In brief

A High Court judge ruled the ITF can’t take Korda to the Court of Arbitration over his positive test for steroids at last year’s Wimbledon Championships.

Korda tested positive for Nandrolone after his quarter-final Wimbledon loss to Tim Henman in July.

No change in Australian Open schedule

MELBOURNE: Moving the Australian Open to give players a longer off-season has been ruled out by the game’s administrators.

Many of the top names tumbled in the early rounds here, prompting several players to complain that the first Grand Slam of the season is ill-timed, allowing little preparation. ATP chief operating officer Laary Scott said shifting the Open to March was a long-term and commercial barriers stood in the way.

“It’s a really tough dilemma,” he said. “Thebig problem is tradition. The tradition here is that the Australian Open takes in the Australia Day bank holiday and it’s a hugely successful event.”

There have been record crowds in Melbourne this year and Scott said convincing the organisers to change a successful format was all but impossible.

ICC flayed for not banning Ranatunga

PERTH: Some of Australia’s most distinguished umpires have criticised the International Cricket Council (ICC) over its decision not to suspend Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga.

Ranatunga was charged with misconduct after leading his players off the Adelaide Oval in protest when Australian umpire Ross Emerson called Muttiah Muralitharan for throwing during last Saturday’s limited-overs match between Sri Lanka and England.

Ranatunga was found guilty of misconduct yesterday but escaped a ban when the ICC handed him a suspended six game suspension.

Retired Australian Test umpire Max O’Connell said the ICC’s decision not to ban Ranatunga was ridiculous. “It waseasily the worst behaviour I’ve ever seen on a cricket field,” O’Connell said.

Match Referee Van der Merwe, who seemed less than satisfied with the outcome of the hearing, slammed Ranatunga’s decision to use lawyers in his defence as he read a statement following the hearing.

Ranatunga was also fined 75 per cent of one match payment, the highest penalty applicable under the code.

Mark Taylor to call it quits?

SYDNEY: Australian Test captain Mark Taylor has told close friends he has decided to retire from international cricket, according to a report today.The Daily Telegraph said Taylor had confirmed his decision to friends but wanted to take a few more days just to make sure any lingering doubts over the decision were resolved. Taylor’s management yesterday said the 34-year-old batsman was still reviewing his options.

But the tabloid Telegraph said Taylor, who last year equalled Sir Don Bradman’s record Test score of 334, was likely to announce his resignation early nextweek.

Chandrakant fashions Indian win

KANPUR: A superb century by skipper Chandrakanta (123) and a fine contribution from Anju Jain (68) enabled India beat Sri Lanka by a massive margin of 192 runs in the second of the seven-match women’s One-day cricket series here today.

Put in to bat, Chandrakanta and wicket-keeper Jain added 188 runs for the opening wicket to propel India to a massive 294 for five in their allotted 50 overs. In reply the Lankans were bundled out for 102 in 47 overs, giving the hosts an easy win, their second in the series.Brief Scores: India 294-5 in 50 overs (Chandrakanta 123, Anju Jain 68, Rupanjali Shastri 33; Rasanjali 3-56) bt Sri Lanka 102 in 47 overs (Rahul Singh 3-9)

Chanderpaul is Player of the Week

MUMBAI: Shivnarine Chanderpaul of the West Indies is this week’s BPL Player of the Week. His scores of 45 (at Johannesburg), 150 (at East London), and 52 (at Durban) against South Africa made him this week’s unanimous choice for the award.

The judges — SunilGavaskar, Vivian Richards and Tony Greig — selected him ahead of compatriot Carl Hooper, Graeme Hick, Glenn McGrath and Anil Kumble who also had good performances to their name in the period January 22 to 28.The award carries a cash prize of US$ 500, says a release.

Indians win despite Kukreja’s ill-health

MUMBAI: The Indian junior boys recorded their second win, against Sri Lanka, even as their main player Abhijit Kukreja was disqualified on the opening day of the Ninth Asian Junior Team Squash Championship at Kuala Lumpur, according to information received here.

The Indian lads, who had drubbed Japan 3-0 in the morning, managed to pip Lanka 2-1 in Pool A matches while the Indian girls, who were crushed 0-3by Malaysia defeated Japan 3-0 later in the round robin league.

Kukreja fought back from being 0-5 down to eight-all in the decider against Lankan Hirantha Gunasena before he threw up. Referee Yap Kok enforced the conduct match award rule for vomiting on court, thereby making it unfit forplay.

Results: (Boys) India bt Sri Lanka 2-1 (Parth Doshi bt Kavinda Cooray 9-5 9-0 9-0; Anshul Manchanda bt Navin Samarasighe 9-4 9-7 9-5; Abhijit Kukreja conceded match to Hirantha Gunasena 6-9 9-5 1-9 9-6 8-8). Girls: India bt Japan 3-0 (Rhea Bhandare bt Nagisa Miyagihima 9-4 9-1 3-9; 9-4; Pia Abraham bt Mayo Kudoh 9-4 9-0 9-1, Joshna Chinnappa bt Eriko Chiba).