Sun, Jul 26, 2015 page18

• SPORTS BRIEFS

  • Agencies
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  CRICKET

  Play called off due to rain

  The first cricket Test between Bangladesh and South Africa yesterday ended in a draw after rain washed out the fifth day’s play in Chittagong, Bangladesh. With no chance of a result in the weather-battered match, officials called off play at noon. Rain had washed out the entire fourth day’s play and about 50 overs were lost on the second and third days at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. South Africa, who scored 248 in the first innings, bowled out Bangladesh for 326 before making 61-0 in their second knock. Bangladesh’s first innings total was their highest ever against the Proteas, the top-ranked Test team. Stiaan van Zyl was unbeaten on 33 and Dean Elgar was 28 not out for South Africa. The second and final Test is to be played in Dhaka starting on Thursday.

  BOXING

  Buglioni defeats Castaneda

  Frank Buglioni stopped Fernando Castaneda in the fifth round to take the vacant WBA intercontinental super middleweight title at Wembley Arena in London on Friday. Castaneda came in at late notice after Buglioni was denied a shot at WBA world champion Fedor Chudinov when the Russian pulled out due to a nose injury earlier this month. British fighter Buglioni showed he had the measure of Mexican Castaneda by dominating the early rounds before unloading a big right-handed punch in the fifth to fell a faltering opponent and end the contest.

  GOLF

  Willett leads in Switzerland

  Britain’s Danny Willett, who was tied sixth at last week’s British Open, produced another brilliant performance to lead the way in the European Masters before thunderstorms ended play early at Crans-Montana on Friday. He chalked up nine birdies in a second-round 62 to take the clubhouse lead on 13-under-par. Sharing second place on 12-under were South Korean pair Baek Seuk-hyun (63) and Yang Yong-eun (63), the 2009 US PGA Championship winner. Swedish amateur Marcus Kinhult was in fourth on nine-under after posting a 66. “I hit it well on the range this morning, got into a nice rhythm early on and carried it through the whole round,” Willett told reporters. “Over these last two weeks I haven’t been getting too far ahead of myself and every time I’ve got in trouble I’ve just taken my medicine and moved on to the next hole,” he said. US golfer Patrick Reed (69) was in a group on four-under-par, one better than Britain’s Lee Westwood (69). Spaniard Sergio Garcia faces an anxious wait before he discovers if his one-under-par aggregate will be good enough to make the cut. Twelve groups were unable to complete their rounds before the storms engulfed the Swiss Alps.

  SOCCER

  Roma players denied entry

  Five AS Roma players were denied entry to Indonesia during the club’s pre-season tour and have been forced to fly back to Italy. The squad traveled from Australia, where they played friendlies against Real Madrid and Manchester City, and were in Indonesia yesterday for their final stop on a preseason tour. The players — Seydou Doumbia and Gervinho from Ivory Coast, Victor Ibarbo from Colombia, Antonio Sanabria from Paraguay and Adem Ljajic from Serbia — were refused entry on Friday night and later boarded a flight to Italy. No reason was given for the refused entry. Roma chief executive Italo Zanzi said on the club Web site that “it’s real disappointment for us, given that we’ve made a substantial effort to be here.”
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