Sport in Brief: Leg break puts Rossi's title chase in a spin

(MAX ROSSI / REUTERS)

MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi faces up to three months out after undergoing surgery on a compound fracture of his right leg caused by a crash in practice at his home track in Mugello yesterday.

The Fiat Yamaha rider, 31, who has been hampered by a shoulder problem this season, was third fastest in the morning session when he high-sided 15 minutes from the end. “It could be one month, it could be five, it isn’t important. He is in no rush,” said his father Graziano. Rossi is second in the overall standings, nine points behind team-mate Jorge Lorenzo, who has won the last two races.

Cawthorn’s golden cruise

Canoeing: Britain’s Rachel Cawthorn won gold in the K1 1,000m at the final World Cup kayaking event in Duisburg, Germany.

Cawthorn, 21, won bronze in Friday’s K1 200m and will go for a third medal in today’s 500m event. She said: “I had a good start, got caught and then accelerated at the 500m mark. I just focused on thinking about going quickly and not the competition.”

Louisa Sawers and Jessica Walker won bronze in the K2 Leg break puts Rossi’s title chase in a spin 1,000m to add to the two medals Britain won on Friday.

Younus life ban lifted

Cricket: Former Pakistan captain Younus Khan has won his appeal against an indefinite ban from international cricket. The 32 year-old was one of six players punished by the Pakistan Cricket Board in March following an inquiry into the tour to Australia.

In lifting the ban, retired judge Irfan Qadir said Younus had not had a proper chance to defend himself. He also quashed a fine onthe current captain, Shahid Afridi, and halved fines on brothers Kamran and Umar Akmal. A one-year ban on the former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik was lifted last week.