■ Cricket
Darrell Hair to officiate
Controversial Australian umpire Darrell Hair is to officiate in the one-day international cricket series in Kenya next week, officials said on Saturday. The 54-year-old is one of the 10 umpires and referees appointed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the triangular series in Mombasa and the World Cricket League in Nairobi between Jan. 30 to Feb. 7. It will be Hair's first international assignment since being dumped from the ICC elite panel of umpires after Pakistan complained about his role in the historic forfeited fourth Test against England at the Oval in August.
■ Soccer
Raul mulls Premiership
Real Madrid captain Raul Gonzalez could move to English Premiership side Liverpool in the summer, according to Spanish sports daily As on Saturday. The publication speculated on its front page that the friendship between Raul and Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez, who was a Real youth coach during Raul's formative teenage years, could be the catalyst for the player to leave. He was also a regular visitor to Anfield during the last two seasons when his friend and fellow Spanish international Fernando Morientes was a player there.
■ Field hockey
Australia blanks Japan
Australia began their campaign to win a seventh women's Champions Trophy title with an impressive 3-0 win over Japan in Quilmes on Saturday. Renee Trost, one of the new players brought in by coach Frank Murray, repaid his faith by opening the scoring after just three minutes with a rasping shot past 'keeper Ikuko Okamura. Amy Korner (48 minutes) and Peta Gallagher (65) completed the scoring from short corners. Japan, playing in their first Champions Trophy, had chances to score with Chie Kimura twice coming close in the first period. They also earned eight short corners to their opponents' six but couldn't find their way through.
■ Sumo
Tamakasuga still unbeaten
Underdog Tamakasuga extended his unbeaten record on Saturday to stay one win clear of grand champion Asashoryu as the rivals headed into the second week of the New Year Grand Sumo. The Mongolian champ rose to 6-1 after arm-throwing fellow countryman Ama, a No. 4 maegashira, flying to the dirt for a third loss against four victories. Tamakasuga, 11th-ranked maegashira, showered Tosanoumi with a series of hand slaps and pulled him down for a perfect 7-0 record. Tosanoumi, a No. 16 maegashira, fell to 2-5. Asashoryu is gunning for his 20th Emperor's Cup, seeking to become only the fifth wrestler in the history of Japan's ancient sport.
■ Athletics
Marathon raises hackles
Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf officially started a mixed-sex marathon race yesterday in the eastern city of Lahore, despite opposition by radical Islamic parties who say the event should be segregated by gender. More than 30,000 people, including 50 athletes from 15 foreign countries, have registered themselves in Lahore to participate in different categories of the marathon, said Ghaus Akbar, the organizer of the Lahore Marathon. "Although some religious elements had opposed the marathon, we have made best possible arrangements to avoid any untoward incident," he said.
■ Soccer
Davids to play in Dallas
Tottenham's Dutch midfielder Edgar Davids is following David Beckham's path to the US, signing with FC Dallas of Major League Soccer, La Opinion, a Spanish-language newspaper, reported on Saturday. According to the newspaper, MLS clubs are also eyeing Brazil's Ronaldo, a teammate of Beckham's at Real, as well as ex-Portugal skipper Luis Figo, another former "Galactico" at Real. At Dallas, Davids, 33, would join a team whose biggest name is Guatemalan goalkeeper Carlos Ruiz. Davids' career includes stays at Dutch club Ajax, Juventus in Italy and Barcelona in Spain.
■ Baseball
Suzuki report disputed
Ichiro Suzuki is not prepared to leave the Seattle Mariners as a free agent after this season, the Japanese baseball star's agent told the Seattle Times. The newspaper reported on Saturday that Tony Attanasio disputed a report in Japan that the outfielder would leave the Major League Baseball club after the end of a four-year, US$44 million contract he signed after the 2003 season. "We stand today where we stood weeks ago, months ago," Attanasio told the newspaper. "We have told the club that when they are prepared to talk, we would listen. I didn't say we would negotiate. I said we would listen."
■ Golf
Nicklaus, Watson take lead
Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson grabbed a share of the front-nine lead in the Champions Skins Game on Saturday in Wailea, Hawaii, teaming for two skins to match defending champions Raymond Floyd and Dana Quigley at US$60,000. The duos of Arnold Palmer and Loren Roberts and Gary Player and Jay Haas were shut out in the four-team, alternate-shot event. With no one able to capture the last five skins, the par-4 10th was set up to be worth six skins and US$220,000 yesterday. Nicklaus got his team on the board early, sinking a 1.3m birdie putt on the first hole to pick up US$30,000. The sun-soaked crowed roared for the Golden Bear.
■ Basketball
Allen surgery successful
Boston Celtics guard Tony Allen underwent successful reconstructive ligament surgery and cartilage repair to his left knee on Saturday, the NBA club announced. The morning surgery at Boston's Baptist Hospital is likely to end the season for the third-year NBA veteran who turned 25 on Thursday, although no firm timetable has been set for his return. Allen suffered the injury in a loss to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday when he landed awkwardly late in the third quarter after leaping up for a dunk after a whistle. Allen averaged 11.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.48 steals in 33 games for the Celtics, who are 12-23 but only four games out of first place in the weak Atlantic Division.
■ Swimming
Phelps easily wins races
Michael Phelps won his first two races of the year, easily taking the 100-yard (91m) and 500-yard (457m) freestyle events in the Southern California Grand Prix of Swimming on Saturday. Phelps and several other Olympians are using this year's first meet to fine-tune their strokes under racing conditions in preparation for the world championships in March. A goateed Phelps won the 100 free in 42.43 seconds over Ian Crocker, who finished in 42.88. The duo is better known for their butterfly rivalry.
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,
The Minnesota Timberwolves, with so many promising performances spoiled by late mistakes fresh in their memory bank, sure timed this strong finish well. Jaden McDaniels scored a career playoff-high 30 points and spearheaded Minnesota’s stifling defense on an ailing Luka Doncic, and the Timberwolves beat the Los Angeles Lakers 116-104 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Friday night. “Jaden never looks tired. He looks like he could play 48 minutes,” said teammate Anthony Edwards, who had 29 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Julius Randle added 22 points for the Wolves, who outscored
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