IN BRIEF (Page 24)
Cricket
Australia crush England again in Twenty20
SYDNEY: Australia continued their dominance over England with a record-breaking 77-run victory in their one-off Twenty20 match yesterday.
Despite missing almost half the team that humiliated the visitors 5-0 in the Ashes test series, Australia racked up a world-record total to leave the tourists winless in all forms of the game since arriving Down Under more than two months ago.
Australia's batsmen went on the rampage, piling up 221 for five to eclipse the previous international record of 214 for five they set against New Zealand in Auckland in 2005.
England replied with 144 for nine, narrowly avoiding the heaviest defeat in the short history of Twenty20 internationals.
The home team belted 15 fours and 14 sixes with Adam Gilchrist scoring 48 and Ricky Ponting getting 47.
Soccer
Double injury blow rocks Juventus
ROME: Serie B promotion hopefuls Juventus were dealt a double injury blow on Monday with defenders Giorgio Chiellini and Jean-Alain Boumsong both being ruled out for several weeks.
The pair were crocked in Satuday's 3-2 defeat to AC Milan in the Berlusconi trophy match. Chiellini has a left thigh strain and Frenchman Boumsong has a left leg injury.
Juventus said Chiellini is expected to be sidelined for six weeks and Boumsong for three to four weeks.
Juventus are currently third in the table, a point off the lead.
West Ham sign West Brom midfielder Quashie
LONDON: West Ham have signed West Brom midfielder Nigel Quashie in a 1.5 million pound deal rising to two million if the struggling London side avoids relegation.
West Brom manager Tony Mowbray confirmed on Monday: "Nigel recently expressed an interest in getting back to the Premier League.
"When West Ham lodged their interest in signing Nigel, coupled with my desire to create some revenue to bring in fresh faces, I thought it was an opportunity which suited all parties."
SNOOKER
China Open to stay in Beijing in five years
Snooker's China Open will be staged in Beijing for the next five years, the World Snooker Association announced on Saturday.
After cooperating for two years, China's Multiple Administrative Centre of the State General Sports Administration signed a five-year contract with the sport's world governing body.
China's prodigy Ding Junhui won the first China Open in 2005 and lefthander Mark Williams dominated the baize last year.
This year's event will be staged from March 25 to April 1 with eight wildcards to be given to Chinese players.
MISCELLANEOUS
Young prodigy, veteran battle for masters title
Fifteen-year-old prodigy Zhou Ruiyang is taking on world champion Gu Li in the final of the 19th "Yong Cheng Cup" China Go Chess masters.
It's Zhou's third final of his career and many believe he has the potential to upset Gu, who became one of the three Chinese players to win world titles last year, namely the LG Cup on April 21.
The championship is decided by a best-of-five competition. Gu took a 1-0 lead after winning the opening match last Thursday in Beijing.
The competition will be concluded on Thursday in the city of Yongcheng, Henan Province.
(China Daily 01/10/2007 page24)
