Kartik to play for Somerset
London: Discarded Indian spinner Murali Kartik has signed up with Somerset as their overseas player for 2010, switching sides with Middlesex. Left-arm spinner Kartik, who joined Middlesex in 2007, has signed a one-year contract with Somerset.
“It’s a new challenge for a player like me who has been playing first class cricket in England for the last five seasons,” the 33-year-old Kartik said.
MCA plan
Mumbai: The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is mulling to introduce an IPL-like, franchise-owned tournament in the near future. The MCA managing committee Tuesday decided to invite presentations from two parties on the subject before taking a call, according to association sources.
Lost and found
Melbourne: An Olympic gold medal won by Australian swimming legend John Konrads in 1960 has been returned to its rightful owner 25 years after it was stolen, police said Tuesday. The 1500 metre freestyle medal from the Rome Olympics and 15 other medals, taken from Konrads’s Melbourne home in 1984, were found after a woman tried to sell them on the internet to a US sports enthusiast, police said.
Gill claim
New Delhi: Sports minister MS Gill Tuesday met the victorious Indian Davis Cup team and said his policy of allowing only Indian passport holders to represent the country contributed in shaping up the team. “I am happy, that my decision last year, to insist, that only those Indian players, who hold an Indian passport, play for India, has led to success,” Gill said in a statement.
Shvedova wins
Tashkent: Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan beat Maria Elena Camerin of Italy 6-1, 6-1 Tuesday to reach the second round of the Tashkent Open. Shvedova, who upset the fifth-ranked Jelena Jankovic of Serbia in the second round of the US Open for her first career win over a top-10 player, broke serve five times in the match.
India lose
Chennai: India continued their miserable showing in the 23rd Fiba Asian Women Basketball Championship as they slumped to their fifth successive defeat when Japan beat them 58-100 here on Tuesday.
Cole hope
London: Joe Cole will make his first appearance of the season when Chelsea hosts Queens Park Rangers in the League Cup on Wednesday. The midfielder has been sidelined since January because of a ruptured knee ligament which required surgery.
Sushil fails
New Delhi: Olympic bronze medallist Sushil Kumar lost out on a medal opportunity in the World Wrestling Championships after losing the bronze medal playoff in the 66kg freestyle category in Herning, Denmark. Sushil was no match for his Japanese opponent Tatsuhiro Yonemitsu, losing 0-5 in the repechage.
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