International sport
Badminton - English duo claim China Open
England's Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms, runners-up at last week's Hong Kong Open, beat second seeds Lee Jae-jin and Lee Hyo-jung of South Korea 15-10 15-10 to take the China Open mixed doubles title in Guangzhou yesterday.
It was the Olympic silver medallists' first title since back-to-back triumphs at the All England and Swiss Opens in March.
Now ranked world number five, the duo next focus on their All England title defence in Birmingham in mid-January before going for gold in the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in March.
Golf - Briton Howell holds off Tiger
Briton David Howell valiantly held off Tiger Woods to win the inaugural Champions Tournament by three strokes yesterday.
The Englishman fired a four-under-par 68 to finish on 20-under 268 in Shanghai, erasing the pain of his previous close encounter with the world number one at this year's US Masters.
Woods had to settle for second place in his first official tournament in China after returning a final-round 70 at the $5 million event, the start of the 2006 European Tour.
Howell's win at the Champions Tournament was his biggest to date... earning him $830,000.
Cricket - England in control vs Pakistan
Marcus Trescothick stroked a fabulous hundred to put England in command on 253 for three against Pakistan after two days of the first test yesterday.
The England captain, in the absence of injured Michael Vaughan, scored an undefeated 135 and shared a 180-run stand with Ian Bell (71) for the second wicket.
England had earlier wrapped up Pakistan's first innings for 274 after the hosts had resumed on 244 for six.
Motor Racing - Mansell first in GP Masters race
Briton Nigel Mansell won the inaugural Grand Prix Masters race at the Kyalami circuit near Johannesburg yesterday.
Mansell, 52, led the 30-lap race from start to finish and held off the challenge of Brazil's Emerson Fittipaldi to win by less than half-a-second.
Ricardo Patrese and Andrea de Cesaris finished third and fourth while Derek Warwick and Austrian Hans Stuck completed the top six.
The drivers competed in identically prepared cars powered by V8 McLaren Cosworth engines.