David Warner heaped more embarrassment on Australia's embattled cricket team ahead of the Ashes when the hot-headed batsman was suspended Thursday and fined for the second time in a month after punching England player Joe Root in the face in an alcohol-fueled late-night bar incident.

Warner escaped being sent home in disgrace from the tour of England and can return from his ban in time to play in the first Ashes test at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, starting July 10.

Miami's LeBron James scored 33 points while making the impact everyone expects of the four-time Most Valuable Player, leading the Heat to a 109-93 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday that leveled the NBA Finals at two games each.

James also had 11 rebounds and four assists and finally got some much-needed help from his struggling All-Star teammates. Dwyane Wade scored 32 points, Chris Bosh had 20 points and 13 rebounds and the defending champions made sure the series will head back to South Beach.

Flamengo said it has hired former Brazil coach Mano Menezes.

The club made the announcement on Thursday, saying that Menezes will sign a contract until the end of 2014.

Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta defended Lionel Messi against allegations of tax fraud on Thursday, a case that experts say could carry a prison sentence for the Argentina star.

A Spanish state prosecutor filed a fraud complaint on Wednesday alleging that Messi and his father Jorge avoided paying 4 million euros ($5.3 million) in back taxes through illegal overseas tax havens.

Germany forward Andre Schurrle is close to completing his protracted switch from Bayer Leverkusen to Chelsea, in what would be Jose Mourinho's first signing since returning as manager of the Premier League club.

Chelsea said Thursday that it had reached an agreement with Leverkusen over the transfer of Schurrle, who must now complete personal terms and pass a medical.

Five tries. Five failures.

Australian Chloe McCardel became the latest endurance athlete undone by the warm waters and fierce jellyfish of the Florida Straits, abandoning on Wednesday night her attempt to become the first person to swim across nonstop without a shark cage.

NASCAR driver Jason Leffler died after an accident Wednesday night at a dirt car event at Bridgeport Speedway.

The 37-year-old Leffler, a two-time winner on the Nationwide Series, was pronounced dead shortly after 9 p.m. local time, New Jersey State Police said.

Game 4 of the NBA Finals will tell more about the Miami Heat than a 66-win regular season ever could.

Any questions about LeBron James and the Heat were supposed to have been answered by now. He was too good to be taken out of games, his teammates too talented to go through long stretches where they weren't contributing.

Former Spanish international Marcos Senna has ended his 11-year stay at Villarreal to continue his playing career in the United States.

"The Spanish-Brazilian, an authentic symbol of the Yellow Submarine and a protagonist in the growth of the club, has accepted a new challenge both on a sporting and personal level and next season will play in the United States," said a statement on the club's website on Wednesday.

Argentina guaranteed itself of at least fifth place in South America's World Cup qualifying, and the resultant intercontinental playoff, by drawing 1-1 at Ecuador on Tuesday.

In other games, Colombia, Uruguay and Chile all notched key wins as the fight to qualify for Brazil 2014 moved toward its climax.