SPORTS DIGEST

BASKETBALL

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ miserable time continued as they slumped to a 103-74 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. The Cavs, who have now lost three of their last five games, put in their worst scoring performance of the season as Kawhi Leonard’s 25 points gave the Spurs the win. To make matters worse for the defending champions, Lebron James also went off injured. A 37th triple-double of the season for Russell Westbrook helped the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 92-91 win over the Dallas Mavericks. Westbrook scored 37 points, had 13 rebounds and made 10 assists in a standout performance. The Toronto Raptors beat the Orlando Magic 131-112, the New York Knicks won 109-95 over the Detroit Pistons, the Sacramento Kings edged out the Memphis Grizzlies 91-90 and the Utah Jazz downed the New Orleans Pelicans 108-100. NBA: Dallas Mavericks 91 Oklahoma City Thunder 92, New York Knicks 109 Detroit Pistons 95, Sacramento Kings 91 Memphis Grizzlies 90, San Antonio Spurs 103 Cleveland Cavaliers 74, Toronto Raptors 131 Orlando Magic 112, Utah Jazz 108 New Orleans Pelicans 100.

CRICKET

Afghanistan were in command on 357 for six after day one of their Intercontinental Cup clash with Ireland in the heat and humidity of Greater Noida. Captain Ashgar Stanikzai led the way for Afghanistan with 110 not out, with opener Mohammad Shahzad (85) and Nasir Jamal (73) also in fine touch. John Anderson and Andrew Mcbrine snared two wickets apiece but it was very much Afghanistan’s day. Ireland lost the toss and must have known they were in for a hard day’s graft on a slow pitch which offered no assistance to the seamers, and so it proved. Mcbrine took the only wicket of the morning session, trapping Shabir Noori lbw for 15, but Shahzad and Rahmat Shah (46) added 106 for the second wicket before both were dismissed by leg-spinner Anderson (two for 68). Stanikzai and Jamal shared a 144-run fourth-wicket partnership, the former smashing five sixes and seven fours in his impressive unbeaten knock. Their stand was broken late on by Peter Chase with the new ball, Jamal feathering a wide delivery to wicketkeeper Niall O’brien. Mcbrine then had Shahidi caught at slip by Gary Wilson for two, and the hard-hitting Mohammad Nabi (11) holed out to Chase at mid-off off the bowling of George Dockrell to give Ireland some reward for their toils. But centurion Stanikzai was very much still there at stumps, alongside Afsar Zazai (six not out). ● New Zealand are in pole position to claim a series-levelling win over South Africa after day four of the third Test in Hamilton. Having taken their first innings on to 489 – a lead of 175 – thanks to Kane Williamson’s 176, the Black Caps then reduced the tourists to 80 for five at the close, leaving South Africa with it all to do if they are to save the game. 3rd TEST (Hamilton) South Africa 314 (Q de Kock 90, F du Plessis 53, H M Amla 50, M J Henry 4-93) & 80-5 v New Zealand 489 (K S Williamson 176, J A Raval 88, C de Grandhomme 57, T WM Latham 50, K Rabada 4-122, M Morkel 4-100). 4th TEST (Dharmasala) Australia 300 (SPD Smith 111, M S Wade 57, D A Warner 56, K Yadav 4-68) & 137 v India 332 (R A Jadeja 63, K L Rahul 60, C A Pujara 57, N M Lyon 5-92) & 106-2 (K L Rahul 51 no). India beat Australia by 8 wkts. CHALLENGE MATCH (Abu Dhabi) MCC 332 (J M Clarke 89, B M Duckett 69) & 145-7 v Middlesex 179 (D J Malan 56, L Gregory 5-32, C Overton 4-37).

ICE HOCKEY

The Tampa Bay Lightning kept their Stanley Cup play-off hopes alive with a 5-4 overtime win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Yanni Gourde scored with 35 seconds of the additional period remaining to move the Lightning to within a point of the second wildcard position in the Eastern Conference. The Calgary Flames are in possession of the first wildcard spot in the Western Conference following their 4-2 win against the Colorado Avalanche and they lead the St Louis Blues, who were 4-1 winners over the Arizona Coyotes. The New York Islanders were beaten 3-1 by the Nashville Predators, the Buffalo Sabres beat the Florida Panthers 4-2 and the Detroit Red Wings got a 4-3 overtime win against the Carolina Hurricanes. NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE: Buffalo Sabres 4 Florida Panthers 2, Calgary Flames 4 Colorado Avalanche 2, New York Islanders 1 Nashville Predators 3, St Louis Blues 4 Arizona Coyotes 1, Tampa Bay Lightning 5 Chicago Blackhawks 4 (OT), Carolina Hurricanes 3 Detroit Red Wings 4 (OT).

SNOOKER

CHINA OPEN (Beijing) 1st rd: Mark Selby (Eng) bt Alfie Burden (Eng) 5-0, John Higgins (Sco) bt Ian Burns (Eng) 5-1, Daniel Wells (Wal) bt Jamie Cope (Eng) 5-3, Michael Holt (Eng) bt Jimmy White (Eng) 5-3, Rory Mcleod (Eng) bt Liang Wenbo (Chn) 5-2, Martin Gould (Eng) bt Fan Zhengyi (Chn) 5-1, Matthew Stevens (Wal) bt Alan Mcmanus (Sco) 5-1, Kyren Wilson (Eng) bt Xiao Guodong (Chn) 5-3.