CRICKET
Rajitha claims three wickets
Sri Lanka fast bowler Kasun Rajitha yesterday took three wickets in successive overs to increase South Africa’s woes on the first day of the second Test. South Africa were 185-7 at tea, with Quinton de Kock, their last recognized batsman, on 68 not out at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. It could have been worse for the hosts, who need a win to salvage a share of the series after a surprise defeat in the first Test in Durban. Both not-out batsmen, De Kock and Kagiso Rabada, survived catching chances shortly before tea. South Africa made a poor start after winning the toss. They lost three wickets with the total on 15, two of them to successive balls from Vishwa Fernando, and were 73-4 when captain Faf du Plessis was bowled by his opposite number, part-time bowler Dimuth Karunaratne, with the last ball before the interval. The hosts seemed to be recovering when Aiden Markram and De Kock put on 57 at almost a run per ball for the fifth wicket before Markram was LBW to Rajitha for 60. Rajitha followed up with the wickets of new cap Wiaan Mulder for 9 and Keshav Maharaj for a duck.
OLYMPICS
Break dancing to be added
Break dancing is one of four additional sports expected to be included at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, along with surfing, sport climbing and skateboarding, sources said on Wednesday. The list of additions was yesterday to be revealed by the local organizing committee and must be approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Their inclusion would come on top of the 28 sports already on the program, although the 2024 Paris committee did not confirm the reports. Break dancing, an acrobatic style of street dance typically set to hip-hop or funk music, would be making its first appearance in the Olympics, while the three other sports are all to be introduced at the 2020 Tokyo Games. Karate and baseball/softball, all part of the Tokyo program, are also candidates, as well as squash, which has been repeatedly rebuffed, and petanque. At least 20 disciplines from federations recognized by the IOC have applied for inclusion. Break dancing appeared at last year’s Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires in the form of “battles” — or duels — decided by judges and falls under the auspices of the World DanceSport Federation.
SOCCER
Away fans clean up after win
Knocked out of the Copa Sudamericana at home, Brazilian club Chapecoense was comforted by fans of victorious Union La Calera of Chile, who cleaned the bathrooms reserved for away fans. “Reasons to believe,” Chapecoense said on Twitter, attaching photographs of spotless terracing and sparkling urinals. “Yesterday, after the match, Union La Calera fans gathered all the garbage from the south stand and cleaned the toilets they used,” the club said. “A great attitude that leaves us filled with gratitude.” The match ended 1-1 and the Chilean side advanced on away goals, because the first leg was goalless. The Union La Calera fans also sang chants in homage to the Brazilian club, whose team was wiped out by a plane crash on their way to play in the final of the same competition in Colombia in November 2016. The crash killed 71 people, including 19 players.
SSC Napoli’s Italian Serie A title hopes suffered a late setback on Sunday when they were held to a 2-2 draw at home against Genoa, setting up a thrilling season finale with closest rivals Inter just one point behind. The hosts remain top with 78 points, holding a slim lead over Inter, who won 2-0 at Torino earlier on Sunday, with two rounds remaining. To make matters worse for Napoli, midfielder Stanislav Lobotka, struggling with an ankle injury, was forced off just minutes after the match began. Scott McTominay delivered a perfect pass into the box where Romelu Lukaku got
Harry Kane opened the scoring ahead of lifting his first career silverware as Bayern Munich beat Borussia Moenchengladbach 2-0, with veteran Thomas Mueller playing his last home game for the club. Bayern officially won the title on May 4 when defending champions Bayer Leverkusen were held to a 2-2 draw at Freiburg, but were presented with the Bundesliga shield in front of their home fans at full-time. Dripping wet after being showered with beer by teammates, Kane said the title win was “an incredible feeling,” and hoped it would be “the first of many.” “It’s been lot of hard work, a lot of
INTER AWAIT: Superb saves by PSG ’keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma inspired the victory, as Arsenal were punished for misses, including one by Bukayo Saka Arsenal on Wednesday fell short on the big stage again as their painful UEFA Champions League semi-final exit against Paris Saint-Germain left Mikel Arteta to rue his club’s failure to provide him with enough attacking options. Arteta’s side were unable to reach the Champions League final for the first time in 19 years as PSG clinched a tense 2-1 win at Parc des Princes. Trailing 1-0 from last week’s first leg in London, the Gunners made a blistering start to the second leg, but could not convert their chances as Gianluigi Donnarumma’s superb saves inspired PSG’s 3-1 aggregate victory. Arsenal were punished for
Taiwanese e-sports veteran Lin “ET” Chia-hung yesterday successfully defended his King of Fighters XV title at this year’s Evolution Championship Series: Japan (EVO Japan), securing his second consecutive championship. Lin claimed victory with a 3-1 win over Japanese pro gamer “mok” in the grand final, repeating his earlier 3-1 win against the same opponent in the winners’ final. The 40-year-old earned a ￥1 million (US$6,897) cash prize at the two-day tournament, which drew 294 competitors. Mok, Lin’s toughest rival in the bracket, took home ￥400,000 as runner-up. Lin remains undefeated in match sets against mok in King of Fighters XV, holding a 10-0 record,
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