Crane takes lead

Florida: American Ben Crane enjoyed a brilliant putting day to take the first-round lead at the $9.5 million PGA Players Championship. He carded a seven-under 65 to head compatriot John Mallinger, German Alex Cejka and Swede Richard Johnson by one stroke. Jeev Milkha Singh headed the Asian challenge on four-under 68, while Tiger Woods finished the day equal 38th on one-under 71 after a frustrating performance on the greens. — AFP

Bolt strats training

KINGSTON: Olympic sprint king Usain Bolt returned to training on Thursday for the first time since he crashed his car in a ditch along a Jamaican highway on April 29. The treble gold medallist from Beijing showed no ill-effects when he trained for the first time in more than a week. “He came out today just to feel himself out,” said Bolt’s coach Glen Mills. “He did some strides just to feel how his foot feels. He still has a slight discomfort.” Bolt is slated to run 150m at the Manchester Street race on May 17, but Mills said, its still too early to say if Bolt will run. — AFP

Haddin, Watson fined

DUBAI: Australia’s stand-in captain Brad Haddin and all-rounder Shane Watson have been fined for showing dissent at umpiring decisions in Thursday’s Twenty20 game against Pakistan. Watson was fined 25 per cent of his match fee and Haddin 15 per cent after pleading guilty to level one breaches of the ICC code of conduct. Watson was fined for making “verbal and physical signs of dissent” when adjudged lbw by Pakistan umpire Aleem Dar. Haddin was fined after he pointed his bat to umpire Zameer Haider when Andrew Symonds was given out lbw. — IANS