Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt (right), pacersMohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were sentenced to jail for their role in the spot-fixing scandal, making them the first cricketers ever to be imprisoned for corruption.

Mr Butt, 27, was sentenced to two and a half years, while Mr Asif, 28, was handed a one-year term, and the 19-year-old
Mr Amir was sentenced to six months in the young offenders’ detention center instead of jail.

The players’ agent Mazhar Majeed got the strongest punishment as he was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.

Italy ’s Marco Simoncelli died of injuries sustained in a crash that resulted in the cancellation of the Malaysian MotoGP, in the latest tragedy to hit motor sports.

The crash occurred just minutes after the race began when the 24-year-old Honda rider’s bike veered across the track and into the path of riders Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi. Mr Simoncelli had his helmet knocked off in the ensuing collision.

Motor sports have seen a nightmare stretch recently. A week before this horrific incident, 2010 MotoGP champ Jorge Lorenzo crashed during warm-ups in Australia, severing a finger, while two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon died in a 15-car crash in Las Vegas in Indy Car.

CRICKET

Australia in South Africa

ODI Series Result: Australia won the 3-match series 2-1.

Player of the Series: Michael Hussey (Aus)

T20 Series Result: Two-match series drawn at 1-1.

Pakistan v Sri Lanka, UAE

Test Series Result: Pak won the 3-match series 1-0.

Players of the Series: Saeed Ajmal (Pak) and Kumar Sangakkara (SL)

TENNIS

Shanghai Rolex Masters

Winner: Andy Murray (Great Britain )

Runner-up: David Ferrer (Spain )

WTA Tour Championships, Istanbul

Winner: Petra Kvitova ( Czech Republic )

Runner-up: Victoria Azarenka (Belarus )

Fed Cup Final, Moscow

Winner: Czech Republic

Runner-up: Russia

MOTORRACING

Indian Grand Prix, Greater Noida 

Winner: Sebastian Vettel (Great Britain / Red Bull-Renault)

Second: Jenson Button ( Great Britain / McLaren-Mercedes)

Third: Fernando Alonso (Spain / Ferrari)

Korean Grand Prix, Yeongam

Winner: Sebastian Vettel (Great Britain / Red Bull-Renault)

Second: Lewis Hamilton ( Great Britain / McLaren-Mercedes)

Third: Mark Webber (Australia / Red Bull-Renault)