IN BRIEF (Page 24)

NBA

Veteran point guard Cassell signs with Celtics

BOSTON: Veteran point guard Sam Cassell signed with the Boston Celtics, the National Basketball Association club announced on Tuesday night.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The 38-year-old Cassell was waived by the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday amid speculation he was set to sign with the Celtics if he cleared waivers.

Cassell had been petitioning the lowly Clippers for a trade or a contract buyout in recent weeks, moves that would allow him to join a championship contender.

NBA reinstates Hornets forward Anderson

NEW YORK: NBA commissioner David Stern on Tuesday reinstated former New Orleans Hornets forward Chris Andersen, who served a two-year suspension for violating the league's anti-drug policy.

Andersen was in the second year of a four-year, $13 million contract when he was expelled from the league on January 27, 2006 for testing positive for a prohibited substance. He became the first player banned from the league since Stanley Roberts in 1999.

Since Andersen was previously with the Hornets, they have exclusive contract rights and have 30 days to tender a contract. If they fail to make an offer, he would be become a free agent.

Tennis

Bangalore Open could lose WTA Tier II status

BANGALORE, India: A decision on whether the Bangalore Open will remain a Tier II event will be taken in the next few months, WTA chief Larry Scott said on Tuesday.

The Bangalore Open, in its third year, was upgraded to Tier II this season, which Scott said was on a trial basis as the WTA was finalizing plans for restructuring the tour.

Scott said the tour would reduce the number of premier tournaments - Tier I and Tier II categories - from 25 to 20 as well as the minimum number of the tournaments the players need to play (outside the majors) from 12 to 10 next season.

Scott said India was a huge market for the WTA, a priority for the future, but that the facilities in Bangalore needed to be better.

Cricket

New Zealand's How falls short of first century

HAMILTON, New Zealand: Opening batsman Jamie How fell agonizingly short of his first century while New Zealand threw away a golden opportunity to seize control of the first Test against England after the first day on Wednesday.

How, whose previous highest Test score was 37, was dismissed for 92 in the final session at Seddon Park when he was well caught by Paul Collingwood off Monty Panesar before New Zealand ended the day on 282 for six.

Ross Taylor was batting on 54 with captain Daniel Vettori on four. Wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum produced a dashing 51 off 55 balls before he was dismissed in the penultimate over of the day.

Olympics

India, Britain secure third successive hockey wins

NEW DELHI: Former Olympic champions India and Britain both claimed their third consecutive wins to stay on course to meet in the final of the men's qualifying tournament for the Beijing Games.

Eight-time champion India thumped Mexico 18-1 and Britain defeated host Chile 4-1 after being held goalless until halftime in their third-round league matches in Santiago on Tuesday.

New Zealand beat Argentina in the final of the first qualifying tournament last month. The third is in Japan in April.

(China Daily 03/06/2008 page24)