Broad to play Test despite foot injury

SPORTS DIGEST: CRICKET: Stuart Broad was hit on the foot while batting at nets yesterday and had to leave England practice to have the injury iced.

Broad, a first-choice seamer, and certain selection for the first Test against Pakistan in Dubai tomorrow, was still expected to join light fielding drills.

An England team spokesman said there were as yet no major concerns over the injury, and it was hoped Broad would be able to bowl tomorrow.

There was no need for a scan, and Broad soon confirmed via twitter that the injury was not going to trouble him for long.

“Afternoon with my foot up being iced,” he wrote. “Jimmy (Anderson) got me with an inswinging yorker in the nets . . . bowling tomorrow, so no worries . . . ”

Anderson, too, made it clear that England appeared satisfied that Broad’s participation in the first match of a three-Test series was in no doubt.

Indian captain banned for Test due to slow over rate

CRICKET:India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been banned for the final Test against Australia due to a slow over rate during his side's innings-and-37-run defeat to Australia in Perth.

Dhoni’s side surrendered the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the WACA ground yesterday after they suffered a second successive innings defeat to fall 3-0 behind in the four-Test series.

Their hopes of avoiding a whitewash were then dealt a further blow when Dhoni was handed a one-game ban for a second slow over-rate offence in the past 12 months.

India were two overs short of the required rate during Australia’s only innings of 369, when they spent large periods chasing leather as David Warner thrashed the equal fourth-quickest Test century.

While the Test finished in just over two days Dhoni was still handed the ban while also being fined 40 per cent of his match fee. His team-mates were fined 20 per cent of their match fees.

Kist completes debut success 

DARTS:Unheralded Dutchman Christian Kist secured his first BDO World title last night as he saw off favourite Tony O'Shea 7-5 at Frimley Green.

The 25-year-old, who is a road worker by trade, had to qualify for the tournament via a play-off but has not looked back since, and followed up Saturday’s semi-final win over two-time World champion Ted Hankey with another notable scalp.

He had been cruising towards the the trophy when he moved into a seemingly unassailable 6-2 lead over the Englishman, but his veteran opponent finally found some form and moved back to 6-5.

Crucially for Kist, though, he took the first leg of the 12th set and, when O’Shea miscounted while trying to check out on 112, he took the second as well.

He then missed an attempt at double 16 to win it but, after O’Shea failed on double 14, he returned to land his dart in its intended target and kick-off the celebrations and take the €120,000 prize.

Rocket recovers to beat champion

SNOOKER:Ronnie O'Sullivan put a mid-match stumble behind him to knock out defending champion Ding Junhui in the first round of the BGC Masters at Alexandra Palace.

Four-time champion O’Sullivan thrilled a packed crowd in the first match played at the tournament’s new home after its move from Wembley, claiming the final two frames to win 6-4 and finishing off with a classy 125.

Bolt will tune up in Jamaican races

ATHLETICS:The world will not need to wait long to get a glimpse of triple Olympic champion Usain Bolt's fitness for his highly anticipated 2012 season.

Healthy and on a new nutrition programme, Bolt plans to launch his run-up to defending his 100 and 200 metres titles at the 2012 London Games with tune-up races in Jamaica next month, the world’s fastest man said.

“I always run quarters (400s ) before the season and I will be starting in February,” Bolt said in a telephone interview. “I think I will run at least two this season.”

When he will run his first sprint test of 2011 or meet up with training partner and 100 metres world champion Yohan Blake has not been determined, Bolt said.

“Definitely I will open in Jamaica,” he said.

“Otherwise I am not sure what I will be doing next season.”

Nadal slates Federer over tour strains

TENNIS:Rafael Nadal has criticised Roger Federer by claiming the Swiss is leaving his rivals to question the authorities about the strains of life on tour.

There was talk among players of a possible strike following last year’s US Open, where a host of them abandoned matches due to fitness and injury concerns.

Nadal contends Federer is not using his influence as forcefully as he might. Speaking ahead of the Australian Open, Nadal told a press conference: “I disagree with him. His [position] is easy: do not say anything, all positive, I am a ‘gentleman’, others get burned.

“We each have our opinion and maybe he likes the circuit. Me too [but] . . . that does not mean you cannot be better and that you should [not] change things that are bad.”