CRICKET: The West Indies have called off their tour to Pakistan later this month, although they will still play if it is moved outside of the country. West Indies Cricket Board president Wes Hall yesterday said it would be "inappropriate to proceed" in a letter to the Pakistani board.
Rising tensions between Pakistan and neighbouring India over the disputed Kashmir territory have led to the probable change of venues.
The Pakistan Cricket Board yesterday put forward Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, Dhaka in Bangladesh and the Moroccan city of Tangiers as possible venues for the three Tests and three one-day internationals.
CRICKET: Australia have invited Pakistan to play a three-match limited-overs series at the end of June in Melbourne, Pakistan officials said yesterday.
"The Pakistan cricket board has received this proposal from the Australians and our team has agreed to play the matches in Australia," said Pakistan manager Yawar Saeed.
RALLYING: As the Dakar Rally reached Africa, Japan's Hiroshi Masuoka won the 80 km special stage on day five yesterday by 31 seconds from race leader Gregoire De Mevius, of Belgium.
On terrain alternating between sand and forest, less than a minute separated the first four home. Masuoka, in his Mitsubishi, jumped from fifth to second overall and is 33 seconds behind De Mevius.
BASKETBALL: Michael Jordan scored 45 points in Washington as the Wizards snapped the New Jersey Nets' three-game NBA winning streak with a 98-76 rout.
Jordan added 10 rebounds and seven assists just two days after setting a franchise scoring record and becoming the NBA's oldest player to score 50 points in a game in the 107-90 win over Charlotte.
RUGBY: New Zealand player Christian Cullen said it was impossible to assess the new-look All Blacks until they have proved themselves against the other giants of the Southern hemisphere.
"I think it's very difficult to judge this side because they haven't faced any real quality opposition yet," said the 25-year-old. "Ireland, Scotland and Argentina are good sides and they played well on our recent tour, but they are not the big boys of world rugby."
SKI JUMPING: German Sven Hannawald underlined his brilliant form by posting his second victory in as many events in the Four Hills tournament at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, yesterday.
The ski flying world champion, who had won the opening round on Sunday in Oberstdorf, produced a spectacular second jump of 125 metres following a first effort of 122.5 metres for a winning total of 264.5 points.
Austria's Andreas Wildhoelz, who led at halfway with a jump of 122 metres, managed 124 metres at his second try for 262.8 points and second place.
Third place went to defending champions Adam Malysz of Poland with jumps of 121.5 and 122.5 metres for 259.7 points.
Hannawald leads from second-placed Malysz in the overall tournament standings. The pair will battle it out for final victory in the showcase competition in the last two rounds in Austria, in Innsbruck on Friday and Bischofshofen on Sunday.
Malysz, the hot favourite for next month's Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, comfortably leads the World Cup standings on 915 points with Hannawald a distant second on 599.
