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DEFENDING CHAMPION INDIA EXTENDS ITS UNBEATEN RUN
Defending champion India made a mockery of the pre-tournament form guides, finishing unbeaten atop Pool B at the Cricket World Cup with a six-wicket win over Zimbabwe on Saturday.
India hadn’t won a competitive match on Australian soil in the two months leading up to the tournament, but has now won six in a row to extend its winning streak in World Cup matches to 10 — including the latter half of its run to the title in 2011.
The win over lowly-ranked Zimbabwe in Auckland, New Zealand, wasn’t as simple as the result suggested, though, with India needing an exceptional innings of 110 from Suresh Raina and 85 from Mahendra Singh Dhoni in an unbroken 196-run partnership to edge to victory with eight balls remaining. Four-time champion Australia beat win less Scotland by seven wickets in a rainaffected match in Hobart, Australia.
New Zealand will play the fourth-place team in Pool Band Australia will play the third-place team in Pool B in the quarter-finals. Those places will be determined Sunday when Pakistan plays Ireland in Adelaide and West Indies plays United Arab Emirates in Napier, New Zealand. India will play Bangladesh in the quarter-finals and could meet Australia in the semifinals.
LOGANO DOMINANT IN VICTORY AT PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL
AVONDALE, ARIZ. — Joey Logano routed the field Saturday to win the Xfinity Series at Phoenix International Raceway.
The Daytona 500 winner raced to his first Xfinity Series victory since 2013 with his dominant win for Team Penske.
He led 176 of the 200 laps and had the field covered. Matt Kenseth was second, followed by Kevin Harvick, Austin Dillon and Erik Jones.
Logano started from the pole in his No. 22 Ford, got a jump on Harvick at the start of the race and led the first 50 laps until he was passed on pit road during a caution. He led 85 of the first 100 laps.
VERNON’S HILL SNARES BRONZE IN WORLD CUP COMPETITION
EYSONNAZ, SWITZERLAND — Canada’s Kevin Hill opened the snowboardcross World Cup season with a bronze medal Saturday.
The world championship silver medallist from Vernon finished third behind Lucas Eguibar of Spain and Nikolay Olyunin of Russia.
Michela Moioli won gold in the women’s competition as she continued her comeback from a serious knee injury sustained in the Olympic final 13 months ago.
The 19-year-old Italian also took bronze at the worlds in January at Kreischberg, Austria.
SILVER LINING IN FRANCE FOR CANADIAN BRADY LEMAN
MEGEVE, FRANCE — Canada’s Brady Leman won a silver medal at the men’s skicross World Cup on Saturday. Leman finished second behind Jean Frederic Chapuis of France. The Canadian made a strong pass to move from fourth to second and held the position.
Paul Eckert of Germany was third. Leman, from Calgary, earned a bronze medal earlier this season at Val Thorens, France.
RUNNING BACK REGGIE BUSH HEADED TO SAN FRAN: SOURCE
SAN FRANCISCO — A person with knowledge of the agreement has told The Associated Press free agent running back Reggie Bush has reached a deal with the San Francisco 49ers.
Bush visited the team Wednesday and could be seen touring outside Levi’s Stadium with new San Francisco coach Jim Tomsula.
Bush joins a Niners team that lost Frank Gore in free agency to the Colts, left guard Mike Iupati to the Arizona Cardinals and a pair of cornerbacks — Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox.
BRONZE FOR CANADA’S WARE IN FINA’S THREE-METRE FIELD
BEIJING — Canada’s Pamela Ware nailed her final dive to win the bronze medal in the women’s three-metre competition at the opening stop on the FINA World Series diving circuit.
Tingmao Shi led China to a 1-2 finish with 389.60 points and He Zi was second at 372.90.