Cricket: Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott warmed up for the Ashes series with fluent centuries before England collapsed on the final day of their drawn practice match against a Western Australia Chairman’s XI yesterday. Bell retired on 115 and Trott was not out on 113 after almost six hours at the crease before Western Australia team bowled out England for 391 at Perth. For the local team, seamer Jim Allenby claimed four for 58 as England lost their last seven wickets for 57 runs in reply to the hosts’ first-innings total of 451 for five declared. The first Ashes test will be played in Brisbane from Nov. 21.
Rugby Union: Inspired by a half-time parade from the 2003 World Cup-winning squad, England came from behind to beat Australia 20-13 with second-half tries by Chris Robshaw and Owen Farrell at Twickenham yesterday. Australia led 13-6 at half-time after a try from centre Matt Toomua as Farrell missed three of his five penalty attempts after England dominated the scrum but without ever threatening the Wallaby line. They crossed it five minutes into the second half, though, when captain Robshaw scored his first international try, and added a second soon after when Farrell found a hole and slotted his second conversion. Australia pressed in the closing stages but England’s defence held firm to condemn the Wallabies to their eighth defeat in 11 tests this year.
Basket, NBA: Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant was scheduled to receive a salary advance of more than $24 million, according to multiple reports yesterday. Bryant is owed $30.5 million this season. The NBA’s collective bargaining agreement allows players to receive up to 80 per cent of their salary upfront. Bryant’s amount of $24,363,044 is 79.7 per cent. Bryant’s return from an Achilles tendon tear is still unknown, but his salary is guaranteed.
Horse Racing: The 2013 Breeders’ Cup opened its $27 million two-day programme in California on Friday with a superb victory by Beholder and a disappointing run by the fancied Royal Delta. Beholder totally upstaged favourite Royal Delta in the feature race, the $2 million Distaff, as the three-year-old filly took control by the final turn before charging down the home straight to win by four and one-quarter lengths. Royal Delta, an overwhelming 7-5 favourite when she entered the starting gate, ended up fourth out of six runners after fading badly at a sun-drenched Santa Anita Park.
Motor Racing: Russian teenager Daniil Kvyat will test with Toro Rosso in Italy this week to secure a Formula One super-licence so he can take part in practice for the last two races of the season. The 19-year-old was named last month as a surprise choice to replace Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who is moving up to world champions Red Bull, at the Italy-based team on the starting grid next year. Team principal Franz Tost told reporters in Abu Dhabi that the team had a programme to get the rookie, who must do a minimum of 300 kilometres over two days in a 2011 car to secure his licence, ready for 2014.
Snooker: Ding Junhui earned himself a shot at becoming the first player this century to win three successive ranking titles after fending off Graeme Dott in the semi-finals of the lucrative International Championship, yesterday. And when Chinese superstar Ding tackles Hong Kong’s Marco Fu in today’s final in Chengdu, it will be a third successive all-Asian final, a clear indication that the sport’s traditional British powerbase has met its match with a new generation of cuemen. Ding was pushed hard by Dott before sealing a 9-7 victory with a terrific closing break of 63, just as Dott appeared on the brink of forcing a deciding frame.