IPL auction: Yuvraj, KP list highest base price

New Delhi
 

The most expensive buy in the previous IPL auction, Yuvraj Singh, and 11 others have quoted the highest base price ( Rs 2 crore) for this year’s auction to be held in Bengaluru on February 6. Apart from Yuvraj, Kevin Pietersen and Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh are among the 12 players who have listed the highest base price in a list of 714. The final pool of players from these 714 will be selected tomorrow. Others in the Rs 2 crore bracket are Shane Watson, Ishant Sharma, Ashish Nehra, Dinesh Karthik, Stuart Binny, Sanju Samson, Dhawal Kulkarni, Kane Richardson and 40-year-old Mike Hussey. Dale Steyn, Mohit Sharma and Jos Butler are part of the Rs 1.5 crore group. 

Melbourne
Hussey gets perfect send-off as Thunder win Big Bash 

Sydney Thunder gave captain Michael Hussey the perfect send-off from Australian cricket when they beat the Melbourne Stars by three wickets to win the Big Bash League today. After Hussey won the toss and sent the Stars in to bat, the home side reached 176 for nine thanks largely to a scintillating 74 from Kevin Pietersen. But Thunder’s Usman Khawaja (70) played an innings of similar quality to help Sydney chase down the imposing target. 

Brief scores: Melbourne Stars: 176/9 (Pietersen 74); Sydney Thunder: 181/7 (Khawaja 70) 

Bengaluru
Bengaluru FC thrash Shillong Lajong 3-0

North Korean Kim Song Yong struck a brace in Bengaluru FC's convincing 3-0 win over Shillong Lajong to emerge as the table toppers in the I-League here today. CK Vineeth scored in the third minute of the game. Bengaluru have nine points from three games, while Mohun Bagan, with six points from two matches, are second.

London
Arsenal miss chance to return to top of table

Arsenal missed their chance to go back to the top of the Premier League after being forced to play with 10 men for much of the game against Chelsea on Sunday. Defender Per Mertesacker was sent off in the first 20 minutes for a foul on Diego Costa, who scored the only goal shortly afterwards. 

Madrid
Atletico cede top spot to Barca after Sevilla draw

Atletico Madrid surrendered top spot in La Liga to Barcelona when they were held to a 0-0 draw at home to 10-man Sevilla in a fiercely contested clash on Sunday. Atletico and Barca each have 48 points but the champions, who have a game in hand and host Atletico next weekend, are ahead on goal difference. 

London
Agent denies Mourinho ‘love letter’ to Man United

Jose Mourinho’s agent has dismissed as “absolutely ridiculous and totally absurd” a report that the Portuguese wrote a ‘love letter’ to Manchester United to trumpet his case to be their next manager. Mourinho’s agent Jorge Mendes strongly denied the claims. “It is absolutely ridiculous and totally absurd,” Mendes said. — Agencies