26 Sports Thursday, January 16, 2020 Stokes named ICC player of the year after landmark 2019 ‘This award is testament to my team-mates and the support staff’

DUBAI: was yesterday named the man of the match performance in the second Test victo- International Council player of the year, cap- ry last week, said the strong bonds ping an unforgettable 2019 for the swashbuckling between the players can lead to further success. England all-rounder that included a match-winning “There is an incredible bond between team-mates knock at the World Cup. and to savour our achievements, whether that’s winning Stokes won the coveted Sir trophy the World Cup final at Lord’s or digging deep to win a — voted for by a panel of media representatives and Test match against Australia at Headingley,” said former players — thanks to an unbeaten 84 in a dra- Stokes. matic final against New Zealand in July followed by a “It is satisfying you can accomplish these superb brilliant 135 to win the third Ashes Test against highs together. “The last 12 months have been the best Australia six weeks later. in my career, and I believe what we attained will be the Stokes, 28, said it was a huge honour for any crick- catalyst to achieve further success over the next few eter to receive such an award. “To be recognised and years.” Indian opener was named the be the person to win that (award) it’s pretty amazing,” ODI cricketer of the year while he said in a video statement. During the voting period, bagged the Spirit of Cricket award for his gesture to Stokes aggregated 719 runs and bagged 12 in stop fans from booing Australia’s during a 20 ODIs. He also scored 821 runs and took 22 wickets World Cup match. in 11 Tests. Smith was returning to international cricket from a However, the New Zealand-born star said his award one-year suspension for changing the condition of the was not solely for him as an individual. “The past 12 ball. “I’m surprised that I have got it, after many years months have been incredible for England cricket and to of being under the scanner for the wrong things,” Kohli lift the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup for the first time said in a statement put out by ICC. was our greatest achievement,” said Stokes. “That moment was purely understanding an individ- “This award is testament to my team-mates and the ual’s situation. I don’t think a guy who is coming out of support staff that have been there every step of the a situation like that needs to be taken advantage of.” way. “Fundamentally, without the support of these indi- Kohli was also named captain of both the ICC Test and viduals, we would never have achieved our objective of ODI teams of the year. lifting a major trophy.” In other major awards, Australia fast bowler Pat CAPE TOWN: File photo shows England’s Ben Stokes (R) plays a shot as South Africa’s (C) and Cummins was named the Test player of the year and South Africa’s captain (L) looks on during the fourth day of the second Test. Stokes was yester- ‘UNDER THE SCANNER’ teammate was declared emerging day named the ICC player of the year. — AFP Stokes, who carried his form into this year with a cricketer of the year. — AFP

“Does anybody keep himself away from playing for Will he, won’t he? India for that long? That is the question and therein lies the answer.” Dhoni quit in 2014 and nation- al coach said he would likely soon quit S Africa looking Guessing game one-day internationals, but his imminent return to the with the on Dhoni’s future could mean his international swansong is yet to come. for change of “I have had a conversation with MS and that is between us... in all probability, he will finish one-day fortune in third NEW DELHI: Former India captain Mahendra Singh cricket,” Shastri told Indian television. “At his age, Dhoni’s illustrious career is nearing its end, but his probably the only format he’ll want to play is T20 crick- cryptic comments and long absences from the pitch et which means he’ll have to start playing again, get Test against England have kept fans guessing how he plans to walk away. back into the groove because he’s going to play in the The 38-year-old warhorse serves as an honorary IPL and see how his body reacts.” : South African captain Faf du lieutenant colonel in his army reserve regiment and For cricket-obsessed India, Dhoni’s international Plessis returns to one of his most productive venues, spent part of last year in strife-torn Kashmir — missing retirement will be a moment to rival the departure of seeking a change of form and fortune in the third Test an ODI tour of the West Indies. icon , who was similarly coy against England, starting at St George’s Park today. He has now not appeared for club or country in about his plans in the lead-up to his farewell Test in In six Tests at the ground where South Africa played more than six months, since New Zealand beat India in 2013. Shastri recently sent Indian social media users their first Test match, against England in 1888/89, Du the World Cup semi-final, and he was left out of the abuzz after saying that the constant speculation about Plessis has scored 509 runs at an average of 72.71, three-match one-day international series against Dhoni’s retirement “feels like a break-up... you know it’s including two of his nine career Test centuries. Australia which began on Tuesday. coming and it’s imminent but just don’t want to face (it)”. With the four-match World Test Championship Dhoni hinted late last year he would not reveal his In the cricketer’s absence, Indian selectors have backed series tied at 1-1, runs will be handy for the South plans until this month, but that hasn’t stopped constant new talent such as and for Mahendra Singh Dhoni African captain after a highest score of 29 in his questions about his sabbatical at team press confer- the wicketkeeper-batsman’s role in T20. Both have yet most recent seven Test - as will some luck ences. With India’s demanding fanbase setting their to convince. Dhoni led India to the inaugural T20 world with the toss. sights on a World Cup win in Australia later title in 2007. He hit a six to seal the 2011 World Cup final Kohli reached that mark in 196 innings, while Dhoni “That’s a record-breaking five (losses) in a row,” Du this year, speculation over Dhoni’s participation has victory and his status as a national hero. He has amassed made his figure from 324. But there seems to be little Plessis wryly noted when England’s called whipped up feverish discussion. 10,773 runs from 350 ODIs, but his form dipped notice- appetite among national cricket authorities to bring the correctly before the second Test in Cape Town last “The question that needs to be asked is of MSD ably at last year’s World Cup. Stellar performances from issue of Dhoni’s retirement to a head. India’s new crick- week. Root went into the second Test under some pres- himself,” said batting great last week- the likes of Kohli, who passed 11,000 runs while India et chief promised last year that seniors sure but England squared the series with a 189- win end, suggesting that the wicketkeeper-batsman’s long captain against Sri Lanka on Saturday, have started to like Dhoni will be respected and that the country’s and he had a good match as batsman, scoring 35 and absence had already settled the matter. eclipse the Dhoni legend. champions “don’t finish quickly”. — AFP 61, and as captain. Now there is pressure on Du Plessis, albeit primarily from the public through social media. His place as captain and batsman is under no serious threat but his recent performances have been com- Japan badminton pared to those of , who was dropped after averaging below 20 in 2019 - even though Du king Momota Plessis was the country’s second-highest run-scorer behind Quinton de Kock last year. What is beyond dispute is that South Africa need arrives home better performances from Zubayr Hamza and Du Plessis in the key three and four batting posi- TOKYO: Badminton world number one Kento Momota tions. Hamza has scored 66 runs in four innings and Du arrived in Japan yesterday after being released from a Plessis 69. Du Plessis will also want to shore up his Malaysian hospital following a car crash that killed his ratio of wins against losses as captain. driver and left him with minor injuries. When South Africa completed a series win against The 25-year-old Japanese, who walked past waiting Australia two years ago they had won 15 and lost five journalists without making a statement, faces two of 23 Tests under his leadership. months out after suffering cuts to his face and multiple Since then, several leading players have left the bruises when the vehicle carrying him to Kuala Lumpur stage and the Proteas have just three wins to set International Airport crashed in the early hours of against eight defeats. Monday. Five of those losses were in Sri Lanka and India, on Earlier in the day, he was discharged from hospital in each occasion after Du Plessis lost the toss in countries Malaysia, and boarded a plane wearing a dark cap and where the toss is usually more important than in South face mask. An assistant coach, physiotherapist, and Africa. Arguably the team’s worst loss, though, was at badminton official also suffered minor injuries in the St George’s Park last February when they were beaten highway crash, seen as a blow to Momota’s prepara- by Sri Lanka inside three days - after Du Plessis won tions for this year’s Tokyo Olympics where he will the toss. The captain scored 25 and 50 not out in what FLACHAU: Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova celebrates winning on the podium after the women’s Slalom event during attempt to win gold on home soil to complete a full set was largely a dismal batting performance against mod- the FIS ski Alpine World Cup in Flachau, Austria. —AFP of major titles. est opposition. The accident occurred just hours after he began his England will be riding on a wave of confidence after Newlands, but hopes that first choice slow bowler Jack 2020 season in style on Sunday with victory over Leach would be rejoining the party have been dashed. Vlhova wins Flachau slalom Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen in Kuala Lumpur. Momota Leach has not played in a match in South Africa had been in Putrajaya public hospital outside the capi- because of illness and tour management said Tuesday tal Kuala Lumpur since Monday. FLACHAU: Slovakian Petra Vlhova beat Mikaela Home hope Katharina Liensberger had to settle for that he would be heading home. He will now aim to return to action at the All England Shiffrin for the second straight World Cup slalom race fifth after sitting third following the opening run, with It was revealed that Leach, 27, who will leave the Championships on March 11, the secretary general of to seal victory at Flachau on Tuesday. The 24-year-old Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener finishing fourth in the tour Thursday, suffered from Sepsis during the previ- Japan’s Badminton Association Kinji Zeniya told AFP on posted a combined time of one minute and 53.65 sec- event for the fourth time. ous series in New Zealand when he had to be hospi- Tuesday. Momota, who won a record 11 titles last year, onds to edge out Sweden’s Anna Swenn-Larsson by Shiffrin, bidding for a fourth straight big crystal talised. He also suffered bouts of flu and gastroenteritis had “extraordinary enthusiasm towards the Olympics” only 0.10sec, with American star Shiffrin only third, globe, leads Vlhova in the overall World Cup standings which swept the England camp last month. this year in Tokyo, added Zeniya, but urged the gold “It has been an unfortunate time for Jack with illness another 0.33secs slower, after an error-strewn second by 273 points and the slalom standings by 80 points. It medal favourite to take time to recuperate fully. and since the Test series in New Zealand six weeks ago run in Austria. is the first time in over five years that Shiffrin has failed “I hope he will do his best without pushing and he hasn’t been able to get 100 percent fit,” said Vlhova claimed her seventh World Cup slalom win to win in successive slalom races, although she has now rushing himself too hard and without being impatient,” England head coach Chris Silverwood. and 12th on the circuit in total to move second in the finished on the podium seven times in Flachau. said Zeniya. The driver was killed at the scene while Without Leach, off-spinner Dom Bess is seen as overall standings behind defending champion Shiffrin. The 24-year-old two-time Olympic champion trailed Momota received cuts to his face and bruising all over certain to hold his place after steadily at “It was a really important win for me. I feel great, I feel Vlhova by 0.60secs heading into the second run under his body, Zeniya said, denying previous reports that he Newlands. There remains a selection dilemma, however, really confident in my skiing,” she said. “I tried to be the floodlights, but made two clear errors to miss out had broken his nose and chin. following a tour-ending injury to James Anderson, who focused and think about how I could be faster.” on a 65th World Cup triumph. Swenn-Larsson would Momota, currently the best player on the planet, took seven wickets in Cape Town. Vlhova and Shiffrin, who remains without a win in have been dreaming of becoming the first woman other enjoyed unrivalled success in 2019, with his title haul England have to choose between the reliability of 2020, had finished as the top two in each of the previ- than Vlhova and Shiffrin to win a slalom in 25 races including the World Championship, Asia Championship and the pace of or Mark ous three slaloms this season. But Swenn-Larsson pro- after seeing the latter fail to beat her time. But Vlhova and All England Championship — a dramatic turn- Wood, who have both recovered from injury.— Reuters duced the quickest second effort of 59.66sec to claim recovered after an early mistake to hang on for her around for a player who had been banned for gambling her third World Cup podium of the campaign. third victory of the season. — AFP in 2016. — AFP