Murali out

LONDON: Muttiah Muralitharan has left Sri Lanka’s tour of England early because of a family illness, Britain’s Press Association reported on Thursday. Murali is flying to Chennai in India because his child is unwell and is not expected to return for the remainder of the tour. The off-spinner was once again the mainstay of Sri Lanka’s attack during the Test series against England, taking 24 wickets at an average of 16.87 as the three-match encounter was drawn 1-1.— AFP

Kunderan dead

NEW DELHI: Former India wicketkeeper Budhi Kunderan has died of lung cancer aged 66 in Scotland, the PTI reported on Friday. Kunderan made his Test debut against Richie Benaud’s Australians at home in 1960 before he had played a first-class match. Kunderan, a hard-hitting batsman, scored 981 runs in 18 Tests with two centuries and three half-centuries before retiring in 1967. — AFP

Betis’ ban revoked

MADRID: Real Betis is free to play its first home match of next season at its Manuel Ruiz Lopera stadium following a successful appeal against a home-ground ban. Betis said on its Web site on Thursday that the Spanish soccer federation had decided to fine the club $5,662 instead of barring it from using the stadium for one game. The penalty was issued in May after crowd trouble disrupted the team’s final home game of the season against Mallorca.— AP

Court fines Tigana

PARIS: A court on Thursday fined former Fulham coach Jean Tigana for defamation against the English club’s owner, Mohammed Al Fayed, in an interview last year in the sports daily L’Equipe. The court fined Tigana $1,263, but suspended payment.— AP