Usain to compete in 300m

Prague: Jamaican sprint star Usain Bolt will compete in the rarely contested 300m race at the traditional Czech Golden Spike meet in May.

Michael Johnson holds the current world mark of 30.85 seconds. The IAAF does not recognise it as a world record, as the distance is not used at major events.

New rule

New Delhi: The country’s highest sports award Rajiv Khel Ratna will not be shared by two or more persons in future except in case of Olympic medal winners, sports ministry said Wednesday.

Bengal held

Imphal: Last year’s runners-up Bengal stayed in contention for a semi-final berth in the 18th Senior Women’s National Football Championship 2009-10 here Wednesday as drew 1-1 against Assam. In the other match, Sasmita Mallick guided Orissa into the semis with a 5-0 victory against Haryana.

Pep point

Madrid: The Spanish football federation will investigate comments made by Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola after he accused officials of lying in a match report, the La Liga champions said on Tuesday. “They (the officials) lied in the match report and put things in there that I did not say,” Pep said.

George in

Calcutta: Fast bowler Peter George has been called into the Australian squad as cover for Ryan Harris, who is nursing a side soreness, for the first Test against New Zealand commencing in Wellington from Friday. The 23-year-old South Australian bowler finished second on the Sheffield Shield wicket-takers’ list with 36 scalps at 30.44.

Hockey tour

New Delhi: Indian women’s hockey team, led by Subhadra Pradhan, arrived at Gifu to play a four-match Test series against Japan. The Indian team will also play a five-match series against Asian champions China.

T20 selection

Mumbai: The national selectors will meet on March 26 to pick a 15-member Indian squad for the ICC World T20 next month in the West Indies, Board sources said Wednesday.

Swann is No.2

Calcutta: England off-spinner Graeme Swann earned a career-best No.2 in the ICC rankings for Test bowlers after his maiden 10-wicket haul against Bangladesh in the first match in Chittagong.

RANKINGS

TEAMS

1. India (124); 2. South Africa (120); 3. Australia (118); 4. Sri Lanka (115); 5. England (107); 6. New Zealand (81); 7. Pakistan (80); 8. West Indies (77); 9. Bangladesh (12).

BATSMEN

1. V. Sehwag; 2. H. Amla; 3. M. Jayawardene; 4. K. Sangakkara; 5. G. Gambhir; 6. Sachin Tendulkar, M. Clarke; 8. J. Kallis; 9. G. Smith; 10. R. Ponting.

BOWLERS

1. D. Steyn; 2. G. Swann; 3. M. Johnson; 4. Md Asif; 5. M. Muralidharan; 6. Z. Khan; 7. H. Singh; 8. S. Clark; 9. M. Morkel; 10. M. Ntini.

ALL-ROUNDERS

1. J. Kallis; 2. D. Vettori; 3. G. Swann; 4. S. Hasan; 5. M. Johnson.

Staff Reporter & Agencies