Sports digest

Today's other stories in brief

Security fears could spark Indian League withdrawals

CRICKET:The Indian Premier League could be hit by a host of withdrawals because of security concerns about the tournament, world cricketers chief Tim May has said. May has been inundated with calls from worried players in the last week.

There is an extremely high level of concern from a number of players from a number of countries about the IPL and security,” he said. “I think you’ll find that some players are more risk averse than others and will probably stay at home.”

The third season of the IPL begins in Mumbai on March 12th and looks like it could be overshadowed by security fears.

On Wednesday, Asia Times online published a message reportedly from the 313 Brigade, an operational arm of Al-Qaeda, that threatened the IPL, Commonwealth Games and Hockey World Cup, all of which are being held in India.

This followed a threat against Australian players competing in the IPL from the right-wing Hindu group Shiv Sena.

Boonen claims Oman tour stage

CYCLING:Belgian Tom Boonen sprinted to a narrow victory in the fifth stage of the Tour of Oman to close the gap on leader Daniele Bennati.

The Quick Step rider edged out Juan Jose Haedo (Saxo Bank) and Michael van Staeyen (Topsport Vlaanderen) in a bunch sprint to win the 148km stage.

Boonen now lies only two seconds behind Italian Bennati, ahead of Friday's final 18.6km time-trial .

Kenyan runner Lelei dies in car crash

ATHLETICS: Former Kenyan middle-distance runner David Lelei has been killed in a car accident in which compatriot and former 10,000 metres world champion Moses Tanui suffered chest injuries.

According to former world marathon record holder Paul Tergat, Lelei, 39, and Tanui, 45, were driving from Nairobi to their homes in Eldoret on Wednesday when they hit an oncoming lorry a few kilometres outside Nakuru, Kenya’s fourth biggest town, 200km west of Nairobi.

Lelei won a 1,500m silver medal at the 1999 All-African Games in Johannesburg, the same year as he finished seventh over the same distance at the world championships in Seville.

He was fourth in the 800m at the 2001 World Indoor Championships in Lisbon.

Tanui won the world 10,000 title in 1991 in Tokyo. He also won the Boston marathon in 1996 and 1998.

New Zealand take control in Hamilton

CRICKET:New Zealand will head into the final day of their one-off Test against Bangladesh in Hamilton firmly in the driving seat.

After declaring their second innings on 258 for five shortly after tea on day four – for a lead of 403 – the Black Caps ripped through the Bangladesh top order to leave them facing the task of chasing 316 runs with just five wickets in hand.

Bangladesh began their chase in aggressive fashion with Tamim Iqbal flashing his blade from the off and regularly finding the boundary in his quickfire 30 from 19 balls.

But Daniel Vettori (two for 23) made the telling breakthrough in his first over and, after being smacked for six, he got the Bangladesh opener to sky the next delivery to long-off, where Daryl Tuffey took a good catch running back.

Roddick finally gets better of Blake

TENNIS:Andy Roddick reversed a run of three successive defeats to fellow American James Blake with a hard fought 6-3 4-6 7-6 first round victory at the Memphis Championships yesterday.

Top-seeded Roddick had served for the match at 5-4 in the final set but Blake broke him to extend the battle, before Roddick capitalised on three errors in the tie-break to take it 7-3.

Roddick, who lost the final of the San Jose Open to Fernando Verdasco last week, utilised his powerful serve throughout and finished the match with 22 aces and converted 76 percent of his first serves.

The American, who is defending the title in Memphis, was one of the few seeded players to advance on Wednesday with third seed Radek Stepanek beaten 7-6 7-5 by Latvias Ernests Gulbis in the second round.

Fourth seed Tommy Haas was also upset 6-4 3-6 6-4 by Belgiums Xavier Malisse in a first round match.

India level series to keep top ranking

CRICKET: India retained their number one Test ranking after off-spinner Harbhajan Singh took five wickets to force a series-levelling victory over South Africa in the second and final Test at Eden Park, Kolkata yesterday.

Harbhajan dismissed last man Morne Morkel leg before with nine balls of the match remaining after man-of-the-match Hashim Amla (123 not out), who scored his third successive test century, had almost guided the tourists to a draw.

South Africa were bowled out for 290 in their second innings as India won by an innings and 57 runs.

Morkel survived 20.4 overs with Amla, who stonewalled throughout the last day in a magnificent show of patience and control. Harbhajan finished with five for 59.

India had to win the match to retain the top ranking as well as avoid their first series defeat at home since 2004 to Australia after losing the opening Test in Nagpur.

Barrichello sets day's best time

FORMULA ONE: Williams driver Rubens Barrichello was fastest in official Formula One testing yesterday, while Heikki Kovalainen crashed the new Lotus on its second day back on the track.

Wet conditions again hampered the teams, who have just two more days in Jerez and next week’s test in Barcelona before the season-opening race in Bahrain on March 14th.

Brazil’s Barrichello set a top lap time of 1 minute 27.145, with newcomer Vitaly Petrov of Russia second quickest in the Renault.

The Lotus brand made its comeback to a full Formula One test track for the first time in 16 years on Wednesday but Finland’s Kovalainen damaged the front wing after hitting tyre barriers midway through the session and the car could not be repaired.

Lotus are one of four completely new teams added to Formula One this season.

Virgin had a better test than previous days but Timo Glock still went off the track.