Sports News in Brief
Strange leads
BANGKOK — Australian Scott Strange shot a seven-under par 65 to grab the clubhouse lead after a rain-interrupted second-round of the $1 million Thailand Open at Thana City Golf & Sports Club near Bangkok. Strange, winner of OneAsia's first-ever tournament the Volvo China Open five years ago, went one better than his opening round and at the halfway stage sits at 13-under par on the 6,930-yard Greg Norman-designed course.
Live proposal
PARIS — Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Leonardo was so excited at his side drawing Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals yesterdau that he proposed to his girlfriend, live on television. And although Anna Billo initially appeared to shoot down his proposal, she eventually relented following some persistent badgering from the Brazilian. Leonardo, 43, was being interviewed by Italian Sky TV, for whom his girlfriend is a presenter, on his team's glamour Champions League draw when he popped the question.
Hopes dashed
PARIS — Marseille's title hopes suffered another setback yesterday when they were held to a 0-0 draw by Ajaccio, with coach Elie Baup concerned the under-renovation Stade Velodrome may have lost its fear factor. It was the second successive goalless draw for Baup's team following last weekend's stalemate with title rivals Lyon. Third-placed Marseille moved to 51 points, six behind league leaders Paris Saint-Germain.
USA beaten
MIAMI — The Dominican Republic staged a ninth-inning comeback to beat the United States 3-1 and book their place in the semi-finals of the World Baseball Classic in Miami on Friday. Erick Aybar's pinch-hit RBI single keyed a two-run rally in the ninth as the Dominicans scored a victory in front of a crowd of 34,366 at Marlins Park stadium. The defeat leaves the star-studded United States facing a must-win game against Puerto Rico on Friday night to avoid elimination.
Rehabilitation
WELLINGTON — England offspinner Graeme Swann faces up to two months' rehabilitation after surgery on his injured right elbow, raising hopes he will be fit for this year's Ashes double-header. Swann, 33, was forced out of England's tour of New Zealand earlier this month after a longstanding problem with his elbow flared, requiring surgery in the United States. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Friday said Swann had undergone "an uncomplicated operation" on the elbow.
Three wickets
MOHALI, India — India spinner Ravindra Jadeja took three wickets on day two of the third Test against Australia but the scalp of Michael Clarke was the one that stood out. Jadeja has taken 17 wickets in his four-Test career and four of them have been Clarke's, the player who was the leading runscorer in the game in 2012. "It's happening like that as of now!," the 24-year-old left-arm slow bowler said on Friday after Australia had reached 7-273 at stumps on day two following a first-day wash-out.