Mumbai: Sachin Tendulkar, having recovered from his elbow injury, is all set to get back into groove after a poor run with the bat in the three-Test series against Sri Lanka by taking part in the Irani Cup tie for Rest of India against Delhi at Vadodara later this month.

“I will be participating in the Irani Trophy. Just now I’m fine,” declared the master batsman at a promotional event here.

The selectors on Monday will choose a near-strength Test squad for the annual tie from September 24-28.

Colombo: Former captain Duleep Mendis has been asked to explore a solution on the vexed issue of Sri Lankan national cricketers committing to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) despite the Twenty20 tournament clashing dates with the Lankan team’s England tour next year.

Karachi: In a big setback to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), South Africa on Saturday turned down their request to host the Pakistan team for a tri-series in the African nation.

The PCB had been trying to arrange the tri-series with Sri Lanka in South Africa after the postponement of the Champions Trophy.

Melbourne: Australia pacer Stuart Clark has dismissed India coach Gary Kirsten’s recent comment that allrounder Andrew Symonds’ likely absence from next month’s four-Test series would ease tension between the two sides.

Nalchik (Russia): Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy defeated Hoang Thanh Trang of Hungary to win her second game of the pre-quarter finals and move into the quarters of World Women’s Chess Championship. Meanwhile, Dronavalli Harika was eliminated in the pre-quarters after losing to Lilit Mkrtchian of Armenia.

Switzerland: A last hole double bogey left Shiv Kapur out of the race as he missed the cut at the European Masters by a stroke after turning in a horrendous three over 74 in the second round. Gaurav Ghei (78) fell by the wayside with an aggregate of nine-over 151.

Sandy (Utah): Peter Tomasulo, Chris Stroud, Brian Stuard and Jonathan Fricke had four holes in one in the second round of the Utah Championship on Friday, the first time in Nationwide Tour history that there have been four aces in a round.