SANTIAGO: Diego Maradona will come out of retirement for a special match in February to celebrate the promotion of Santiago Morning to Chile's first division, club officials said.

Maradona, 38, will take to the pitch on February 4 in Santiago's Santa Laura Stadium.

Joining him will be striker Sergio Goycoechea and Jorge Burruchaga of Spain and Argentine Alberto Marcico of the Boca Juniors. Maradona's participation has been confirmed by his agents, the club said. Santiago Morning was promoted to the first division after defeating provincial Osorno (2-0 and 1-1).

Majoli pulls out of Australian Open

ZAGREB: Former French Open champion Iva Majoli has withdrawn from next month's Australian Open, citing a foot injury.

Majoli, who won at Roland Garros in 1997, told a newspaper that she would not be fit in time to play in Melbourne after suffering the injury in training.

``I know that I will not be ready -- so it is better for me to let peopleknow now,'' Majoli said. The Croatian player said she did not expect to play again until the WTA Tour event in Tokyo in early Febryary.

Foreman bout still on, says Holmes

HOUSTON: Larry Holmes has been reading in the newspaper that his birthday bash bout with George Foreman is off.

Not as far as he knows. He said on Tuesday that he spoke with promoter Roger Levitt, who assured him the old-timers' showdown in the Houston Astrodome on January 23 was still on.

``I'm preparing to go,'' Holmes said from his office Ineaston, Pennsylvania. The New York Daily news reported on Tuesday that the fight between former heavyweight champions would be canceled because Levitt has failed to come up with all of the combined $14 million purse. Foreman is to receive $10 million and Holmes $4 million.

England lose to Bradman XI

BOWRAL(AUSTRALIA): A makeshift English limited-overs cricket team crashed to a 51-run defeat against the Bradman XI.

Chasing the Bradman XI's 238-6 off 50 overs, the touristswere dismissed for 187 in 42.1 overs on the ground where Sir Donald Bradman first came to notice. Offspinner Greg Matthews did the damage with 4-43 while young New South Wales fast bowler Brett Lee took 3-42. England captain Adam Hollioake was the only batsman to put up a fight, hitting 67 from as many balls. The England side was made up of one-day specialists in Australia for the coming Tri-series and those players not involved in the fifth Test starting in Sydney on Saturday.

Honour for Hamed premature: Cooper

LONDON: Prince Naseem Hamed, Britain's brash world featherweight champion, has ruffled some feathers by being chosen for a prestigious national honour. Hamed, the undefeated WBO champ, was awarded the MBE (member of the order of the British empire) in the new year's honours list announced on Thursday Former British heavyweight Henry Cooper, one of Britain's most loved sports figures, said it was premature to give the award to Hamed.