Australia smash India in warm-up

Cricket: Rapid centuries by Glenn Maxwell and David Warner lifted Australia to a 106-run win over India in a warm-up match yesterday that built up their prospects for the Cricket World Cup while leaving India winless in the dry Australian summer.

Maxwell slammed 122 from 57 balls before retiring and Warner hit 104 from 83 deliveries as Australia made 371 in 48.2 overs after winning the toss and batting. India was all out for 265 in 45.1 overs in reply.

Hafeez out of World Cup with calf injury

Cricket: Pakistan suffered another injury blow ahead of next week’s World Cup when its opening batsman Mohammad Hafeez was ruled out due to a calf injury yesterday.

Fast bowler Junaid Khan has already been replaced in Pakistan’s squad by Rahat Ali after the left-arm fast bowler couldn’t recover from a hamstring injury.

Hafeez was injured during the second one-day international against New Zealand on Tuesday. He’ll be out for at least a month.

Yarnold claims European title

Winter sports: Lizzy Yarnold won her second skeleton World Cup race in as many days to become European champion on yesterday.

In difficult conditions due to snowfall, the Olympic champion posted the fastest time in both runs to defeat the defending European champion, Janine Flock of Austria, by 0.3 seconds. Fellow Briton Rose McGrandle came 0.39s behind in third.

Venezuela loses by four runs to Cuba

Baseball: Frederich Cepeda went four for four and drove in five runs, leading Cuba over Venezuela 8-4 on Saturday night and into the championship game of the Caribbean Series.

Cuba will play Mexico for the title.