Cricket: A historian, a retired auditor and a financial executive were among four people named by India’s highest court yesterday to run the country’s cricket board (BCCI). Former India women’s captain Diana Edulji was the only administrator with direct cricket experience although historian and columnist Ramachandra Guha has written numerous books about the sport. Earlier this month, BCCI president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke were removed by the Supreme Court for failing to implement administrative reforms within the world’s richest cricket body.
Davis Cup: Rafael Nadal has been left out of Spain’s Davis Cup squad for their World Group first-round match against Croatia this weekend due to fatigue. The world number six lost in five sets to old rival Roger Federer in the Australian Open final on Sunday. “Rafa’s wear and tear in the last month has been very significant,” Spain Davis Cup captain Conchita Martinez said. “He needs time to recover from his efforts and I’m certain that he will accompany us in the next rounds.”
Tennis: Dan Evans is the new British number two after his impressive run to the fourth round of the Australian Open. The 26-year-old is enjoying the best spell of his career and built on his first tour final in Sydney with a best-ever grand slam performance at Melbourne Park, where he beat Marin Cilic on his way to the last 16. That sees him move up six places up to 45, a career-high, two spots ahead of Kyle Edmund. With Andy Murray retaining his number one ranking despite a shock early exit in Australia, it is the first time in 11 years that there has been three British men in the top 50 when Murray, Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski were all present.
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Golf: Spanish rookie Jon Rahm (picture) eagled two of the last six holes to clinch his first PGA Tour title by three shots in sensational fashion at the $6.7 million Farmers Insurance Open outside San Diego. His final eagle was stunning, a multiple-breaking 60-foot putt from the fringe at the back of the green at the par-five 18th where his ball took a final turn to the left before disappearing into the cup to spark jubilant celebration by Rahm and the watching fans. The 22-year-old turned professional just seven months ago. Rahm finished at 13-under 275.
Basketball: LeBron James scored 25 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and became the first player to score 20,000 points in a Cavaliers uniform in Cleveland’s 107-91 victory against Oklahoma City Thunder. James, who is eighth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with nearly 28,000 career points, has almost twice as many points as anyone else in a Cavs uniform. Zydrunas Ilgauskas is second on the team’s scoring list with 10,616 points.