Sports News: General

KANPUR, India (AP) India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat first Tuesday in the second cricket test against Sri Lanka at Green Park.

American duo Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan saw their hopes of ending the year as the world's best doubles team fading away as they lost their opener 6-4 6-4 to Max Mirnyi and Andy Ram at the ATP World Tour Finals on Monday.

Portsmouth's England goalkeeper David James has played down the latest injury he suffered in the warm-up for Sunday's Premier League game at Stoke City.

Barcelona will decide on Tuesday whether to risk Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lionel Messi in their Champions League clash with Inter Milan at the Nou Camp, coach Pep Guardiola said on Monday.

Robin Soderling is unlikely to be on Rafael Nadal's Christmas card list this year after once again getting under the Spaniard's skin at the ATP World Tour Finals.

DUNEDIN, New Zealand (AP) Ross Taylor scored 94 and Martin Guptill 60 as New Zealand overcame the loss of a wicket first ball to reach 276 for six by stumps on the opening day of the first cricket test against Pakistan on Tuesday.

DUNEDIN, New Zealand (AP) Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor both reached half centuries in a 117-run, third-wicket partnership to guide New Zealand to 171-3 at tea Tuesday on the opening day of the first cricket test against Pakistan.

DUNEDIN, New Zealand (AP) Pakistan teenager Mohammad Aamer struck with the first ball of the match but New Zealand recovered to 75 for two at lunch on the opening day of the first cricket test on Tuesday.

DUNEDIN, New Zealand (AP) New Zealand was 75 for 2 at lunch Tuesday after being sent in to bat on the opening day of the first cricket test against Pakistan.

Former Italy and Inter Milan goalkeeper Walter Zenga was sacked as Palermo coach on Monday and replaced by ex-Lazio boss Delio Rossi.

FIFA has called an extraordinary meeting following the controversy over France striker Thierry Henry's goal against Ireland in the World Cup qualifiers and the match-fixing investigation announced last week.

The German Athletics Federation (DLV) recognised on Monday a women's high jump record dating back to 1936 after the Nazi party had refused to accept it because the athlete, Gretel Bergmann, was a Jew.

Swede Robin Soderling returned to haunt Rafael Nadal on Monday with a 6-4 6-4 victory in their opening Group B round-robin clash at the ATP World Tour finals.

DUNEDIN, New Zealand (AP) Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf won the toss and chose to bowl in the first cricket test against New Zealand on Tuesday.

Bosnia's state court on Monday sentenced two top officials of the national soccer federation (NFSBiH) to five years in prison over tax evasion and abuse of office between 2001 and 2006.

(corrects Nadal's French Open streak in para 2)
Sweden's Robin Soderling returned to haunt Rafael Nadal at the ATP World Tour Finals on Monday, beating him 6-4 6-4 in their opening Group B round-robin clash.

ATP World Tour Finals men's singles result from London on Monday (prefix denotes seeding). Group B

From Our Chess Correspondent Khanty Mansiysk (Russia), Nov 23 (PTI) Grandmaster Krishnan Sasikiran scored a clinical victory over Erwin L'Ami of Holland in the first round of Rapid tie-break games to cruise into the second round of the World Chess Cup here.

Kanpur, Nov 23 (PTI) The cricket fan, who was forced out of the Green Park Stadium for trying to come close to Sachin Tendulkar will be allowed to watch the second Test between India and Sri Lanka starting tomorrow.

Former Paraguay striker Jose Cardozo made a losing start as Olimpia coach and crowd violence marred Sportivo Luqueno's home loss to Cerro Porteno in Paraguay at the weekend.