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Sports Shorts: Injured Corey Anderson will make it in time for IPL
New Zealand swashbuckler Corey Anderson is expected to be fit for the upcoming Indian Premier League after recovering from a finger injury which cast doubts about his participation in the cash-rich Twenty20 event.
The all-rounder, who broke the world record for the fastest ODI century soon after bursting into international cricket last year, was a much sought after player in the IPL players' auction.
Defending champions Mumbai Indians eventually grabbed him for a whopping Rs 4.50 crore (US $750,000).
"There's no fracture, no break and we're very happy with how the injury is going," Anderson was quoted as saying by Fairfax NZ News.
The 23-year-old's statement came after he visited a specialist in Auckland last week.
"The ligaments are all fine too; everything else is good to go. Everything went well and the news was all positive," he said.
Anderson had hurt his dislocated right little finger during the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh in the match against Sri Lanka.
The injury triggered speculation of him either giving the IPL a miss or joining the squad late.
The IPL will kick off April 16 in the UAE with defending champions Mumbai Indians taking on the Kolkata Knight Riders in Abu Dhabi.
The first half of the IPL (from April 16 to 30) is being played in the UAE due to a clash of dates with the general elections in the country.
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Nadal keeps top spot in ATP world rankings
World No.1 Rafael Nadal has retained his spot on top of the recent men's tennis rankings issued by the ATP.
Meanwhile, Frenchman Richard Gasquet has returned to the top ten at the expense of Canada's Milos Raonic.
According to Sport24, Nadal has 13,730 points and Serbia's Novak Djokovic, a recent Indian Wells and Miami Masters winner, close behind on 11,680, while Australian Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland is third on 5760 points.
ATP top 10 as of April 7: 1. Rafael Nadal, Spain, 13,730 points
2. Novak Djokovic, Serbia, 11,680
3. Stanislas Wawrinka, Switzerland, 5760
4. Roger Federer, Switzerland, 5355
5. Tomas Berdych, Czech Republic, 4720
6. David Ferrer, Spain, 4640
7. Juan Martin del Potro, Argentina, 4260
8. Andy Murray, Britain, 4040
9. John Isner, United States, 2715
10. Richard Gasquet, France, 2635.
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Badminton star Lee Chong Wei to play until Rio Olympics
Malaysia's World No 1 badminton player Lee Chong Wei has ruled out retirement and decided to carry on for two more years until the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
The 31-year-old had hinted at retirement earlier this year after winning his 10th Malaysia Open title in Kuala Lumpur, saying it would be his last national championships.
Lee said he arrived at the decision to play on after a chat with the country's sports minister in the wake of his third Superseries triumph of the year at the Indian Open.
"Our Sports Minister is very supportive of me and has asked me to persevere until the 2016 Olympic Games. I digested what he said and I gave him my word to keep on playing," Lee was quoted as saying by the Malaysian Star newspaper.
"This year, I will focus on the majors (Thomas Cup, Commonwealth Games, World Championships and Asian Games).
"I will try my best to maintain my form and hang on for another two years."
Lee won his second Olympic silver medal at the London Games in 2012 after another titanic battle with his nemesis, Lin Dan of China.
On Sunday, he beat another Chinese, world number two Chen Long, 21-13, 21-17 in the final at the Indian Open.
"I am taking the whole atmosphere differently now. I am enjoying myself more," Lee added.
"In India, I read Chen Long's game easily and played quite well to counter his movements. It has given me confidence."
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Name change of Premier League club Hull City takes new twist
Hull City season card holders have narrowly voted in favour of owner Assem Allam's plan to change the Premier League club's name to Hull Tigers despite the FA looking poised to block the move.
The Football Association will make a ruling when its council meets on Wednesday but its membership committee has already recommended the plans be rejected because of unpopularity with fans, despite Allam hinting he will sell the club if he loses.
Supporters have demonstrated at games against the change but 2,565 of those eligible voted "Yes to Hull Tigers with the Allam Family continuing to lead the club" with 2,517 voting to keep the current name, Hull said in a statement on Monday.
Fans' group City Till We Die said the result was "largely meaningless" while the Football Supporters' Federation said the ballot was flawed.
The club, already nicknamed the Tigers, are set to remain in the top flight after promotion last term and have 15,033 season card holders.
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Llorente helps Juventus beat Livorno, close in on Serie A title
Italian side Juventus have come within touching distance of a third successive Serie A title following a 2-0 win over rival side Livorno on Monday at the Juventus Stadium.
Antonio Conte's men, who hold a sizable advantage over second place Roma, are hoping to become the first team to win the league by claiming 100 points. With six games remaining, they will now turn its attention to Thursday's Europa League quarter-final tie with Lyon.
Fernando Llorente fired Juventus eight points clear at the top of the Italian league by scoring twice in three minutes and bringing back a ray of light for his side, which suffered a 2-0 shock defeat by Napoli last week.
Elsewhere, Milan gained a 2-1 away win at Genoa, the report added.
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Gun-shots fired as workers clash with guards at Rio Olympic park
Workers building Rio's 2016 Olympic Park fought with security guards on Monday but although shots were fired no one was injured in the melee, eyewitnesses said.
Scuffles broke out between guards and construction workers on strike for more pay and better union representation. The workers closed several busy avenues around the site on Monday and trouble ensued.
Officials said they were examining CCTV footage to identify who fired the shots.
"The confusion took place at the work site and there were protests both there and nearby," said a witness, who requested anonymity.
"Fortunately, no one was hurt."
The Olympic Park is one of the focal points of Rio's Olympic Games and will host judo, basketball, tennis, handball and cycling events at a host of purpose-built facilities.
The international broadcast centre and the main media base will also be located in the park, which is being built on the site of Rio's former Formula One track.
The consortium responsible for the park, which is slated for delivery in the first half of next year, vowed the strike would not affect delivery dates.
But there is already concern at Rio's slow pace of work. Construction workers fixing the Joao Havelange stadium that is due to host the track and field events have also downed tools in protest over working conditions and low wages.
That stadium was built for the 2007 Pan American Games but was closed in March last year when engineers said the roof could fall down in high winds. Officials ordered the stadium closed and said work to shore up the structure and repair other problems would not be finished until December 2014.
The budget is also a hot topic of concern. Rio has still to decide who will pay for what and International Olympic Committee officials who visited the city on March 21 said it was crucial that federal, state and municipal authorities put their heads together and make decisions.
However, although officials said that meeting would take place in March, it is yet to happen.
Brazilian organisers have so far budgeted for 24 of the 52 projects that will be built for the Games.
Rio won the right to host the summer Olympics in 2009 and will become the first South American city to host the world's biggest multi-sport event.
Brazil will also host soccer's World Cup this June and July.
But even though the World Cup kicks-off in 66 days, three stadiums are still not ready and promised public transportation and airports are also way behind schedule or have been abandoned.
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Swimming great Thorpe in intensive care battling infection
Australian swimming great Ian Thorpe is in intensive care in a Sydney hospital receiving treatment for an infection that could result in him losing the use of his left arm, Australian media reported on Tuesday.
The five-time Olympic champion reportedly contracted the bug after surgery at a hospital in Switzerland, where he now lives.
In February, Thorpe's manager James Erskine said the 31-year-old was suffering from depression after being found disorientated and behaving oddly near a vehicle in Australia after taking a mixture of anti-depressants and painkillers for a shoulder injury.
Thorpe, who made his Games debut in Sydney in 2000, retired in 2006 due to a lack of motivation and made an ill-fated comeback in 2011 when he failed to make the Australian team for the London 2012 Olympics.