Sports digest

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

Martin's haul takes Basin record

CRICKET:Pace bowler Chris Martin moved into the record books with a four-wicket haul against Pakistan on the third day of the second Test yesterday, though he admits his inclusion will only be a temporary one.

Martin finished with 4-91 as he and skipper Daniel Vettori (4-100) helped bowl Pakistan out for 376, a lead of 20, that was reduced to 11 when Brendon McCullum (six) and Martin Guptill (one) saw New Zealand safely through to stumps.

With the haul, Martin replaced Richard Hadlee as the highest wicket-taker at the Basin Reserve, though he spent most of the day duelling with Vettori for the honour.

Hadlee ended his career with 53 wickets at the venerable central Wellington ground, which forms the largest traffic roundabout in the Southern Hemisphere.

Martin passed that mark with his first wicket.

Third time proves a charm for masterful Wilson

GOLF:It was a case of third time lucky for American Mark Wilson when he booked his long-awaited debut at the US Masters with a two-shot victory at the Sony Open.

Although Wilson had triumphed twice before on the PGA Tour, neither of those successes had earned him a cherished spot at Augusta National in the first of the year’s four majors. Masters organisers did not automatically invite all Tour winners when he made his breakthrough at the 2007 Honda Classic while his follow-up came at the 2009 Mayakoba Golf Classic, an opposite-field event to the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.

“Believe me, I looked at the fine print on that one and made sure,” Wilson (36) said after hearing he had finally secured his place at the Masters. Wilson took victory with a three-under-par 67 in the final round of the rain-delayed compeition in Hawaii, holding off late birdie runs by fellow American Steve Marino and South Africa’s Tim Clark.

Mallett names Six Nations squad

RUGBY:Italy coach Nick Mallett has named a 24-man squad for the first two games of the RBS Six Nations. The Azzurri take on Ireland on February 5th at the Stadio Flaminio before facing England at Twickenham one week later.

Mallett is without experienced pair Mauro Bergamasco and Craig Gower, both sidelined for the tournament by injuries. Inspirational captain Sergio Parisse returns to the squad having missed last year’s entire tournament following a knee ligament injury. Leicester’s Martin Castrogiovanni is also in the squad.

ITALY (squad): Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester Tigers), Andrea Lo Cicero (Racing Metro), Salvatore Perugini (Aironi), Ignacio Fernandez-Rouyet, Leonardo Ghiraldini (both Treviso), Fabio Ongaro (Aironi), Santiago Dellape (Racing Metro), Carlo Antonio Del Fava, Quintin Geldenhuys (both Aironi), Robert Barbieri, Paul Derbyshire (both Treviso), Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais), Alessandro Zanni (Treviso), Pablo Canavosio (Aironi), Edoardo Gori, Kristopher Burton, Luke McLean (all Treviso), Luciano Orquera (Brive), Tommaso Benvenuti (Treviso), Mirco Bergamasco (Racing Metro), Gonzalo Canale (Clermont Auvergne), Gonzalo Garcia (Treviso), Andrea Masi (Racing Metro), Alberto Sgarbi (Treviso).

Ding takes title after beating Fu

SNOOKER: China's Ding Junhui was victorious in the first all-Asian major snooker final as he brushed aside Hong Kong's Marco Fu on Sunday night to win the British Masters at Wembley Arena.

Ding swept into a 6-2 lead after the first session. Fu threatened a comeback in the evening session by reducing the deficit to two frames but Ding coolly blasted a 94 and 83 on his way to clinching four straight frames to complete a 10-4 win and collect a winner’s cheque for €179,000.

Babel fined for Twitter comments

SOCCER: Liverpool forward Ryan Babel has been fined €12,000 and warned about his future conduct by the FA for posting comments and a doctored picture of Howard Webb on Twitter.

After the Reds’ FA Cup exit at Manchester United, where Liverpool conceded a controversial first-minute penalty and had captain Steven Gerrard sent off, Babel posted a mocked-up picture of Webb wearing a United shirt. He also wrote: “And they call him one of the best referees? That’s a joke. SMH (shaking my head).”

Babel later apologised for his comments and posted: “My apology if they take my posted pic seriously. This is just an emotional reaction after losing an important game. Sorry Howard Webb.”

Manchester United full-back Rafael has been charged with improper conduct for his outburst at referee Mike Dean after being sent off in Sunday’s goalless draw at Tottenham.

Injury blow for Henson's Wales hopes

RUGBY: Gavin Henson's hopes of claiming a place in Warren Gatland's Wales squad for the Six Nations have been dealt a blow with the news that he will be out for three weeks with a torn calf muscle.

The Saracens centre limped off after coming on as a replacement during Saturday’s 43-20 Heineken Cup hammering at the hands of Leinster and the diagnosis means that he will be unavailable for Wales’ opening Six Nations engagement with England on February 4th at the Millennium Stadium.

The 28-year-old has been desperate to get as much game time under his belt as possible in an effort to prove to Gatland that he merits a rapid recall to the national set-up having only returned from a 20-month self-imposed exile from the game on St Stephen’s Day.