Jaffer & Co. arrive in the city

Calcutta: The Mumbai Ranji team landed in the city late on Monday night. The side, led by former India opener Wasim Jaffer, will take on Bengal in a Super League match, from Wednesday.

Mumbai, who had pocketed three points from their first match, against Saurashtra, boast of a strong side which includes the likes of Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarakar. Meanwhile, the Mumbai Cricket Association has issued a gag order on the players after Jaffer and some senior players had severely criticised the pitch at the Bandra-Kurla ground - the venue of their last match.

Shark dive!

Calcutta: South African pace duo of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel will shark dive in Dubai Tuesday with the 2011 World Cup trophy to mark the 100-day countdown to the opening ceremony of the sporting extravaganza. Steyn and Morkel will perform the stunt in the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo in the presence of his teammates and the Pakistan team.

Australia win

Calcutta: Australia won their first Hong Kong Sixes trophy defeating Pakistan in the final on Sunday by two wickets, after needing a seemingly impossible 46 of the final eight ball over, according to a media release. Australia’s Glenn Maxwell was named Player of the Tournament, winning the Ben Hollioake Trophy.

Azhar’s hope

Bhopal: Congress MP and former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin said that he would be disappointed if India failed to win the 2011 Cricket World Cup.

Mahesh out

Valencia: Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi lost the Valencia Open final, 6-7 (8) 7-5 7-10, to brothers Andy and Jamie Murray here.

Final loss

New Delhi: Sania Mirza missed out on winning her second title of the season after losing the final of the $1,00,000 ITF tournament in Taipei along with local player Hsieh Suwei.

Nadal’s fitness

Paris: World No. 1 Rafael Nadal expects to be fit for the ATP World Tour finals, in London, later this month despite withdrawing from this week’s Paris Masters with a shoulder injury.

Libel case

London: Cristiano Ronaldo settled his libel case Monday against a British newspaper that claimed he was putting his recovery from an ankle injury at risk by partying in a Hollywood nightclub. Ronaldo’s attorney, Allan Dunlavy, told London’s High Court that The Daily Telegraph story in July 2008 caused embarrassment, offense and distress to the player.

U-19 football

Calcutta: An U-19 football championship is set to kick start Tuesday where teams of all districts along with 13 premier division clubs and three residential academies of Calcutta, will lock horns.