Under-14 football

LALITPUR: Anil Latyaula scored five goals as Makwanpur defeated Syangja 5-0 at the Tribhuvan Memorial Inter-DDC Chairman Cup U-14 Football Tournament at Buddhi Bikash Mandal. In other matches, Ilam beat Tanahun 2-1; Kanchanpur beat Sindhupalchowk 1-0; and Sunsari beat Rautahat 4-0. At ANFA, Dhankuta beat Palpa 3-1; Kailali beat Siraha 6-1; Surkhet beat Nuwakot 3-1; and Panchthar beat Sarlahi 4-1. At JYC ground, Lalitpur beat Parsa 12-0; Lamjung beat Morang 5-3; Bara beat Ramechhap 1-0; and Dolakha beat Chitwan 2-1. At Sano Gaucharan, Jhapa beat Kavre 3-0. — HNS

Cheruiyot wins marathon

HOUSTON: David Cheruiyot of Kenya celebrated his first trip to the United States with a win in the Houston Marathon, and American Kelly Keane won the women’s race. Cheruiyot, running his third marathon, was a last-minute entry into the race. His winning time was 2 hours, 14 minutes, 50 seconds. Keane finished in 2:32.27. — AP

Cubans take to cricket

HAVANA: Cricket has found a new base in the unlikely form of baseball-mad Cuba. The Tribuna de la Habana said that the sport was growing in popularity with over 500 players in Havana and others taking it up out in the provinces. The paper said that young Cubans used to playing baseball in the streets had little difficulty in switching to cricket. Cricket’s popularity was such that a national association has been set up. — AFP

Boon up for charity walk

HOBART: Former Australian Test cricket batsman David Boon said he would consider taking on another epic trip for charity — just 24 hours after completing a 650-kilometre walk from Melbourne to Hobart. Boon and wife Pip completed the three-week walk on Sunday, raising more than $410,000 for research into leukemia and other cancers. Boon and his former teammates Allan Border and Dean Jones have now between them walked from Brisbane in Queensland to Hobart over the past three years. — AFP

Zico to recall Nakata

TOKYO: Japan football coach Zico wants to recall former skipper Hidetoshi Nakata of Fiorentina for a friendly against Syria as Japan prepares for the World Cup qualifiers. The star midfielder, twice Asian footballer of the year, has not represented his country since March because of a groin injury and back pain, and has often failed to make the first team since the start of the Italian Serie A season. Japan will play with Kazakhstan on January 29 and Syria on February 2. — AFP

NBA fines Rafer Alston

NEW YORK: Toronto Raptors’ Rafer Alston was fined $7,500 by the NBA for verbally abusing a game official on Friday in Phila-delphia. Alston had 11 points and 13 assists in Toronto’s 106-96 loss to the 76ers. — AP

Michael Bevan opts out

SYDNEY: Former star Australian one-day batsman Michael Bevan said he’s decided to captain the Prime Minister’s XI and not appear in a tsunami charity match in New Zealand. Bevan said leading the Prime Minister’ XI was “a tremendous honour.” Bevan and Zimbabwean wicketkeeper Andy Flower on Monday withdrew from the World XI to face New Zealand in the fund-raising series starting on Saturday. — AFP