b: Former winner and leading contender Carlos Sainz has withdrawn from the Dakar Rally after rolling his Peugeot into a ravine on Thursday’s fourth stage in Bolivia, his team said. Spain’s twice world rally champion, whose son and namesake races in Formula One, had feared after reaching the overnight bivouac in Tupiza that his car was too badly damaged to be repaired. Peugeot confirmed that mechanics would be unable to complete the job in the allotted time. “It is obviously devastating to have to retire. We had been running at a good pace since the start of the rally,” said Sainz, who had been in second place overall at the start of the stage.
Cricket: Virat Kohli has taken over from Mahendra Singh Dhoni as India’s limited-overs captain, becoming his country’s skipper in all three formats of the game, the Board of Control for Cricket in India said yesterday. Kohli’s first assignment as captain of the limited-overs squads will be three one-dayers and three Twenty20 Internationals against England beginning on January 15. Dhoni has been named as wicketkeeper in both the one-day and Twenty20 squads. Kohli, 28, assumed the test captaincy following Dhoni’s retirement from the longest format of the game in late 2014.
Tennis: Croatian Ana Konjuh overpowered German Julia Goerges 6-3 4-6 6-3 at the Auckland Classic yesterday to reach her second career WTA final. The eighth seed will meet American Lauren Davis in the final after seventh-seeded Jelena Ostapenko retired trailing 4-1 in the third set due to illness. The unseeded Goerges stunned former world number one Caroline Wozniacki in the quarter-finals but Konjuh ensured there was not another shock at the tournament in which top seed Serena Williams was upset by fellow American Madison Brengle.
Sailing: Former Olympic champion Polly Powrie (picture) has retired from international sailing at the age of 29, Yachting New Zealand said yesterday. Powrie won gold with Jo Aleh in the women’s 470 class at London and silver in Rio, with the pair also crowned world champions in 2013. In addition, they won three silver medals at world championships. “Jo and I have been sailing together for eight years and achieved possibly everything we could have,” Powrie said.
Rugby Union: Wales fly-half Rhys Priestland has extended his stay with Bath beyond this season. Priestland moved to the Recreation Ground on an initial two-year deal in 2015. Bath have also announced fresh contract terms for centre Max Clark and full-back Tom Homer. Bath rugby director Todd Blackadder said: “Rhys, Max and Tom are all integral members of the squad, and it’s great news for the club going forward that they have agreed to stay here.”