South Africa unveil England cricket tour dates

Johannesburg:  South Africa on Friday announced the dates for a tour by England which will include four Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is. The Test series will start in Centurion on December 26, followed by South Africa’s traditional New Year Test at Newlands in Cape Town, starting on January 3. The remaining Tests will be in Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg. England will play two warm-up matches before the Tests, a two-day game against an Invitation XI and a three-day match against South Africa A. Both fixtures will be in Benoni. South Africa will also host Australia for three T20Is and three ODIs, starting five days after England’s final fixture on February 16. Cricket South Africa chief executive Thabang Moroe said the series would have special significance as this will be our first home series in the ICC World Test championship following our away series in India in October.

New Delhi
After World T20 row, Harman wanted to take a break  

Indian women’s team captain Harmanpreet Kaur has revealed that she wanted to take an indefinite break from the game because of the controversy that followed the exclusion of former captain Mithali Raj from a few matches at the World T20 in the West Indies. “It (the injury) gave me a much-needed break from international cricket. I had almost made up my mind to let my parents know that I wanted to take a break. I don’t want to hold on to a spot in the Indian team just because I am a senior player,” she said. “I wanted to get away from cricket. Whatever happened around the team before that was immensely draining for me. Some of the things said were so far from reality that I felt, ‘I need to step away from this madness for a while’. If people want to drag me into unnecessary things, I have to stop trying to reason with them,” said the 30-year-old. — Agencies 

Antalya (Turkey)
Disappointing day for archers in WC Stage III

The India mixed recurve team made a second-round exit, while the individual archers also bowed out to cap a forgettable day for the country in the World Cup Stage III here today. The mixed pair of Deepika Kumari and Tarundeep Rai lost to home favourites Yasemin Anagoz and Mete Gazoz 4-5 in the shoot-off. Earlier, Rai, Deepika, Bombayla Devi and Atul Verma also made exits in the individual section. The compound mixed pair of Rajat Chauhan and Jyothi Surekha Vennam also made a second-round exit, going down to Russia's Viktoria Balzhanova and Anton Bulaev 156-158. 

Nanning (China)
Malaysia exit Sudirman Cup after freak injury 

Malaysian badminton player Teo Ee Yi was bloodied and shaken after his doubles partner accidentally smashed him in the face with his shin during their Sudirman Cup quarterfinal defeat to Japan today. The painful defeat put Japan 1-0 up in the tie. Men’s world No. 1 Kento Momota and Nozomi Okuhara triumphed in their singles matches to give Japan — who have never won the Sudirman Cup — an unassailable 3-0 lead. Japan next face Indonesia, who beat Taiwan 3-2. Saturday’s other semifinal is between China and Thailand.

Shanghai
Lippi back as China coach, four months after leaving

Marcello Lippi today returned as coach of China, four months after the World Cup winner quit. His resignation was followed by a failed stint by fellow Italian Fabio Cannavaro. Lippi had opted not to renew his contract after China made a quarterfinals exit from the Asian Cup. The 71-year-old's return was broadly welcomed by fans and local media. — Agencies