Sports

KARACHI, (Reuters) – Pakistan pace bowler Mohammad Asif said yesterday he had withdrawn his appeal against a suspension for alleged spot-fixing next week in order to give his lawyers more time to prepare a detailed challenge.

Stockholm, (Reuters) – World number two Roger Federer overcame an early break of serve to defeat Croatian Ivan Ljubicic 7-6 6-2 in the semi-finals of the Stockholm Open yesterday.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Goals by Florent Malouda and Salomon Kalou helped Chelsea open a five-point gap at the top of the Premier League with a 2-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers yesterday.

MELBOURNE, (Reuters) – Nine Australian athletes face the possibility of two-year bans after returning positive tests for the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine in a recent raft of testing by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA).

LONDON, (Reuters) – Rory McIlroy’s brief flirtation with Europe’s second tier Challenge Tour proved less than successful yesterday with the world number nine ending tied for 12th at the Egyptian Open.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – LeBron James and the Miami  Heat may be the centerpiece of the NBA’s three-ring publicity  circus, but it is the Los Angeles Lakers who experts feel are  poised to win another championship.

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) launched the National Schools Table Tennis Programme yesterday by donating 22 brand new  tennis tables to 22 schools in various administrative regions across Guyana.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Barbados defied a six-wicket haul from new West Indies fast bowling recruit Andre Russell, as they beat Jamaica by 58 runs to march into the final of the WICB One-Day Championship yesterday.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – A former West Indies captain believes Chris Gayle should have been asked to lead the regional team to Sri Lanka.

Former national swimmer Asantie Mickle yesterday lit up the University of Guyana Inter-Faculty Track and Field Championships yesterday at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary.

MANCHESTER, England, (Reuters) – Wayne Rooney performed a stunning U-turn yesterday by signing a five-year contract to stay at Manchester United and end a week of bombshells with yet another shock.

KARACHI, (Reuters) – Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif has withdrawn his appeal against the suspension imposed on him by cricket’s governing body (ICC) over spot-fixing  allegations.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – A West Indies Under-16 Invitational side will tour Australia next month where they will play seven matches against state sides and a two-day “Test” against the hosts.

BENONI, South Africa, (Reuters) – Centuries from JP  Duminy and AB de Villiers propelled South Africa to the second  biggest win in one-day internationals as they crushed Zimbabwe  by 272 runs in the third and final match yesterday.

— company ploughs $300,000 into annual event The Kashif and Shanghai Organisation has received some $300,000 from Banks DIH Limited under the Powerade Isotonic Sports Drink brand for the staging of the annual Troy Humphrey and Samuel Barker memorial cycle race meeting at month-end.

Former national champion Norman Madhoo won tow of three categories of the Lake Mainstay Resort Darts Tournament on Sunday at Granny’s Sports Bar, Market Street, Better Hope.

MACOYA, Trinidad,  CMC – Joe Public slumped to their fourth straight loss as they ended their CONCACAF Champions League campaign with a 1-4 home defeat to Columbus Crew at the Marvin Lee stadium here Thursday night.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Trinidadian cricket authorities were set to meet here Thursday in an emergency session to investigate the national side’s failed campaign in the WICB One-Day Championship.

The greatest soccer player of all-time, Pele, was born on this day in soccer history in 1940. 

The fourth annual Fruta Conquerors-organised Namilco Football Festival gets underway tonight at the Tucville Playfield with two matches.