CRICKET
Windies claim 62-run lead
Late-bloomer Nkrumah Bonner’s career-best century on Thursday anchored the West Indies to a 62-run lead against England on an attritional third day of the first Test at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. The hosts batted all day to overturn a 109-run deficit and Bonner almost endured, too. He was out just two overs from stumps for 123 after almost 10 hours at the crease. The West Indies, in reply to England’s 311, resumed on 202-4 and reached stumps at 373-9. On a sluggish pitch on which it was hard to bowl and bat, the West Indies eked out only 171 runs from the day’s 90.1 overs. Bonner made his Test debut just over a year ago, but at 33 has been making up for lost time. He absorbed England’s pressure with ease and rode considerable luck. During the day, he was dropped on 73, survived umpire’s calls on 102 and 112, and got an out overturned on review on 121. His overnight stand with Jason Holder finished early on 79, but Bonner found regular partnerships with the tail to frustrate England. Bonner shared 73 with Joshua da Silva, 44 with Kemar Roach, and 46 with Veerasammy Permaul. Holder added only two to his overnight score before trying to leave Ben Stokes, but edging behind on 45. Stokes finished the day bowling 28 overs, his most in an innings in six years.
BASKETBALL
Nets rout the 76ers
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on Thursday led the Brooklyn Nets to a blowout 129-100 victory over former teammate James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA. Durant scored 25 points and had 14 rebounds, while Irving added 24 points in the clash in Philadelphia, the first meeting of the clubs since their blockbuster trade deadline deal last month sent Harden to the 76ers with Ben Simmons and Seth Curry going to Brooklyn in exchange. A humbled Harden, swarmed by Nets defenders most of the night, managed only 11 points on three-of-17 shooting and took a few bumps defensively from Durant. Brooklyn hit only 30 of 93 shots from the floor, a woeful 32.3 percent. “We know this is a fast-paced team,” Durant said. “I thought we did a good job of running them. We slowed them down. It was hard for them to get into a rhythm.” Curry scored 22 points for Brooklyn, but Australian guard Simmons has not played for the Nets due to a sore back.
BASEBALL
MLB, players agree deal
The MLB and the players’ union on Thursday reached agreement on a new five-year labor deal, setting the stage for a delayed start to the season next month. Less than 24 hours after a last-ditch round of marathon negotiations ended in deadlock, the MLB and MLB Players Association settled on terms of a new collective bargaining agreement. Team owners ratified the deal in a 30-0 vote on Thursday, ending their lockout after 99 days. If players approve, an expected formality after union leaders and club representatives tentatively backed the deal, then the MLB campaign can begin on April 7. “Our union endured the second-longest work stoppage in its history to achieve significant progress in key areas that will improve not just current players’ rights and benefits, but those of generations to come,” MLB Players Association executive director Tony Clark said. “Players remained engaged and unified from beginning to end, and in the process re-energized our fraternity.”
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
Roger Federer on Wednesday said that staying involved with tennis in retirement helped him avoid feeling “like an alien” ahead of this week’s Laver Cup in Berlin. Federer, who helped create the tournament, retired at the Laver Cup in London two years ago and has since stayed involved with the competition as an ambassador. “I’m happy I went back right away to some tournaments,” the 43-year-old told reporters. “I feel I ripped the Band-Aid off quite quickly and when I walk around the tennis sites I still feel I belong there,” he said. “I don’t feel like an alien, which is 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
RSS