Captain Cook accuses Aussie of being disrespectful

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — England captain Alastair Cook accused Australian opener David Warner of being disrespectful by waging a verbal war outside the arena with comments that have already heated up the acrimony in the Ashes series.

Australia crushed Cook’s team by 381 runs on Sunday to continue a 25-year unbeaten run at the Gabba and take a 1-0 lead in the five-test series. But England has won the last three Ashes series, and has made a habit in recent seasons of coming back after losing the first test of away series.

Warner scored 124, his first Ashes century, on Saturday and then unloaded on the England batsmen in a news conference by saying they had “scared eyes” when facing Australian paceman Mitchell Johnson and accused Jonathan Trott of being “weak.”

Stressed Trott pulls out of England’s Ashes tour

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — A stress-related illness forced Jonathan Trott to quit the Ashes tour in the wake of England’s 381-run loss in the first Test, when he was targeted for criticism by Australian batsman David Warner and in the media.

The 32-year-old Trott had batting failures in both innings, out for 10 and 9 to Mitchell Johnson in Brisbane after being exposed as being vulnerable to short-pitch bowling.

England collapsed in both innings, dismissed for 136 and 179 in a comprehensive defeat late Sunday to start the five-test series.

Warner used a news conference the previous evening to say the way Trott handled the fiery bowling was “weak” and that the England batsmen had “scared eyes.” The British press was highly critical of the mode of Trott’s dismissal, including former test captain Michael Vaughan.

The England Cricket Board on yesterday issued a statement saying Trott would take a break from cricket “for the foreseeable future.”

“I don’t feel it’s right that I’m playing knowing that I’m not 100 per cent and I cannot currently operate at the level I have done in the past,” Trott said in a statement. “My priority now is to take a break from cricket so that I can focus on my recovery.”

Trott, who was born and educated in South Africa, has been part of England’s three consecutive Ashes series wins. He made a century in his test debut against Australia in 2009, and scored two unbeaten centuries and a half century during England’s Ashes triumph in 2010-11 — its first in Australia in 24 years.

He averages 46 in his 49 Tests, including nine centuries, but didn’t reach triple figures in the recent northern summer series against New Zealand and Australia and has been struggling for form.

The news of his departure was met with surprise and sympathy in Australia, with the Cricketers’ Association saying it hoped Trott had good support around him.

But it’s unlikely to stop any verbal banter between the teams. The first ttst ended with angry exchanges between the Australian fielders and England batsmen, with Australia captain Michael Clarke fined by the International Cricket Council for using an obscene word in an exchange with Jimmy Anderson that was picked up on the TV broadcast.

Jayawardene opts out of Pakistan T20s and ODIs

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Former captain Mahela Jayawardene has opted out of the Twenty20 and one-day international series against Pakistan starting next month citing personal reasons, Sri Lanka Cricket announced yesterday.

The two teams are scheduled to play two Twenty20s and five ODIs in the United Arab Emirates starting Dec. 11.

Officials released the squads for the two series which will be followed by a three-match test series.

Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath has been left out of the Twenty20 squad saying he has been rested considering the number of matches he will play ahead of World Cup 2015, the statement said.

Squads: Twenty20: Dinesh Chandimal (captain), Lasith Malinga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Kumar Sangakkara, Angelo Mathews, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kithruwan Vithanage, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Seekkuge Prasanna, Suranga Lakmal, Sachithra Senanayake, Ajantha Mendis, Ramith Rambukwella.

ODI: Angelo Mathews (Captain), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Ashan Priyanjana, Kithruwan Vithanage, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, Sachithra Senanayake, Rangana Herath, Seekuge Prasanna.

Brazil wins volleyball Grand Champions Cup

TOKYO (AP) — Brazil beat Italy in five sets on Sunday to win the gold medal at the volleyball World Grand Champions Cup.

Wallace De Souza led Brazil with 28 points in the 25-22, 25-22, 23-25, 20-25, 15-11 win as the South Americans improved to 12 points and a 4-1 record in the tournament.

Brazil was three points from victory in the third set only to see Italy come back and take five of the final six points to claim the set.

“We did it against a strong team like Italy,” Brazil captain Bruno Rezende said. “Our block, defence and counterattack were good. We had a chance to win in the third set but got nervous. Italy played well in the fourth set.”

Brazil, which lost to Russia on Saturday, claimed its third consecutive title and fourth overall.

Russia beat the United States 29-27, 25-22, 25-19 to capture the silver medal. Italy finished third.

Dmitriy Ilinykh was the top scorer for Russia with 13 points. Dmitriy Muserskiy and Evgeny Sivozhelez contributed 11 apiece in the win.

The match marked the first meeting between the United States and Russia in the World Grand Champions Cup and 45th overall between the two countries.

Cristiano Ronaldo has left hamstring injury

MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid says Cristiano Ronaldo has a left hamstring injury.

The Spanish club says the injury was detected yesterday, but the Portugal forward could still be ready for Wednesday’s Champions League match against Galatasaray at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

Ronaldo was substituted out of Madrid’s 5-0 victory at Almeria on Saturday after scoring his 33rd goal of the season.

Madrid leads Group B off the Champions League with 10 points and can secure its place in the next round with a draw against Galatasaray, which has four points.

Kiprop injured in crash

NAIROBI, Nov 25, 2013 (AFP) – Kenyan world 1500m champion Asbel Kiprop was involved in a car crash Sunday night but escaped with bruises.

Kiprop was returning to his Eldoret home from Kabarnet, situated in Kenya’s Rift valley region, when the car he was driving hit a rock and veered off the road, his friend Wilson Kipsang told AFP.

“He’s okay. He was treated at the hospital in Eldoret for some bruises and allowed to go home,” said world marathon record holder Kipsang, who accompanied Kiprop and his fellow passenger, James Kangogo to hospital.

“The car’s front bumper was slightly damaged,” added Kipsang.

The 24-year-old Kiprop, who was awarded the Beijing Olympic 1500m gold after Bahrain’s Rashid Ramzi tested positive for doping, successfully defended his world title in Moscow in August.

He also won all his three Diamond League races over the distance this season in Doha, Shanghai and Monaco.

Bayern looking for mole leaking ‘secrets’ to paper

MUNICH (AP) — Bayern Munich is looking for a mole.

Bayern officials are enraged that someone, apparently a player, leaked coach Pep Guardiola’s tactical instructions before Saturday’s derby at Borussia Dortmund to a mass-circulation newspaper. Bayern won 3-0.

Guardiola has reportedly threatened that the culprit will “never again” play for Bayern.

Bayern spokesman Markus Hoerwick says, “when he is identified, there will be a huge problem, and he should know that.”

Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told Sky TV that whoever leaked the information “should stop his activities immediately, otherwise he will have a serious problem, not only with Guardiola, but with the entire club.”

Rummenigge then jokingly added that the club will not go as far as engaging the US National Security Agency, which allegedly has been spying on European leaders and social media.

Lakers sign Bryant to two-year extension

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers have signed All-Star guard Kobe Bryant to a two-year contract extension.

General manager Mitch Kupchak made the announcement Monday, ending speculation that Bryant could end up with another team after this season. Kupchak said the team’s priority was to have Bryant finish his career as a Laker.

Terms of the deal were not released.

Bryant hasn’t played this season as he recovers from surgery on his torn Achilles tendon in April. He’s the Lakers all-time leading scorer and currently ranks fourth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose out for season

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose is out for the season.

The team said yesterday that Rose had successful surgery to repair a torn medial meniscus in his right knee.

Rose was hurt Friday night at Portland.

The 2011 NBA MVP missed all of last season after tearing a ligament in his left knee in Chicago’s 2012 playoff opener against Philadelphia. He has played in just 50 NBA games — 49 in the regular season and that lone playoff game — since the Bulls’ run to the Eastern Conference finals during his MVP season.