Ace hurler hopes to save Olympic softball

NEW YORK: Jennie Finch, the stand-out of the US softball dream team that rolled to a third straight Olympic gold in Athens, will be on a special quest in Beijing - striking a blow for a return of her sport to future Games.

Mickelson borrows training tips from Tiger

AUGUSTA, Georgia: World No 2 Phil Mickelson has taken two pages out of top-ranked Tiger Woods' book to prepare for his 2008 major championships campaign starting on Thursday at the US Masters.

Top shot

Jeter ruled out for 3 games

Sports

Jayhawks hoist trophy after NCAA thriller

SAN ANTONIO, Texas: So patient for 20 years, Kansas had no problem working an extra five minutes to bring a long-awaited championship back to the heartland.

FA, UEFA lift Cardiff City's Euro hopes

LONDON: Cardiff City's hopes of playing in next season's UEFA Cup were lifted on Monday when the FA said it would re-examine its case and UEFA said it would consider giving the Welsh club a wildcard entry.

Materazzi wins apology over racist claim

LONDON: Italian World Cup-winning defender Marco Materazzi won a formal public apology from the Daily Star in the High Court on Monday over its claim that he had racially abused France's Zinedine Zidane in 2006.

Olajuwon, Ewing, Riley elected to Hall of Fame

SAN ANTONIO, Texas: Two of basketball's most dominant former centers, 7-footers Hakeem Olajuwon and Patrick Ewing, were among the seven new Hall of Fame inductees named on Monday.

Top shot

Facial surgery for Cech

Sports

Jones demands justice for Cardiff

LONDON: Cardiff manager Dave Jones has pleaded with football's governing bodies not to ruin his side's FA Cup fairy tale after the Welsh club beat Barnsley 1-0 to book a place in the final.

Barcelona frustrated as Real stumbles toward title

MADRID: Barcelona once again failed to capitalize on the latest Real Madrid slip with a 0-0 draw against Getafe on Sunday keeping it seven points behind the league leader.