CRICKET
Abbas named ICC head
Former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas on Tuesday was named president of the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the next year at the annual conference of the sport’s world governing body in Barbados. Zaheer, 67, filled the vacancy in the largely honorary role left by Mustafa Kamal, who resigned with a blast at the organization in April after falling out with the council’s Indian chairman over who should hand out the World Cup trophy. Kamal, as the titular head of the council, expected to present the trophy, but chairman Narayanaswami Srinivasan awarded it to the victorious Australia side. The Bangladeshi, who was criticized by the council for an outburst over a no-ball decision earlier in the tournament, said of the council: “These type of people should be kept away from cricket.” Zaheer — one of his country’s finest batsmen — who played 78 Tests and 62 one-day internationals from 1969 to 1985, is likely to prove a less controversial holder of the office. “I feel truly honored and humbled to be appointed as the president of the governing body of our great game,” he said in a news release.
BASKETBALL
Chinese official investigated
A vice president of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has been placed under investigation for possible corruption in China. The Chinese Communist Party’s disciplinary watchdog yesterday said on its Web site that Xiao Tian was suspected of serious graft. No details were given. Xiao is also vice minister of sport responsible for basketball, one of China’s most-popular sports alongside soccer. Xiao was elected one of FIBA’s three vice presidents in September last year. There was no immediate comment from the Switzerland-based body.
BASKETBALL
Portland trade players
French forward Nicolas Batum on Wednesday was traded from the Portland Trail Blazers to the Charlotte Hornets for NBA veteran guard Gerald Henderson and forward Noah Vonleh. The deal was announced on the eve of the NBA draft, where both clubs are to try and land the best available young talent entering the league from the international and college ranks. Batum started 428 of 481 appearances for the Trail Blazers, averaging 11.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3 assists in 30.8 minutes a night. His 751 career three-pointers rank third on Portland’s all-time list. “Nic Batum was a key contributor to all of our recent success,” said Neil Olshey, the Blazers’ president of basketball operations. “He will truly be missed as a person and a player. We wish Nic all the best for the future.” Vonleh, 19, was taken with the ninth overall pick in last year’s draft by Charlotte. He averaged 3.3 points and 3.4 rebounds in 25 games for the Hornets last season. Henderson has career averages of 12 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists over six seasons with Charlotte.
BASKETBALL
Hawks purchase approved
Billionaire Tony Ressler’s purchase of the Atlanta Hawks has been unanimously approved by NBA owners, the league announced on Wednesday, concluding a sale forced by racial remarks in e-mails discovered last year. The sale comes after a 2012 e-mail written by former co-owner Bruce Levenson, which said in part that black fans were scaring away white supporters, was uncovered as part of a probe following comments by former general manager Danny Ferry, who resigned on Monday. Ressler’s group reportedly paid US$850 million for the Hawks, who reached the Eastern Conference finals.
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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