October 09th 2010
Sports Bites

Michael Beasley scored 21 points in his Timberwolves debut and Minnesota beat the Los Angeles Lakers 111-92 Monday in their preseason opener in London. Kobe Bryant only put in a brief appearance for defending NBA champion Los Angeles, going scoreless in a little more than six minutes of playing time. That wasn't enough to satisfy the crowd at the sold-out O2 Arena, which chanted ''Kobe, Kobe, Kobe'' during the second half. Bryant, who is still recovering from knee surgery in the offseason, answered with polite laughs on the bench, but the pleas had little effect on coach Phil Jackson.

Liverpool's board agreed to sell the debt-riddled Premier League club to the owners of the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday, but may have to take legal action to force out the existing American owners. Current co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr. have already said they will resist the bid from New England Sports Ventures, which owns the Red Sox, and a separate bid from Asia. Hicks and Gillett said the Boston bid - and one from an unidentified Asian investor - "dramatically undervalue" the 18-time English champions.

Sachin Tendulkar has won his first ICC award, the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, by being named the Cricketer of the Year during the 2010 ICC Award ceremony in Bangalore. Tendulkar, however, lost out in the other major categories he was nominated in, with Virender Sehwag winning the Test Cricketer of the Year award and AB de Villiers claiming the ODI prize.

Officials say repairs have ensured the Commonwealth Games stadium in Delhi will be ready for the start of the athletics events on Wednesday. Work went on overnight to resurface the damaged track, while grass was laid on bare parts of the in-field. Games Federation president Mike Fennell told reporters: "Repair work has been completed at the athletics stadium. "It was all done, checked this morning by the technical delegate and he has informed us that all systems are go." The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium track reportedly suffered damage during Sunday's spectacular opening ceremony.

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