New Vision win

KATHMANDU: New Vision Club defeated Mandarine Palace Club by 12 runs in the opening match of the Kathmandu District Senior Cricket Selection Tournament organised by Kathmandu District Cricket Association at the TU Stadium on Friday. Batting first, New Vision were bowled out for 106 runs in 36 overs and packed Mandarine for 85 in 22.1 overs. Sovit Dhwoj Chand of New Vision top-scored with 35 off 80 balls. Sujan Thapa and Rahul Bansal took three wickets each for Mandarine. In reply, man of the match Chand, Pushpan Kumar KC and Ranjeet Bhattarai claimed three wickets apiece to restrict Mandarine to 85. Bijay Gautam (14) was the lone batsman to score in double figures for Mandarine.— HNS

Ex-Pak cricketer dead

KARACHI: Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Taslim Arif has died after a brief illness, family sources said Friday. The 54-year-old, who was the junior squad selector, played six Tests for Pakistan, scoring 501 runs at an average of 62.62 and took nine victims. He also played two one-day internationals. Arif hit 90 and 46 on his Test debut against India at Calcutta in 1979 but was more famous for his 210 not out against Greg Chappell’s Australia in Faisalabad in 1980. — AFP

King beats Kremer

INDIAN WELLS: American Vania King rallied from 3-0 down in the final set to beat Luxembourg’s Anne Kremer 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the Pacific Life Open. Fellow young Americans Melanie Oudin and Ahsha Rolle also advanced. Oudin beat Maret Ani 7-5, 6-2, and Rolle beat Madison Brengle 6-2, 6-2. Israel’s Sela Dudi upset Germany’s Nicolas Kiefer 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-3 in the men’s side. Swedes Jonas Bjorkman and Robin Soderling also advanced. Bjorkman beat Italy’s Filippo Volandri 6-3, 7-6 (5), and Soderling topped France’s Sebastien Grosjean 6-3, 6-3. — AP