Jury retires in Cairns perjury trial

London

Jurors in the London perjury trial of former New Zealand cricket captain Chris Cairns retired to consider their verdicts today. Cairns, 45, faces a charge of perjury after successfully suing IPL founder Lalit Modi for accusing home of match-fixing on Twitter in 2010. Cairns, a New Zealand great, won £90,000 ($135,700) in damages from Modi in the March 2012 trial, but he is alleged to have lied to the court when he said that he had “never, ever cheated at cricket”.

Karachi
PCB seek government clearance on India series

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has sought the permission of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to play their proposed bilateral series with India on a mutually agreed neutral venue. "We have sent the report regarding the series to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and has asked for his permission to play the bilateral series with India on a neutral venue," PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan told media.

Macau
Jayaram, Prannoy and Praneeth in second round

K Srikanth bowed out with a straight-game defeat but the three other Indians, including Ajay Jayaram and HS Prannoy, advanced to the second round of the $120,000 Macau Open Grand Prix Gold. Srikanth lost to Christie Jonatan of Indonesia 16-21 21-23 in the opening round. However, Jayaram saw off Hong Kong's Tam Chun Hei 21-6 25-23. Prannoy notched up a 21-15 16-21 21-18 win over Indonesia's Sukamta Evert, while B Sai Praneeth beat Indonesia's Fikri Ihsandi Hadmadi 21-18 23-21.

NAGPUR
Kohli calls Day-night Test a ‘landmark’

Virat Kohli is ‘excited’ that Australia and Kiwis have agreed to play the first Day-night Test and called the match starting on Friday at the Adelaide Oval a ‘landmark’ occasion. Tests have been witnessing dwindling interest and, according to the ICC, the Day-night Tests are an effort to address the problem. “It is a landmark Test," Kohli said. — Agencies

Paris
FIFA seeking life ban for Platini, say his lawyers

Michel Platini, who hopes to become head of world soccer’s governing body FIFA, could face a life ban from the sport over a payment he received from FIFA head Sepp Blatter, a spokesman for the Frenchman’s lawyer told Reuters on Tuesday. A probe into the 2 million Swiss franc (£1.3 million) payment from FIFA to UEFA president Platini in 2011 forms part of a broader corruption scandal shaking the world soccer body. 

Paris
France to keep “fan zones” at Euro championships

France plans to maintain public areas for thousands of soccer supporters to watch games on big screens at the European soccer championship next year despite security fears following the Paris attacks. In Paris, the zone is expected to have a 120,000 capacity and will be situated on the Champs de Mars, below the Eiffel Tower.— Agencies