■ Cricket
Watson still doubtful
Australia allrounder Shane Watson remained in doubt for the first Ashes Test against England after a less-than-convincing performance at training yesterday at the Gabba. Watson gave his strained right hamstring a gentle test by running laps and doing some light sprint work for 45 minutes before bowling three overs in the nets. The 25-year-old Watson then left training with team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris to undergo further scans on his injury. A Cricket Australia spokesman said Watson ran at about 70 percent capacity yesterday and would train with the squad today.
■ Sumo
Asashoryu ousts Kokkai
Grand champion Asashoryu dispatched Kokkai yesterday and took sole possession of the lead at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka, Japan. Fighting in the day's final bout at Fukuoka Kokusai Center, Asashoryu of Mongolia improved to 9-0 when he quickly got both arms around Kokkai, twisting the winless komusubi off balance before pushing him off the ring. Asashoryu, the only grand champion competing in sumo, is aiming to capture his 19th Emperor's Cup in the 15-day tourney. In another major bout, ozeki Chiyotaikai used his trademark arm thrusts to the neck to send Kisenosato out to improve to 8-1.
■ Soccer
Mexico, Jamaica win
Mexico defeated Trinidad and Tobago 3-0 and Jamaica beat Panama 2-0 in Women's Gold Cup soccer quarter-finals on Sunday. First-half goals from Patricia Perez and Monica Gonzalez were enough for Mexico, which advanced to a semi-final against the two-time defending champion US team tomorrow. The US and Canada, which will meet Jamaica in the other semi-final, earned byes into the final four. Dominguez scored Mexico's third goal in the 66th minute. Trinidad hardly tested Mexico goalkeeper Sophia Perez and created only two shots on goal. Audia Sullivan's early goal for Jamaica stood up, while Venicia Reid's score put away Panama for good. Jamaica still has not allowed a goal in six Gold Cup matches and has outscored opponents 38-0.
■ Rugby Union
Gregan praises Giteau
Australia scrumhalf Matt Giteau received praise yesterday from George Gregan, the man whose place in the Wallabies team he is currently occupying. Giteau, normally a center, played in the Wallabies' 21-6 defeat by Ireland on Sunday, his third Test at No. 9 on Australia's European tour. "Matt's done really, really well there," Gregan told reporters in Adelaide. "He's got a history of playing that position, and he's just a really world-class player, he's played 10 and 12 and then gone to nine, so they're totally different skill sets and he's adapted really well," Gregan said.
■ Baseball
Soriano nears huge contract
Free agent Alfonso Soriano and the Chicago Cubs reached a preliminary agreement on an eight-year contract worth about US$136 million, a Major League Baseball official said on Sunday. The deal is contingent on Soriano passing a physical, according to the official, who asked that his name not be used because the deal had not yet been announced. If completed, it would be the fifth-largest total package given to a major league player, behind Alex Rodriguez (US$252 million for 10 years), Derek Jeter (US$189 million for 10 years), Manny Ramirez (US$160 million for eight years) and Todd Helton (US$141.5 million for 11 years).
■ Golf
Singh bags Asian Tour title
India's Jeev Milkha Singh wrapped up the Asian Tour order of merit title with a third-place finish at the Hong Kong Open on Sunday. Singh has enjoyed an excellent season, ending a seven-year title drought with victory at the co-sanctioned China Open in April, which he followed up with a surprise triumph at the European Tour's Volvo Masters in Spain last month. "I'm very excited. It's like a Christmas gift to me now," Singh told reporters after securing his first order of merit title with a record total of US$573,422 and one event still to play. "This year has been excellent. It's like a dream year. With a tied third finish here and winning the order of merit, it is just perfect for me," he added.
■ Boxing
Klitschko plans comeback
Former WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko hopes to return to the ring two years after injuries forced his retirement, according to a German report. Klitschko, the older brother of IBF champion Wladimir Klitschko, plans to start his comeback attempt by working with a physiotherapist in Germany, the Westdeutsche Zeitung reported over the weekend. "We already have a concept," Klitschko trainer Fritz Sdunek said. ``First of all, though, it's important that Vitali's body stands up to the training.'' Klitschko's last fight was an eighth-round stoppage of Danny Williams on Dec. 11, 2004.
■ Speedskating
Friesinger stays unbeaten
Anni Friesinger of Germany remained unbeaten in five races this year after winning the women's 1,000m at the weekend's speedskating World Cup event. Friesinger won in 1 minute, 15.53 seconds. Erben Wennemars of the Netherlands captured the men's 1,000 in 1:08.88. The Netherlands also won both the men's and women's team pursuit to cap three days of racing. Friesinger is trying to rebound from a disappointing Olympics.
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
Noelvi Marte on Sunday had seven RBIs and hit his first career grand slam with a drive off infielder Jorge Mateo, while Austin Wynn had a career-high six RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds scored their most runs in 26 years in a 24-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Marte finished with five hits, including his eighth-inning homer off Mateo. Wynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off catcher Gary Sanchez. Cincinnati scored its most runs since a 24-12 win against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, 1999, and finished with 25 hits. Baltimore allowed its most runs since a 30-3 loss to
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