CRICKET
India beat Sri Lanka by 20
India fast bowler Irfan Pathan’s second five-wicket haul helped his team beat Sri Lanka by 20 runs in the fifth and final one-day international (ODI) at Pallekele, Sri Lanka, on Saturday. Pathan took two crucial wickets in the 43rd over as Sri Lanka were dismissed for 274 just three overs later in reply to India’s total of 294 for seven. Pathan finished with figures of five for 61 to take the man of the match award. The win gave India a 4-1 triumph in the five-match series and lifted them to second place in the International Cricket Council ODI rankings behind Australia. India’s total after they won the toss and batted first was based largely on two fine partnerships that prevented the home team from breaking through. Gautam Gambir (88 off 99 balls) and Manoj Tiwary (65 off 68 balls) put on 110 off 121 balls for the fourth wicket after India had lost their first three wickets for 87. Following that stand, Sri Lanka once again broke through, capturing three wickets in two overs to reduce India to 213-6, but Mahendra Singh Dhoni, joined by Pathan, grabbed back the initiative with a partnership of 77 off 59 balls. Dhoni slammed eight fours and a six in his 38-ball half century before providing Lasith Malinga with his 200th ODI wicket. Pathan’s contribution was an unbeaten 29.
GOLF
Jim Furyk maintains lead
Jim Furyk, who is chasing his 17th USPGA Tour title, fired an even-par 70 in the third round to maintain his lead at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, on Saturday. Furyk reached 11-under 199 and has a one-shot lead over former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen, who shot a two-under 68 at the Firestone Country Club course. Keegan Bradley shot a 67 and was four shots behind. He was to be in the final group yesterday, as tee times were moved ahead because weather forecasters were predicting thunderstorms yesterday morning. Tiger Woods broke par for the first time this week, shooting a two-under 68. Woods, a seven-time winner of this event, however, has a lot of ground to make up, as he is 11 shots back. Rory McIlroy shot a 67 and shares fourth place at minus-six with Steve Stricker, who carded his third-straight 68. Justin Rose and Bo Van Pelt both shot four-under 66. They were joined in sixth place at five-under-par 205 by John Senden, who had a 69. Last year’s winner Adam Scott managed a one-over 71 to finish three rounds at two-over par-212.
GOLF
Henry leads Reno-Tahoe
American J.J. Henry opened up a three-point lead over Brazilian Alexandre Rocha after the third round of the Reno-Tahoe Open, being played under Modified Stableford scoring, in Nevada. Henry, looking for his second career win on the USPGA Tour, shot himself into contention for yesterday’s showdown with five birdies and an eagle on the par-four 14th. The only blemish on his scorecard was a bogey at the par three 16th at the Montreux Golf and Country Club. Under the scoring system, at the only tournament using the method, an eagle brings five points, while a birdie brings two, a bogey minus one and a double bogey or worse is minus three points. Rocha, the overnight leader, was solid with five birdies and a bogey leaving him just a point ahead of American John Mallinger. Argentine Andres Romero continued his good week with 10 points from his six birdies and two bogeys and at just five points behind Henry he was in with a shout for yesterday’s final round.
Taiwan’s men’s table tennis team won bronze on Saturday at this year’s International Table Tennis Federation World Team Table Tennis Championships in London, matching the country’s best-ever finish at the regular tournament. Consisting of Lin Yun-ju, Taiwan’s top-ranked player at world No. 7, Feng Yi-hsin, Kuo Guan-hong, Hong Jing-kai and Hsu Hsien-chia, the team won bronze after losing 0-3 to Japan in the semifinals. In the opening match, 24-year-old Lin played the first game against world No. 3 Tomokazu Harimoto 11-5, but ultimately lost the next three closely contested games 9-11, 10-12 and 10-12. Feng then faced world No. 8 Sora Matsushima in
Lin Yun-ju on Thursday handed Taiwan two key victories as they advanced to the semi-finals of the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals in London. The Taiwan men’s table tennis team beat Sweden 3-2 in five singles matches. The 24-year-old Lin, Taiwan’s top-ranked player at world No. 7 and nicknamed the “Silent Assassin,” opened the tie by defeating world No. 2 Truls Moregard 3-0 (11-8, 11-9, 13-11) before clinching the deciding fifth match with a 3-0 (11-8, 11-9, 11-5) win over Anton Kallberg to hand his team the overall victory. Kuo Guan-hong put Taiwan up 2-0 with a 3-2 (4-11, 11-8, 8-11,
Taiwanese fire dancer Yang Li-wei advanced to the final of Britain’s Got Talent this weekend after receiving a Golden Buzzer during her live semi-final performance. Yang, a member of Taiwan’s Coming True Fire Group, awed judges and audiences with a high-intensity fire performance featuring flaming umbrellas, fire swallowing and spinning metal structures balanced with her legs. Judge Simon Cowell praised Yang as a star, while guest judge KSI reacted with amazement before pressing the Golden Buzzer, sending her to the finals. The dance group wrote on social media that the Golden Buzzer was “the highest honor” on the talent show, adding: “Twenty-three years
As Super Rugby fast approaches its playoff season it finds itself racing toward a reckoning with many issues that threaten the southern hemisphere tournament. A group of stakeholders met in the New Zealand city of Christchurch late last month to address problems that are making the future of the 31-year-old competition increasingly tenuous. The discussion was made more urgent by the decision by the owners of Moana Pasifika to fold the Auckland-based club for financial reasons. That followed the closure of the Melbourne Rebels at the end of the 2024 season, likewise because of financial difficulties. Problems addressed included player retention as more
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