Sports round-up

Cricket: Hapless India slumped to 103 for five at stumps in their first innings on the third day of the fourth Test at The Oval yesterday after a sublime double century from Ian Bell had fired England to 591 for 6 declared. Rahul Dravid, on 57, and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, on five, were the not out batsmen following another poor performance by India which was as miserable as the London weather where the second session was lost to rain.

Tennis: Former world number one Marat Safin will make his ATP Champions Tour debut in Chengdu, China, from October 27-30, as the colourful Russian joins the sport’s old boys club. Safin joins Pete Sampras at the Chengdu event with Mark Philippoussis, Carlos Moya, Thomas Enqvist, Paradorn Srich-aphan, Wayne Ferreira and Younes El Aynaoui completing the line-up.

American Football: New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora will have arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and will likely be sidelined for the team’s NFL season opener on September 11. “It was better to do it now as opposed to midseason,” Umenyiora said in a statement. “It was going to have to be done, the only question was when. If I’m going to miss a little while, I would prefer it be now than at the crucial part of our season. It’s the best decision for the team and myself.”

Rugby Union: Clermont’s Georgian international prop Davit Zirakashvili is racing to be fit for the World Cup after suffering a right knee sprain training with the French Top 14 team. The 23-year-old missed Friday’s friendly between the Georgian national team and French Pro D2 side Bourgoin-Jallieu, which the visitors won 28-15.