Cricket: New Zealand Cricket has apologised to the touring Pakistan team after a cash-till sound effect was played in an apparent attempt to taunt paceman Mohammad Amir following his return from a spot-fixing ban. Amir is making his comeback after serving a five-year ban for his part in the scandal that emerged during Pakistan’s 2010 tour of England. He was handed a six-month jail sentence as well as his cricket punishment. NZC chief executive David White said: “I think it was inappropriate and has the effect of trivialising one of the biggest issues facing cricket at the moment.”
Six Nations: A British bookmaker is offering odds of 16/1 that England’s new captain Dylan Hartley, whose career has been plagued by brushes with rugby authority, will be sent off during the Six Nations tournament starting on February 6. The combative 29-year-old hooker was named skipper by coach Eddie Jones on Monday, succeeding Chris Robshaw. New Zealand-born Hartley has won 66 caps since his test debut in 2008. But he has also accumulated bans totalling 54 weeks for head-butting, biting, gouging, swearing at a referee, elbowing and punching, and was dropped from the squad for last year’s Rugby World Cup.
Basket, NBA: Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin is expected to miss four to six weeks of action after breaking his hand while throwing a punch, the National Basketball Association team said. The five-time NBA All-Star, who has missed the past month with a torn left quadriceps tendon, suffered the latest injury while hitting one of the team’s equipment managers outside a Toronto restaurant, according to the LA Times. Griffin threw multiple punches in a back-and-forth exchange with assistant equipment manager Mathias Testi, who was left with a swollen face but no fractures.
Rugby Union: Maesteg Harlequins hooker Shaun Cleary has been given a two-year ban after testing positive for cocaine use. Cleary was suspended by UK Anti-Doping after benzoylecgonine, a cocaine metabolite, was found in his system during testing after a pre-season friendly against Bridgend Ravens last August. “Although Mr Cleary used cocaine three days before playing, cocaine was still in his system when he played,” said Ukad director of legal Graham Arthur. “Sportspeople have to be aware that using cocaine at any time will put them at great risk of breaking the anti-doping rules.”
Snooker: This weekend’s World Seniors Championship, featuring many of snooker’s great names, will be sponsored by 888sport for the first time. The tournament runs on Saturday and Sunday at the Guild Hall in Preston, televised live on Sky Sports. Mark Williams won the title on his debut in the event last year and will be defending the crown against the likes of Jimmy White, John Parrott, Ken Doherty, Tony Drago and Joe Johnson. In all there are 16 players, aged 40 and over, chasing the £18,000 top prize. Drago plays his first match against Robert Milkins on Saturday.