August 21st 2010
Sports Bites

Udonis Haslem of the Miami Heat released a statement Monday night expressing confidence that he'll be vindicated, one day after he was charged with possession of marijuana following a traffic stop. "I am confident that once the judicial process runs its course, I will be cleared," Haslem said. A passenger in Haslem's 2008 Mercedes sedan told the Florida Highway Patrol that marijuana found in the car Sunday afternoon after the Heat forward was pulled over for speeding on a South Florida highway was his - and Haslem's attorney insisted that's enough reason for the third-degree felony charge to be dropped.

Arsenal have been dealt another injury blow with the news that Samir Nasri will be out of action for around a month with a knee problem. The Gunners started the new Premier League campaign at Liverpool on Sunday with an already depleted squad but managed to salvage a point following a stoppage-time own goal by Reds goalkeeper Jose Reina. However, Arsene Wenger must also now do without the versatile Nasri - who often came inside to cover for captain Cesc Fabregas in central midfield - for probably the next five games, which also include the start of the Champions League campaign in mid-September.

Wahab Riaz enjoyed a debut to remember at The Oval with 5 for 63 as the hosts were bowled out for 233. This series isn't doing much good for batsmen's averages and on this occasion it was England's top order that crumbled as Wahab Riaz enjoyed a debut to remember at The Oval with 5 for 63 to help remove the hosts for 233. Even that represented riches after they'd crashed to 94 for 7 with Matt Prior, one of the few batsmen to show consistent form, and Stuart Broad adding 119 for the eighth wicket to give the total some respectability before James Anderson struck in the final over of the day.

Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets claims the Catalan club do not need to bring in anyone to replace anchorman Yaya Toure. Busquets made the defensive midfield position his own last season with a string of dominant displays as Barcelona won a second successive Primera Division title under coach Pep Guardiola. Guardiola, himself a midfielder lynchpin in the 1990s for Barcelona, had hoped to keep Toure as cover for Busquets, but the Ivory Coast star decided to move to Manchester City.

Discuss Story