claim late wickets
Australia yesterday stunned England with two late wickets, including that of Joe Root for 83, to leave the tourists wobbling on 233-5 at the end of a the rain-disrupted opening day of the fifth and final Test. Root and Dawid Malan had combined for a 133-run partnership to help the tourists to 228-3 when Australia took the new ball with less than half an hour of play remaining. Mitchell Starc induced Root into a flick to square-leg where Mitchell Marsh took a superb catch before Josh Hazlewood removed nightwatchman Jonny Bairstow with the last ball of the day. Malan reached stumps unbeaten on 55. Mark Stoneman, James Vince and Alastair Cook departed relatively cheaply before tea, but Australia’s bowlers were unable to drive home their advantage until the dramatic climax. Cook made 244 not out in the drawn Melbourne Test last week and looked to be creeping assiduously toward another big tally when Hazlewood intervened. With the Cook on 39, just five runs from becoming the sixth batsman to score 12,000 Test runs, Hazlewood fired down a fullish delivery that rapped the 33-year-old on the front pad. A loud shout for LBW was turned down, but Smith reviewed immediately with the TV tracking removing any doubt about the ball pitching outside leg and forcing the decision to be reversed.
TENNIS
Cilic cruises into quarters
Marin Cilic of Croatia on Wednesday comfortably beat India’s Ramkumar Ramanathan 6-4, 6-3 at the Tata Open Maharashtra in India, but third seed Roberto Bautista Agut was eliminated. Top-seeded Cilic needed only 72 minutes to book his spot in the quarter-finals. Despite losing serve at 5-3 in the first set, Cilic broke back immediately to clinch the first set and dropped only seven points across five service games in the second to seal an easy victory. Cilic is to face Pierre-Hugues Herbert, who recovered to beat local favorite Yuki Bhambri 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. French veteran Gilles Simon stunned world No. 20 Agut 6-3, 7-6 (7/5). Bautista Agut looked set to take the match into the decisive third set when he led 5-3 in the tiebreak. However, Simon won four successive points and is now to meet another Spaniard, Ricardo Ojeda Lara, who beat Ilya Ivashka 6-4, 6-4. Fourth seed Benoit Paire saved five match points in the third set tiebreak to beat Hungarian Marton Fucsovics 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/6) in a second-round match that last just more than three hours. Seventh seed Mikhail Kukushkin edged past Laslo Djere 7-5, 7-6 (6/5) for a place in the last eight, while fifth seed Robin Haase beat Nicolas Jarry 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5.
TENNIS
Rain stops ASB Classic play
Heavy rain yesterday prevented quarter-finals from being played at the WTA Tour’s ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand. Organizers are to schedule quarter-finals and semi-finals on a packed day today in a bid to ensure the final goes ahead as planned tomorrow. Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki was due to play American wild-card entry Sofia Kenin, second seed Julia Goerges was to face Polona Hercog, third-seeded Barbora Strycova was drawn against Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwasnka was scheduled to meet Sachia Vickery in the quarter-finals. Those matches have been rescheduled for this morning, with semi-final matches to be played in the evening. Further rain was forecast.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
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
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely