FRIDAY, 11.10AM:
INDIA’s Under-19 squad beat Pakistan by five wickets in their MTN U19 World Cup semifinal match at Kingsmead on Thursday, but it was not enough to take them into Sunday’s final at the Wanderers.
Pakistan hit 188 all out in 47 overs, to which India replied with 191/5 in 40,1.
South Africa are now likely to play England in the final if they can overcome the unfavoured Sri Lankans at Kingsmead on Friday.
SPORT BRIEFS
WOOSNAM, LANGER LEAD HEINEKEN CLASSIC
HEINEKEN Cup favorite Ernie Els, having a torrid time on the greens, was struggling on three-under-par 71 at the close of the second round on Friday. Els was sharing 14th spot at Friday’s close.
The South African dual US Open champion’s senior compatriot, Gary Player, missed the cut after carding a 77 to follow up on a first round score of 75.
Bernhard Langer of Germany and Ian Woosnam of Wales are jointly leading the $940 000 tournament after Langer shot a six-under-par 66 on Friday to tip Woosnam for a place on the leaderboard.
SOUTH African US Open champ Ernie Els, the tournament favourite, carded a solid 70 in the first round of the Heineken Classic golf tournament in Perth, Australia on Thursday. SA veteran Gary Player carded an opening-round 75. In the lead after the first round was Welshman Ian Woosnam with a six-under-par 66.
NEW ZIM RUGBY CHIEF
THE Zimbabwe government’s sports council on Thursday approved the appointment of an expatriate, Mark Donata of Australia, to be the first chief executive of the Zimbabwe Rugby Union.
FIRST DIVISION CUTS
NO fewer than 20 soccer teams will be dropped from the United Bank First Division at the end of this season. Those dropped will be relegated to the lower division. The first division at present comprises a combnied 40 coastal and inland teams, which is regarded as unmanageable.
NEW SPONSOR FOR FREE STATE
THE Free State Cheetahs rugby team on Thursday announced a major boost with a R10-million sponsorship over five years from cellular network Vodacom.
GEBRSELASSIE AWARDED
ETHIOPIAN world 5 000m and 10 000m record holder Haile Gebrselassie has been named the 1998 winner of the Jesse Owens International Trophy Award. He will receive the honour on February 25 at a dinner in New York.