■ CRICKET
Butt’s century sets record
Opener Salman Butt smashed a record-breaking century to help Pakistan beat Bangladesh by 150 runs in the fifth and final day-night international on Saturday for a 5-0 series whitewash. The left-hander scored a career-best 136 to lift Pakistan to their highest one-day total against Bangladesh of 329-9 in their 50 overs, before the tourists succumbed to 179 all out in 40.5 overs at the National Stadium. The 23-year-old opener, who had scores of 33, 76, 132 and 74 in the series, amassed 451 in all. It was the highest ever aggregate in a bilateral five-match one-day series, beating countryman Mohammad Yousuf’s 405 against Zimbabwe in 2002. Pakistan’s previous highest total against Bangladesh was achieved in the first match of this series in Lahore when they made 322-5.
■ SWIMMING
Germans want LZR suits
German swimmers fear a disastrous performance at the Beijing Olympics because they will be wearing the wrong swimsuits. The country’s Olympic trials have been overshadowed by the swimmers’ demands to be allowed to compete in the Speedo LZR Racer. Twenty-two world records have been shattered in the high-tech suit since its introduction in February. The Germans say their medal chances are bleak at the Games unless they can wear Speedo instead of Adidas. “The German swim federation has to seriously consider it, otherwise we will sink completely into mediocrity,” Thomas Rupprath, one of Germany’s top swimmers, said on Saturday.
■ BOXING
Diaconu wins on points
Romanian Adrian Diaconu registered a unanimous points win over Chris Henry of the US to become the World Boxing Council’s interim light-heavyweight champion on Saturday. The three judges scored the contest 116-113, 115-113 and 115-113 as Montreal-based Diaconu took his unbeaten record to 22 fights. Henry controlled the opening round before Diaconu, cheered on by a lively crowd of 6,000, slowly seized the initiative. The Romanian, known as “The Shark,” piled on the pressure in the eighth round and appeared to be on the brink of a knockdown when his opponent was saved by the bell.
■ SOCCER
Brazil take final Games spot
World Cup runners-up Brazil beat Ghana 5-1 in a playoff on Saturday to clinch the final place at the Olympic women’s soccer tournament. World Player of the Year Marta scored from a 20m free-kick in the 19th minute and set up another for Cristiane just before halftime. Cristiane scored a second following a headed strike by her captain Aline in the second half. Rosana contributed Brazil’s fifth after 74 minutes and Ghana’s Anita Amankwa put away a consolation effort two minutes later. Brazil, ranked fourth in the world, were forced into the playoff with the African runners-up after Argentina earned the South American qualifying spot.
■ BASEBALL
Farnsworth appeals ban
New York Yankees reliever Kyle Farnsworth was suspended for three games and fined on Saturday for throwing a fastball behind the neck of Boston Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez last week. Farnsworth appealed the penalty, which was to start on Saturday. He will be eligible to pitch until a hearing is held. Ramirez hit two home runs on Thursday as the Red Sox beat the Yankees 7-5. When he came up again in the seventh inning, Farnsworth threw a 156kph pitch behind him.
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
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
Arne Slot has denied that Darwin Nunez was dropped from Liverpool’s win against West Ham because of a training-ground row with a member of his coaching staff. The Liverpool head coach on Sunday last week said that Nunez was absent from the 2-1 victory at Anfield, having felt unwell during training the day before, although the striker sat behind the substitutes throughout the game. Speculation has been rife that the Uruguay international, whom Slot criticized for his work rate against Wolves and Aston Villa in February, was left out for disciplinary reasons. Asked on Friday to clarify the situation, Slot said: “He
CUNNINGHAM CONNECTS: In the Eastern Conference, the Pistons snapped their record 15-game playoff losing streak by beating the Knicks to level their series at 1-1 Kawhi Leonard on Monday scored 39 points on 15-of-19 shooting as the Los Angeles Clippers evened their first-round NBA Playoffs series against the Nuggets with a 105-102 win in Denver. “It feels like he didn’t miss a shot,” James Harden said. “His shot-making ability is elite.” Good thing, too, because his teammates were a combined 26 of 66 for a 39 percent clip. “I made shots tonight,” Leonard said. “I just keep playing, try to stay in the zone no matter if I’m making or missing shots.” The fifth-seeded Clippers needed every bit of his brilliance to snatch the homecourt advantage in the series
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