Yorks release Lehmann

LEEDS: Darren Lehmann, overlooked by Australia, has been released by Yorkshire who were worried he might be playing in the Ashes tour. Yorkshire director of operations Geoff Cope said: “We could not have risked looking for another player at this stage of the game had Darren been picked for the Ashes, hence the decision was taken not to sign him for this year.” The 35-year-old is now free to play for any of Yorkshire’s rivals in the County Championship. — AFP

Brief stay for Pak team

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani cricket team will spend about 26 hours in Ahmedabad, where the fourth one-dayer against India will be played on April 12, its shortest stay during the ongoing 50-day tour. Immediately after the match, the team will fly out to Kanpur, where the fifth match will be played on April 15. In normal course, the team would have flown to Ahmedabad after playing the third match at Jamshedpur on April 9. — HNS

Sevilla defender banned

MADRID: Sevilla defender Javi Navarro was suspended for five games by the Spanish soccer federation for the elbow which knocked out Mallorca’s Juan Arango. Navarro could have been banned for 12 games, but the federation gave him a reduced penalty because he showed “spontaneous regret” immediately after the collision. The incident occurred during a league game on March 20 at Mallorca. Arango stopped breathing and went into convulsions. He also sustained a fractured cheekbone and required 40 stitches in his lip. — AP

Extension for Mourinho

LONDON: Chelsea has reportedly offered manager Jose Mourinho a three-year contract extension — including an annual pay increase of $1.88 million — to dissuade him from quitting. The Premier League leader made the offer after two days of discussions with Mourinho’s agent, the London Evening Standard reported on Wednesday. “The negotiations are going well and nearing an end,” the agent, Jorge Mendes, was quoted as saying. “It will be concluded soon, maybe even on Thursday.” — AP

FIFA, Sony sign deal

TOKYO: Japan’s Sony Corp announced it has signed a global partnership with FIFA, giving the Tokyo-based electronics, entertainment and technology group various rights as an official sponsor of over 40 FIFA events. The $305 million contract will run from 2007 to 2014. The agreement will give Sony advertising and marketing activities at international soccer events, including the flagship FIFA World Cup in 2010 and 2014. — AP