■BASEBALL
Torre criticizes A-Rod
Former New York Yankees manager Joe Torre is scathingly critical of superstar third baseman Alex Rodriguez and general manager Brian Cashman in his new book called The Yankee Years. The New York Post reports that Torre claims in the book that Rodriguez’s teammates dubbed him “A-Fraud” after the three-time Most Valuable Player developed an obsession with Yankees captain Derek Jeter. Torre also claims that Rodriguez asked for a personal clubhouse attendant to run errands for him. Torre, who became manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers after an acrimonious split with the Yankees, was also critical of Cashman, saying the general manager never told the team’s ownership that Torre wanted a two-year contract.
■SOCCER
Broken net causes confusion
A Brazilian match was held up for nearly 10 minutes due to confusion over a broken net. Trouble started in the second half of Saturday’s Rio de Janeiro state championship match between Boavista and Botafogo when a header from Botafogo striker Alessandro ended up in the net. A goal was given but television replays clearly showed the ball had hit the ground wide of the goal and bounced in through a hole in the side. Boavista players protested but, after several minutes of consultations, the referee again pointed to the center circle. The protests continued, the referee and linesman consulted again for another three minutes and the goal was eventually confirmed for a second time. As Boavista players refused to re-start the game, there were more deliberations and the referee finally back-tracked and awarded a goal kick.
■RUGBY UNION
All Black hero turns Aussie
The All Blacks and New Zealand suffered a shock loss yesterday when the only All Blacks skipper to hoist the rugby World Cup switched teams and became an Australian. David Kirk, who led the All Blacks to victory in the inaugural 1987 World Cup final, became Australia’s newest citizen in a ceremony aptly held on Australia Day. “We’ve lived here as a family for 10 years. My children have grown up here, particularly the younger one, and it just seemed like the right time,” he told Television Three News. But Kirk said his heart still belonged to New Zealand and he would hold dual citizenship: “I grew up in New Zealand. My heart, my emotion, my commitment of course is to New Zealand.” Kirk also confirmed he would always back the All Blacks over the Wallabies. “Of course I’m an All Blacks supporter. I’m a massive All Blacks supporter and it’s the All Blacks all the way,” he said.
■CRICKET
Afghanistan bounce back
Afghanistan recovered from their first day defeat to Uganda to beat Hong Kong by 13 runs on Sunday to get their World Cricket League Division Three campaign back on track and keep their hopes of reaching April’s 2011 World Cup qualifier alive. Hong Kong were reduced to 90-8 as they chased a 202-run victory target but came close to an unlikely win with a ninth-wicket stand of 62 and 36 for the final wicket. None of Hong Kong’s top eight batsmen got beyond 20 but some late-order hitting from Moner Ahmed, who scored 49 off 38 balls, including three consecutive sixes off Mohammad Nabi, threatened a dramatic finish. No. 11 Nadeem Ahmed then scored 27 off 18 balls, only to be dismissed by Nabi when a top-edged hook was caught on the boundary by Mawais Naziri.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two
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