Tara, Everest in semis

LALITPUR: Casino Tara and Casino Everest advanced to the semi-finals of the Casino Royale Birthday Cup Inter-casino Women’s Football Tournament here at the ANFA complex in Satdobato on Monday. Casino Tara edged past Casino Anna 1-0 on a goal from Anita Ghorasaini while Casino Everest also sneaked past Nepal Recreation Centre 1-0. Sharmila Thapa scored the winner for Everest. — HNS

Khambu, Duwal lose

COLOMBO: Nepal's Monalisa Khambu and Nikesh Duwal both lost their seventh and eighth round matches in the Continental Asian Chess Championships in Colombo on Monday. Khambu lost against Sri Lankans Cooray Sakuni and Abeywickrana while Duwal lost his seventh round match with 1968-rated Danuska and went down to 1914-rated Amarsena of Sri Lanka in the next round. Both the players have 2.5 points with only last round to play on Tuesday. — HNS

Run for TB awareness

KATHMANDU: The second Dr Robert Cock Open Running Competition is scheduled for July 11 in Lalitpur. Nepal Tuberculosis Eradication Organisation is organising the race in association with Patan Jaycees and Lalitpur Athletics. The event includes men’s 5-km and women’s 3-km open races along with 5-km and 3-km races for school boys and girls, said the organisers here on Monday. The race begins from Patan Durbar Square before culminating at the starting point. Top three winners in all categoreis will get Rs 3000, Rs 2000 and Rs 1000 respectively. — HNS

NSJF training in Palpa

KATHMANDU: In their bid to help local journalists carry out sports news properly, Palpa chapter of the Nepal Sports journalists Forum is organising two-day training programme on July 14-15. Active local journalists — both print and electronics — in Palpa will be provided the knowledge on the basic principles of sports journalism. NSJF will provide the technical support for the programme. Meanwhile, the Palpa chapter is set to fete three local players on the closing day of the programme. The chapter also announced award for an outstanding sports journalists of Palpa. — HNS

Former cricketer dies

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday mourned the death of Khan Mohammad, one of their cricketing pioneers, who bowled the first delivery and took the first wicket in the country’s inaugural Test match. Mohammad died aged 81 in England on Sunday after battling prostate cancer. Mohammad bowled the first delivery in Pakistan’s inaugural Test, against India in Delhi in October 1952. He also took the first wicket when he dismissed Pankaj Roy in the same match, which India won by an innings and 70 runs. — AFP

Totti hints at return

ROME: AS Roma captain Francesco Totti has said he would be open to a return to international football ahead of Italy’s defense of the World Cup next year in South Africa. The 32 year-old Totti retired from the national team following Italy’s triumph in Germany in 2006, but was quoted as saying on Monday that he would be prepared to discuss the situation with coach Marcello Lippi. — AP

Paceman Lee doubtful

CARDIFF: Australia face an anxious wait over the fitness of fast bowler Brett Lee for Wednesday’s first Ashes Test here against England after he suffered a rib injury. Lee indicated soreness in the left side of his ribs after last week’s draw with the England Lions where he appeared to bowl himself into contention for the Test team. The 32-year-old quick was due to undergo a scan and the results may not be available until Tuesday. — AFP