DUBLIN: Former world snooker champion Alex `Hurricane' Higgins, 50, who is fighting throat cancer, has said he plans to sue tobacco companies for his illness.

His solicitor Peter McDonnell, who is already representing over 200 clients taking cases against tobacco companies in the Irish courts, said the claim would be lodged in the near future.

McDonnell said he had been instructed to take proceedings against the Embassy and Benson and Hedges brands.

Dale replaces Reiffel

MELBOURNE: Swing bowler Adam Dale was chosen to replace the recently retired Paul Reiffel in Australia's One-Day International cricket squad to tour Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

Dale's Queensland team-mate Stuart Law had been selected to replace Reiffel on its list of 25 contracted players.

Pakistani offer

ISLAMABAD: A Canada-based Pakistani businessman has offered to sponsor the Indo-Pak cricket tournament in Toronto following Pakistan Cricket Board's interim chief's willingness to revivethe September event.

The DBS Group of Canada has formally submitted its offer to sponsor the five-match tournament -- in its fourth year.

Laver honoured

LOS ANGELES: Australian tennis legend Rod Laver was honoured on the opening night of the ATP Tour event here, with tributes from French Open champion Andre Agassi and Wimbledon champ Pete Sampras.

``The words living legend are overused a lot,'' Agassi said. ``But you are a living legend. I marvel at what you accomplished on the court and who you are off court.''

``He's always been a class act and someone I've tried to emulate,'' Sampras said. ``He has always been my idol.''

Boxing champ arrested

SANTA BARBARA: Junior middleweight boxing champion Fernando Vargas (21) was arrested on Sunday for investigation of assault with a deadly weapon and burglary, authorities said.

Investigators believe Vargas and the others entered a man's home and attacked him. The victim, whose name was withheld, sustained minor injuries but did notrequire hospitalisation. Vargas and the other men, ages 20 to 28, were released after posting bail of $ 10,000 each.

Doctors baffled

BUCHAREST: Forensic medical experts are foxed about the death of Romanian footballer Stefan Vrabioru who collapsed and died of cardiac arrest on the pitch in a First Division match on Saturday.

A post mortem was unable to determine inconclusively what caused the 23-year-old Astra Ploiesti mid-fielder to collapse. Doctors have not ruled out the use of drugs. The autopsy could find nothing wrong with the player's heart. However they did discover some bleeding of the digestive tract and an enlarged liver.