SHORT CORNER
Perera the first in 81 years
Sri Lanka batsman Angelo Perera has become the second player in history to score two double-centuries in the same first-class game.
This has happened for only the second time in recorded history, the other way back in 1938, when Kent batsman Arthur Fagg, then 23, struck 244 and 202 not out against Essex, in Colchester.
The right-hander, who played four ODIs and two T20Is for Sri Lanka between 2013 and 2016, accomplished the notable feat at the famous Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo on Monday, captaining Nondescripts CC against SSC in the Super Eight stage of Sri Lanka's first-class Premier League tournament Tier A.
Both of the 28-year-old's double-hundreds were fast-scoring affairs, the first – 201 off 203 – coming at almost a run a ball, and the second only marginally slower, a 268-ball 231. The game was a high-scoring one across the board, with three other batsmen across both sides scoring centuries, and just 26 wickets falling across the four days as the match petered out to a draw.
-- Agencies
PSG's Lyon defeat must have pleased Solskjaer
Paris St Germain's first loss of the season must have pleased Manchester United's caretaker coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ahead of the Champions League last-16 clash between the teams, reckons PSG centre back Thiago Silva.
Solskjaer was among the spectators at the Groupama Stadium to witness Olympique Lyonnais prevail 2-1 against PSG who lacked steel in the midfield in the absence of injured Marco Verratti and missed the spark of Neymar, who will also miss the Feb. 12 first leg clash against United.
"It's going to be a great clash against Manchester," Silva, who fouled Moussa Dembele in the box to hand Lyon the winning penalty, was quoted as saying by French sports daily L'Equipe on Monday.
--Reuters
Zaniolo strikes again as Roma hold Milan
Teenaged midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo's second-half goal rescued a point for AS Roma as they secured a 1-1 draw with AC Milan in Serie A on Sunday.
Gennaro Gattuso's side maintained their place in the top four even though Krzysztof Piatek's 26th-minute strike was cancelled out by 19-year-old Zaniolo's effort after the interval. He became the youngest player to score three goals for Roma in Serie A since Francesco Totti in 1995.
Piatek scored his first league goal for Milan after joining from Genoa in the January transfer window.
The result leaves Milan fourth, and the final Champions League place, with 36 points from 22 games. Roma are one point behind in fifth.
-- Reuters
Injury delays Fellaini's Chinese club debut
Marouane Fellaini's debut at Chinese club Shandong Luneng has been delayed to allow the former Manchester United midfielder treatment for a calf injury, his new coach said Monday.
The 31-year-old arrived in Hong Kong on Sunday to meet with teammates and sign autographs for fans, but missed training and flew home to Belgium that night for treatment.
"Of course we are very happy that he is joining the club," Shandong coach Li Xiaopeng told reporters. "But between his health and the game, we think that his health is the more important."
--Afp
Body found underwater in wreckage of Sala's plane
British investigators said Monday they had spotted a body in the wreckage of a plane that disappeared in the Channel two weeks ago carrying Argentine footballer Emiliano Sala and his pilot.
Sala, 28, was flying from France to join his new club, Premier League side Cardiff City, when the light aircraft disappeared on January 21 north of the island of Guernsey.
A wreck was found on the seabed on Sunday and closer inspection by a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) confirmed both that it was the missing plane, and that a body was inside.
"Tragically, in video footage from the ROV, one occupant is visible amidst the wreckage," the British government's Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) said in a statement.
The AAIB also released a grainy image showing a part of the fuselage with the aircraft registration. The depth indicated on the image was 67.7 metres (222 feet).
Sala's father Horacio earlier spoke of his shock that the plane had been found, after a private search organised by the family. "I can't believe it. It's a bad dream," he told Cronica TV from his home in Progreso, Argentina, before the news about the body was announced.
--Afp
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